Application of Renewable Energy Options—The Role of Solar Adsorption Cooling Technology ()
ABSTRACT
High energy requirement of vapor compression cooling
systems in addition to harmful refrigerants further necessitates the increasing need for more reliable, flexible, environmentally
friendly, and cost-efficient cooling systems options. Adsorption cooling
technology could be a better option in terms of huge energy saving potential,
Carbon emission reduction, flexibility, and waste heat utilization. There are, however, some setbacks that hindered adsorption cooling technology from
real mass production and commercialization. This work seeks to study, evaluate
and compare the energy requirement and coefficient of performance of solar-powered adsorption cooling system (as an application of renewable energy)
in relation to vapor compression system. Adsorbate/adsorbent equilibrium test
(using a test rig) was used to predict the performance of thermal driven
adsorption cooling system using methanol/activated carbon (as
adsorbate/adsorbent pair) in relation to similar data obtained from laboratory
vapor compression refrigeration test rig (same mass of refrigerant). For the
adsorption cooling system and vapor compression system, the energy requirements
were found to be 1913.57 kJ and 8932.02 kJ while the coefficient of performance
(COP)s were found to be 0.39 and 1.2 respectively. Presumably, the adsorption cooling system has an energy requirement that could be powered
by direct solar thermal heating using a flat plate collector, however, the COP
is relatively lower indicating lower cooling capacity, and hence takes a longer period of time
to overcome the same cooling load as vapor compression system. It is recommended among other things that research
should focus on developing better adsorbate/adsorbent pairs for an increased
adsorption/desorption time.
Share and Cite:
Abdulkadir, M. , Kulla, D. , Kaisan, M. , Ahmadu, T. and Kofa, A. (2022) Application of Renewable Energy Options—The Role of Solar Adsorption Cooling Technology.
Journal of Power and Energy Engineering,
10, 38-46. doi:
10.4236/jpee.2022.104003.