Dynamic performance analysis of a solar adsorption system: the effect of operating conditions and collectors’ area

Abstract

A continuous adsorption refrigerator, aiming for cold production to a fruit storage room installed in arid regions, is proposed. After cooling load estimation, a technical-economic study of different types of solar collectors was performed. Then, the dynamic performances of a solar-driven two-bed adsorption chiller are studied. Furthermore, this study shows that an optimal choice of the collector-type area and the operating conditions can reduce the global system cost and ensure better energy management. With 43.47 m ² collectors’ area, a solar fraction of 55% is reached at cycle time (t_cycle) 1600s; however, 49% is obtained at t_cycle of 900s. With a total collectors’ area of 43.47 m², a t_cycle of 1600s and a cooling water inlet temperature (T_CW,in) of 22°C, 60% of the cooling demand is solar produced. However, 57% is achieved at a t_cycle of 900s, 50.61 m² collectors’ area and T_CW,in of 25°C.

Highlights

• The cooling load of a storage room used for indigenous fruit preservation was estimated.

• A technical-economic study of different types of solar collectors is carried out to choose the most suitable one.

• A detailed dynamic approach to the thermodynamics of a solar adsorption refrigerator according to the time-varying solar radiation intensity and climatic data were presented.

• The effect of solar collectors’ area and different operating conditions has been studied to optimise the global system performance and cost.

KEYWORDS:

• Cooling load; continuous solar adsorption refrigeration; dynamic performance study
• optimisation

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Campus France within the framework of the PHC-Maghreb Project (19MAG29).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by PHC-Maghreb 19Mag29: [Grant Number ].