TRANSIENT EFFECTS ON THE PERFORMANCES OF A SOLID ADSORPTION SOLAR REFRIGERATOR

Abstract

A study of the heat and mass transfer behaviours of a solar energy collector/generator/adsorber for use in solid adsorption refrigeration system is presented. The collector/generator/adsorber uses activated carbon as the adsorbent and methanol as the refrigerant. The study was undertaken using an earlier developed mathematical model of the transient system. The refrigerator performance was found to depend very strongly on the heat and mass transfers to and from the adsorbent in the collector/generator/adsorber. The two values of the thermal conductivity of activated carbon of the order of 0.1 W/mk is due mainly to its poor porosity characteristics. However, improvement in the refrigerator performance indicators, such as condensate yield, mass of ice produced and coefficient of performance are possible with either distributing adsorbents between fins or use of special additives or both. A similar level of improvement in its heat and mass transfer behaviour is possible with construction materials of lighter weight and higher conductivity such as aluminum plate and tube.


JMDMES Vol.2(1) 2003: 27-38