Renewable Energy 27 (2002) 401415 www.elsevier.

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Design and performance simulation of a new solar continuous solid adsorption refrigeration and heating hybrid system
X.J. Zhang, R.Z. Wang
*

Institute of Refrigeration and Cryogenics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China Received 24 April 2001; accepted 21 June 2001

Abstract In this paper, the design of a new continuous solid adsorption refrigeration and heating hybrid system driven by solar energy was proposed, and its performance simulation and analysis were made under the normal working conditions. Some performance parameters of the system were obtained, and the effects of water mass in water tank on the systems COPcooling, COPheating etc. were discussed. The simulation indicated: the system could refrigerate continuously with such a design, and at the conditions of that the daily sun-radiation is 21.6 MJ, the mean ambient temperature is 29.9C, the evaporating temperature is 5C, the heat-collecting coefcient of upper bed h is 60%, and the heat-transfer coefcient between lower bed and ambient a is 2 W/m2 K, by day a hybrid system of single combined bed could furnish 30 kg hot water of 47.8C, and had a mean COPcooling of 0.18, a mean COPheating of 0.34, a continuous mean SCPa of 17.6 W/kg, a continuous mean SCPc of 87.8 W/m2, and a continuous mean SHPc of 165.9 W/m2; and at night it had a cooling capacity of 0.26 MJ/kg of adsorbent, and a cooling capacity of 1.3 MJ/m2 of heat-collecting area. 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Solar energy; Continuous type; Adsorption refrigeration; Hybrid system

* Corresponding author. Tel./fax: +86-21-62933250. E-mail address: rzwang@mail.sjtu.edu.cn (R.Z. Wang).

0960-1481/02/$ - see front matter 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 9 6 0 - 1 4 8 1 ( 0 1 ) 0 0 1 4 8 - 3

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Nomenclature I(t) solar radiant intensity (W/m2) A heat-collecting area of the upper bed (m2) h heat-collecting coefcient of the upper bed mass of adsorbent (kg) Ma mass of adsorber material (kg) Mb water mass in water tank (kg) Mwt isobaric specic heat of adsorbent (J/kg K) cpa isobaric specic heat of adsorbate liquid (J/kg K) cprl isobaric specic heat of adsorber material (J/kg K) cpb isobaric specic heat of adsorbate vapor (J/kg K) cprg isobaric specic heat of cooling water (J/kg K) cpw maximum of adsorption capacity (kg/kg) x0 adsorption capacity of adsorbent in upper bed (kg/kg) x1 adsorption capacity of adsorbent in lower bed (kg/kg) x2 k1, n1 adsorption parameters related with desorbing of the working pair k2, n2 adsorption parameters related with adsorbing of the working pair adsorption heat (J/kg) ha desorption heat (J/kg) hd initial temperature of adsorption (K) Ta1 nal temperature of adsorption (K) Ta2 initial temperature of desorption (K) Tg1 nal temperature of desorption (K) Tg2 mean water temperature in water tank (K) Twt condensing pressure (pa) pco evaporating pressure (pa) pev condensing temperature (K) Tco inlet temperature of cooling water (K) Twin Twout outlet temperature of cooling water (K) ambient temperature (K) Tam evaporating temperature (K) Tev a heat-transfer coefcient between lower bed and ambient (W/m2 K) L latent heat of vaporization of adsorbate (J/kg) mass ow rate of cooling water (kg/s) Gw heat loss of adsorbate in condenser (W) Qco Qcooling cooling capacity of adsorbate in evaporator (W) COPcooling solar cooling coefcient of performance of the hybrid system COPheating solar heating coefcient of performance of the hybrid system SCPa continuous mean specic cooling power of adsorbent in the daytime (W/kg) SCPc continuous mean specic cooling power of heat-collecting area in the daytime (W/m2) SHPc continuous mean specic heating power of heat-collecting area in the daytime (W/m2)

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1. Introduction The coefcient of performance of solid adsorption refrigeration system has been improved greatly due to a great number of experimental and theoretical researches since the recent years. But the commercialization of solid adsorption refrigeration system is retarded by low thermal conductivity of adsorbent and low specic cooling power of the system [1]. By application of water, methanol, and ammonia, the solar adsorption refrigeration system employs the intermittence of solar energy and adsorption refrigeration artfully, and many prototypes and products have been reported [25]. But such cooling type only refrigerates during the night, and in the summer day when larger cooling capacity is needed, the method of cold storage must be adopted which will lead the larger volume and higher cost of solar adsorption refrigeration system. To improve the COP and cooling capacity of solid adsorption refrigeration system effectively, the more rational adsorption cycle and structure of adsorber should be built. In this paper, based on lots of experimental and theoretical researches of solid adsorption refrigeration system, the design and performance analysis of a new continuous solid adsorption refrigeration and heating hybrid system driven by solar energy was proposed. By comparison with the intermittent solar solid adsorption refrigeration system, the new hybrid system has many advantages such as refrigerating continuously even in the daytime, cooling as well as heating, and higher energy efciency.

