Recent advances in performance enhancement techniques and the perspective of solar energy for automobile air-conditioning system-a critical review

• Published in: Solar energy Vol. 241; pp. 184 - 219
• Main Authors: Patel, Hemantchandra N., Modi, Kalpesh V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 15.07.2022
• Subjects: Active cooling; Automobile air-conditioning systems; Conventional vehicles; Electric vehicles; Passive cooling; Renewable energy; RAR; PV; IHE; HP; Conventional vehicles; AACS; GC; CC; CVs; GWP; AC; EVs; HVs; COP; Automobile air-conditioning systems; OGC; MWT; PSEPCS; SGC; CS; ACS; Passive cooling; PC; RE; Renewable energy; Active cooling; RH; Electric vehicles; HC; PCM; HVACS
• ISSN: 0038-092X; 1471-1257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2022.06.003

[Display omitted] •Recent developments in passive cooling technology for vehicles have been portrayed.•Recent developments in active cooling technology for vehicles have been reviewed.•Effect of distinct parameters has been discussed on the performance parameters of ACS.•Renewable sources of energy to operate vehicles ACS have been explored and reviewed.•Renewable energy-based stand-alone ACS is the most promising alternative for vehicles. The fluctuation in temperature in the vehicle cabin causes discomfort for occupants. To maintain a comfortable temperature in the cabin, the importance of the air-conditioning system (ACS) increases in automobiles. In situations like dense traffic and the parking of vehicles in open spaces (under direct sunlight), the vehicle's cabin temperature increases. The comfortable condition for occupants in the vehicle cabin is achieved by ACS which consumes energy from the engine or battery, which affects the fuel economy or cruising range, or average performance of the vehicle. When the engine is “Off”, achieving comfortable conditions in the cabin or operating ACS becomes impossible. In this review, the authors have reviewed various passive and active cooling technologies to enhance the performance of ACS, which leads to an improvement in the performance of conventional or hybrid, or electric energy-based vehicles. The influence of distinct parameters on performance indices of ACS and overall vehicle performance has been summarized in tables. The renewable sources of energy to reduce the soak temperature in the cabin and to operate ACS in automobiles have also been explored and reviewed. In the end, the critical conclusion and the future scope of renewable energy-operated stand-alone ACS have been elaborated concisely.