The absorption cooling system is a heat-activated cooling system based on a solution absorption process. It is a good choice for solar cooling. Various kinds of absorption cooling systems are available for various working conditions.
Solar-powered absorption cooling systems utilize solar heat power to drive an absorption chiller and produce a cooling effect. This is an efficient method for solar-driven refrigeration. Fig. 11.4 shows the systematic diagram of a typical solar-powered absorption cooling system.
Like other thermal systems, modeling of solar absorption cooling systems can be categorized broadly into steady-state, quasi-steady state, and dynamic approaches. The steady state modeling is an approach where the system behavior is modeled considering all variables and parameters constant over time.
Their results revealed that integrated solar absorption cooling and heating systems have potential to save total cost and CO 2 emission, and it is more attractive when natural gas is used as system backup energy. The energy performance depends on the building type and location.
Solar absorption refrigeration systems can be integrated with existing cooling systems, such as traditional vapor-compression systems, to enhance efficiency and provide backup cooling capacity during periods of low solar irradiance or high cooling demand.
Although significant research efforts on solar absorption cooling systems with thermal storage have been reported , there is a limited focus on exploring and assessing multi-storage or comparing different thermal storage configurations and strategies in a controlled manner.