2. Design and principle of the hybrid system 2.1. Design of the hybrid bed Solar solid adsorption bed is always designed according to the fabrication of platetype heat collector. Such design has two disadvantages as following: (1) The encapsulation thickness of adsorbent is so large that the temperature difference of adsorbent between surface layer and bottom in the bed is too big for adsorbent to adsorb or desorb evenly; (2) Only be used in intermittent cycle with desorbing in the daytime and adsorbing at night. To overcome the two disadvantages of traditional adsorption bed, the hybrid adsorption bed is combined by two adsorption beds which are covered by glass layer similar with solar collector shown in Fig. 1. To avoid the mutual thermal effect, an adiabatic layer is placed between the two beds. Such hybrid bed is devised like a slat and is made of alloy, which will make for keeping vacuity and increasing heattransfer areas. Black lacquer is coated on the surface of the bed. A U-type ume is devised as the bed wall through which the cold water ows to cool adsorbent that is adsorbing. When the two beds are in a state of saturated adsorption/desorption respectively, the two beds exchange their positions through a rotation of 180 by an axis, still with the upper bed desorbing and the lower bed adsorbing for refrigerating continuously.

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Fig. 1.

The design of hybrid adsorption bed.

2.2. Working principle of the hybrid system The schematic design of solar continuous solid adsorption refrigeration and heating hybrid system is shown in Fig. 2. The system consists of a hybrid adsorption bed array, water tank, condenser, evaporator, liquid receiver, throttle valve, valves and so on. In an ideal process, the working principle is shown in Fig. 3. In the morning, the upper bed absorbs solar energy as a heat collector. As time going, the temperature of adsorbent in upper bed rises. When the temperature of adsorbent rises up to a temperature (Ta2Tg1) which causes the vapor pressure of the desorbed refrigerant up to the condensing pressure (pevpco), desorption at constant pressure is initiated, the desorbed vapor is condensed in the condenser and collected in the receiver. The liquid ows into the evaporator via a throttle valve. The temperature of adsorbent in upper bed continues rising due to solar heating. After 2 h, when the temperature of adsorbent reaches the expected desorption temperature 8090C (Tg1Tg2), the rst heating of upper bed ends, and the hybrid bed is rotated by 180. The upper bed is substituted for the lower bed, which is heated by solar energy now, and the

Fig. 2.

Continuous solid adsorption refrigeration and heating hybrid system driven by solar energy.

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Fig. 3.

The Clapeyron diagram of ideal adsorption cycle.

upper bed is cooled by cold water in water tank which will circulates from tank to bed by its natural convection. Conveniently, we still call the up bed upper bed, and the low bed lower bed. The temperature of adsorbent in lower bed is reduced rapidly (Tg2Ta1), and the vapor pressure of refrigerant drops too (pcopev). Evaporation, i.e. refrigeration could happen if the connecting valve is open. The cooling by cold water and air natural convection causes the temperature of adsorbent in lower bed to drop (Ta1Ta2). In the evening, by several cycles the water will reaches high temperature, and can be used by the family. The thermodynamic cycle for adsorption refrigeration can be demonstrated in a pTx diagram shown as Fig. 3. But in such hybrid cycle, because the temperature of cooling water in water tank is rising after every cycle, Ta2, Tg1, Tg2, and Ta1 will have increasing values. So the cycle will not be repeated exactly due to the dynamic change of the several parameters. In general, when the upper bed desorbs, the lower bed adsorbs, and the hybrid system refrigerates and heats simultaneously and continuously. At night, because the ambient temperature is low, all the two beds will adsorbe refrigerants and have refrigeration effects.

3. Theoretical analysis of the hybrid system Based on the same design parameters of the two beds and the homogeneous temperature of adsorbent in the adsorbing/desorbing process, this paper will make a theoretical analysis on the system of a single hybrid adsorption bed. There are ve subsystems in the hybrid system: (1) the upper bed (signed by bed 1), (2) the lower bed (signed by bed 2), (3) condenser, (4) evaporator, (5) and water tank.

