Thermal Analysis of Absorption Air Conditioning Cycle Using Glycerin in Hot and Cold Storage Tanks

Abstract

Increasing demand for cooling operations in the oil and other sectors, this has led to an increase in electrical energy consumption. The most sustainable solution is to use absorption cooling technology by utilizing solar heat as driving energy instead of electricity. The primary advantage of absorptive cooling is lower electricity costs. In this study, the effect of changing the thermal storage capacities of hot and cold storage tanks and the solar collector area on the performance of the absorption air conditioning cycle was investigated. The optimum operating conditions, the maximum number of processing hours, and the optimum performance coefficient of the absorption conditioning cycle system were selected. The water-lithium bromide solution was used as a fluid in the sorption cycle, and glycerin was used in the hot and cold tank cycle and in the solar collector because it can with stands both high and low temperatures. The simulation process was carried out using (Fortran 90) program with the help of (Port log) program, (Carrier HAP420) program and (Curve Expert) program. The absorption conditioning cycle was simulated during the day to choose the best capacity for hot and cold storage tanks, as well as to choose the solar collector with the best performance factor. Changing the area of the solar collector (from 9.6 m2 to 16.7 m2), and the volume of the hot tank (from 0.55 m3 to 1.4 m3) have been done to provide the maximum temperature that the hot tank can reach with varying expected cooling load per hour, as well as the size of the tank cold (from 0.9 m3 to 1.6 m3) which gets additional cooling capacity, since the effect of these variables was tested separately. According to the research results, the best and most suitable volume for the hot tank is (0.55 m3), and for the cold tank is (1.5 m3), and the best and appropriate area for a solar concentric collector is (11.7 m2), which can provide longer running hours. Finally, the higher the generator's temperature, the higher the system's coefficient of performance (COP). The lowest COP value (0.68) is used to guarantee that the system runs for longer periods of time.