Experimental analysis of a solar absorption system with interior energy storage

Abstract

This study examines experimentally the cooling application of a solar absorption system with interior energy storage that uses two different auxiliary systems. The experiments were performed at Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey on the 3rd and 4th of August 2010 that had the approximately same average outdoor temperature, 31°C. A solar hot water was delivered via a 40 m2 array of flat plate solar collectors that drove a lithium chloride (LiCl) absorption heat pump with a cooling power peak of 20 kW. A solar-powered air conditioning system was designed for heating and cooling in a test room that had a total floor space of 30 m2. Chilled water produced in the evaporator was supplied to the fan coil units, and the heat of condensation and absorption was rejected by means of a wet cooling tower. An electric heater and an air source heat pump were used as auxiliary systems for the absorption cooling application for two different cases when the solar energy was insufficient. Temperature variations were recorded for the absorption machine components, the test room, and the outdoors. The cooling energy, thermal energy, and daily average coefficient of performance (COP) of the absorption system were calculated for two days. Solar absorption cooling was considered for two different auxiliary systems and is presented in this manuscript. The results showed that the daily average COP of the absorption system was 0.283 for Case 1 and 0.282 for Case 2. For both cases, the interior energy storage of the absorption system enabled it to satisfy the cooling demand during the night while solar energy was not available.