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3.1. Unsteady energy equations of subsystems For the upper bed, the unsteady energy equation is I(t)Ah (Macpa x1Macprl Mbcpb) dT1 dx1 hdMa , dt dt (1)

where I(t) is the solar radiant intensity (W/m2), A is the heat-collecting area of the upper bed (m2), h is the heat-collecting coefcient of the upper bed, Ma is the mass of adsorbent (kg), cpa is the isobaric specic heat of adsorbent (J/kg K), x1 is the adsorption capacity of adsorbent in upper bed (kg/kg), cprl is the isobaric specic heat of adsorbate liquid (J/kg K), Mb is the mass of adsorber material (kg), cpb is the specic heat of adsorber material (J/kg K), and hd is the desorption heat (J/kg). x1, hd can be calculated by the two following equations [6]: x1 x0exp k1

T1 1 Tco
n1

(2)

which is called D-A equation, where k1, n1 are the adsorption parameters related with desorbing of the working pair, x0 is the maximum of adsorption capacity (kg/kg), and Tco is the condensing temperature equal to the ambient temperature (K); and hd L T1 , Tco (3)

where L is latent heat of vaporization of adsorbate (J/kg). For the lower bed, the unsteady energy equation is Gwcpw(TwinTwout) aA(TamT2) (Macpa x2Macprl Mbcb) haMa dx2 , dt dT2 dt (4)

where Gw is the mass ow rate of cooling water (kg/s), cpw is the isobaric specic heat of cooling water (J/kg K), Twin is the inlet temperature of cooling water (K), Twout is the outlet temperature of cooling water (K), Tam is the ambient temperature (K), a is the heat-transfer coefcient between lower bed and ambient (W/m2 K), x2 is the adsorption capacity of adsorbent in lower bed (kg/kg), and ha is the adsorption heat (J/kg). x2, ha can be calculated by the two following equations: x2 x0exp k2

T2 1 Tev
n2

(5)

which is called D-A equation, where k2, n2 are the adsorption parameters related with adsorbing of the working pair, x0 is also the maximum of adsorption capacity (kg/kg), and Tev is the evaporating temperature (K); and T2 ha L . Tev (6)

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For the water tank, the unsteady energy equation is Gwcpw(TwoutTwin) Mwtcpw dTwt . dt (7)

where Mwt is the water mass in water tank (kg), Twt is the mean water temperature in water tank (K). For the condenser, the unsteady energy equation is Qco Ma[cprg(TcoT1)L] dx1 , dt (8)

where Qco is the heat loss of adsorbate in condenser (W), cprg is the isobaric specic heat of adsorbate vapor (J/kg K). For the evaporator, the unsteady energy equation is Qcooling Ma[Lcprl(T2Tev)] dx2 dt (9)

where Qcooling is the cooling capacity of adsorbate in evaporator (W). 3.2. Coefcient of performances of the hybrid system The solar cooling coefcient of performance of the hybrid system is expressed as:

COPcooling

Qcooling dt . I(t)A dt

(10)

The solar heating coefcient of performance of the hybrid system is expressed as: Mwtcpw dTwt dt dt .

COPhealing

(11)

I(t)Adt

4. Performance simulation of the hybrid system 4.1. Results of simulation This paper makes a performance simulation and analysis on the system of a single hybrid adsorption bed on one day in the summer in Shanghai when the solar radiant

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Fig. 4.

Solar radiant intensity I variable with time in the daytime.

intensity I and the ambient temperature Tam are shown in Figs. 4 and 5, respectively. The activated carbonmethanol working pair is adopted in the hybrid system in which the hybrid adsorption beds are overturned after every two hours during the day. The parameters for calculation and design are shown in Table 1, and the results of simulation are shown in Figs. 614.

Fig. 5.

Ambient temperature Tam variable with time.

