Experimental investigation and performance analysis on a solar adsorption cooling system with/without heat storage

• Published in: Applied energy Vol. 87; no. 3; pp. 824 - 835
• Main Authors: Zhai, X.Q., Wang, R.Z.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2010; Elsevier
• Series: Applied Energy
• Subjects: Adsorption cooling; Air conditioning systems; Air conditioning. Ventilation; Applied sciences; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Equipments, installations and applications; Exact sciences and technology; Heating, air conditioning and ventilation; Natural energy; Solar energy; Solar energy Adsorption cooling System with heat storage System without heat storage; Solar thermal conversion; System with heat storage; System without heat storage; Asia; China; Adsorption cooling; System with heat storage; System without heat storage; Solar energy; Room conditioning; Performance evaluation; Chiller; Solar collector; Performance characteristic; Thermal energy storage; Experimental study; Case study; Green building; Adsorption; Cooling system
• ISSN: 0306-2619; 1872-9118
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2009.10.002

A solar adsorption cooling system which can be switched between a system with heat storage and a system without heat storage was designed. In the system with heat storage, a heat storage water tank was employed as the link between the solar collector circulation and the hot water circulation for the adsorption chillers. However, the heat storage water tank was isolated in the system without heat storage, and the hot water was directly circulated between the solar collector arrays and the adsorption chillers. It was found that the inlet and outlet temperatures for the solar collector arrays and the adsorption chillers in the system without heat storage were more fluctuant than those of the system with heat storage. Also found was that the system with heat storage operated stably because of the regulating effect by the heat storage water tank. However, under otherwise similar conditions, the cooling effect of the system without heat storage was similar to that of the system with heat storage. Compared with the system with heat storage, the system without heat storage has the advantages of higher solar collecting efficiency as well as higher electrical COP.