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Table 1 Parameters for calculation and design Name Heat-transfer coefcient between lower bed and ambient a (W/m2K) Water mass in water tank Mwt (kg) Initial water temperature in water tank Twt0 (K) Adsorbent mass Ma (kg) Mass of adsorber material Mb (kg) Heat-collecting coefcient of upper bed h Heat-collecting area of upper bed A (m2) Isobaric specic heat of adsorbent cpa (J/kg K) Isobaric specic heat of adsorbate liquid cprl (J/kg K) Isobaric specic heat of adsorber material cpb (J/kg K) Isobaric specic heat of cooling water cpw (J/kg K) Latent heat of vaporization of adsorbate L (J/kg) Maximum of adsorption capacity x0 (kg/kg) [2] Adsorption parameter k=k1=k2 [2] Adsorption parameter n=n1=n2 [2] Value 2 10100 298 2 4 0.6 0.4 1200 2736 1000 4180 1,102,000 0.333 12.436 1.3

Fig. 6.

COPcooling variable with water mass in water tank in the daytime.

4.2. Performance analysis of the hybrid system In the performance process of the hybrid system, there exist optimal tradeoffs between cooling and heating and between design and performance. During the day because water in the water tank will not be extracted to reach an appropriate water

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Fig. 7.

COPheating variable with water mass in water tank in the daytime.

Fig. 8.

Final temperature of upper bed Tg2 variable with water mass in water tank in the daytime.

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Fig. 9.

Final mean water temperature in water tank Twt variable with water mass in the daytime.

Fig. 10.

Specic cooling power of adsorbent SCPa variable with water mass in water tank in the daytime.

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Fig. 11. Specic cooling power of heat-collecting area SCPc variable with water mass in water tank in the daytime.

temperature for the family use at night, with rising of water temperature in the water tank,the nal temperature of adsorbent in lower bed Ta2 is equal to the mean water temperature in water tank Twt after heat exchanging between the cooling water and the lower bed. With the mean water temperature in water tank Twt rising, Ta2 is raised after every cycle. Fortunately in the next process of solar heating the nal temperature of adsorbent in upper bed Tg2 is raised too, which will offset the drop of COPcooling due to the rising of nal temperature of adsorbent in lower bed Ta2. As are shown in Figs. 6, 7, 1012, as the water mass in water tank rises, the COPcooling, COPheating, SCPa, SCPc and SHPc also rise during the day. As are shown in Figs. 8, 9, 13 and 14, as the water mass in water tank rises, the temperature Tg2 and Twt in the daytime, the cooling capacity of per kg adsorbent at night, and the cooling capacity of per m2 heat-collecting area at night will reduce. Therefore an optimal value of water mass in water tank exists, which will make the COPcooling, COPheating, SCPa, SCPc and SHPc in the daytime, the water temperature in water tank after 1 day and the cooling capacity at night be appropriate values for an optimal design. Considering the actual solar application, the optimal value of water mass in water tank of the hybrid system in this paper is 30 kg from the simulation, and other performance parameters are shown in Table 2.

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Fig. 12. Specic heating power of heat-collecting area SHPc variable with water mass in water tank in the daytime.

Fig. 13. Cooling capacity of per kg adsorbent variable with water mass in water tank at night.

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Fig. 14.

Cooling capacity of per m2 heat-collecting area variable with water mass in water tank at night.

Table 2 Simulation results when the water mass in water tank is 30 kg Names of performance parameter Final water temperature increment in water tank in the daytime (C) Mean cooling COPcooling in the daytime Mean heating COPheating in the daytime Continuous mean specic cooling power of adsorbent in the daytime SCPa (W/kg) Continuous mean specic cooling power of heat-collecting area in the daytime SCPc (W/m2) Continuous mean specic heating power of heat-collecting area in the daytime SHPc (W/m2) Cooling capacity of per kg adsorbent at night (MJ) Cooling capacity of per m2 heat-collecting area at night (MJ) Value 22.8 0.18 0.34 17.6 87.8 165.9 0.26 1.3

5. Conclusion This paper has proposed a design scheme of new solar continuous solid adsorption refrigeration and heating hybrid system and has made a performance simulation and analysis on the system. The relations between cooling/heating coefcient and solar radiation time and the optimal value of water mass in water tank of the hybrid system are found. This paper shows that such hybrid system has a great-applied value and the theoretical work on the system in this paper will make for the optimization of performance parameters of the next experimental prototype.

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Acknowledgements This work is supported by the state Key Fundamental Research Program under the contract No. G2000026309 P.R.C., the Teaching and Research Award Program for Outstanding Young Teacher in High Education Institutions of MOE P.R.C., the Research Fund for Doctoral Program of Higher Education under the contract No. 2000024808 P.R.C., and the Subsidy Plan to Core Teachers in High Education under the contract No. GGJT02003 P.R.C..

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