Adsorption-based cooling system is a cost-effective method of heat conversion. It has the potential to dramatically enhance energy efficiency while also lowering pollutant levels. For this purpose, a solar-powered vapor adsorption refrigeration system (VAdRS) using activated carbon–methanol and zeolite–water as the working pair has been designed and experimentally evaluated. The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the coefficient of performance (COP) and specific cooling power (SCP) of a solar cooling unit by utilizing the optimum minimum and maximum mass concentration ratios. The novel solar-assisted adsorption refrigeration system optimization technique is used in this research to evaluate the optimal performance of the solar-powered VAdRS under various operating scenarios. The experiment was conducted at the optimum minimum and maximum mass concentration ratios of 0.1 and 0.2, respectively. The experimental results show that the activated carbon–methanol adsorption system produces a higher COP value than the zeolite–water adsorption system of 0.49–0.64 and 0.64–0.67 at constant evaporator and condenser temperature, respectively. It also showed that the higher SCP value was revealed in the zeolite–water-based adsorption cooling system as 207.5–217.4 kJ/kg. It was revealed that AC–methanol could be used to operate better in low-generating-temperature conditions. On the other hand, the zeolite–water adsorption system can be used at higher generating temperatures.
References
1.
Alelyani
, S. M.
, Bertrand
, W. K.
, Zhang
, Z.
, and Phelan
, P. E.
, “Experimental study of an evacuated tube solar adsorption cooling module and its optimal adsorbent bed design
,” Sol. Energy
211
, 183
–191
(2020
).2.
Allouhi
, A.
, Kousksou
, T.
, Jamil
, A.
, El Rhafiki
, T.
, Mourad
, Y.
, and Zeraouli
, Y.
, “Optimal working pairs for solar adsorption cooling applications
,” Energy
79
, 235
–247
(2015
).3.
Almohammadi
, K. M.
and Harby
, K.
, “Operational conditions optimization of a proposed solar-powered adsorption cooling system: Experimental, modeling, and optimization algorithm techniques
,” Energy
206
, 118007
(2020
).4.
Ambarita
, H.
and Kawai
, H.
, “Experimental study on solar-powered adsorption refrigeration cycle with activated alumina and activated carbon as adsorbent
,” Case Stud. Therm. Eng.
7
, 36
–46
(2016
).5.
Anyanwu
, E. E.
and Ezekwe
, C. I.
, “Design, construction and test run of a solid adsorption solar refrigerator using activated carbon/methanol, as adsorbent/adsorbate pair
,” Energy Convers. Manage.
44
(18
), 2879
–2892
(2003
).6.
Asif Sha
, A.
and Baiju
, V.
, “Thermodynamic analysis and performance evaluation of activated carbon-ethanol two-bed solar adsorption cooling system
,” Int. J. Refrig.
123
, 81
–90
(2021
).7.
Attalla
, M.
, Sadek
, S.
, Salem
, A. M. M.
, Ibrahim
, M. S.
, and Hassan
, M.
, “Experimental study of solar powered ice maker using adsorption pair of activated carbon and methanol
,” Appl. Therm. Eng.
141
, 877
–866
(2018
).8.
Bahrehmand
, H.
and Bahrami
, M.
, “Optimized sorber bed heat and mass exchangers for sorption cooling systems
,” Appl. Therm. Eng.
185
, 116348
(2021
).9.
Baker
, D. K.
and Kaftanoglu
, B.
, “Predicted impact of collector and zeolite choice on the thermodynamic and economic performance of a solar-powered adsorption cooling system
,” Exp. Heat Transfer
20
(2
), 103
–122
(2007
).10.
Balanay
, J. A. G.
, Bartolucci
, A. A.
, and Lungu
, C. T.
, “Adsorption characteristics of activated carbon fibers (ACFs) for toluene: Application in respiratory protection
,” J. Occup. Environ. Hyg.
11
(3
), 133
–143
(2014
).11.
Bhargav
, H.
, Ramani
, B.
, and Siva Reddy
, V.
, “Experimental study on adsorption capacity of an activated carbon-based adsorption water chiller
,” Int. J. Ambient Energy
40
(6
), 657
–660
(2019
).12.
Bouzeffour
, F.
, Khelidj
, B.
, and Tahar abbes
, M.
, “Experimental investigation of a solar adsorption refrigeration system working with silicagel/water pair: A case study for Bou-Ismail solar data
,” Sol. Energy
131
, 165
–175
(2016
).13.
Chan
, K. C.
, Tso
, C.
, Wu
, C. L.
, and Chao
, C. Y. H.
, “Enhancement of the performance of a zeolite 13X/CaCl2–water adsorption cooling system by improving adsorber design and operation sequence
,” Energy Build.
158
, 1368
–1378
(2018
).14.
Cherrad
, N.
, Benchabane
, A.
, Sedira
, L.
, and Rouag
, A.
, “Transient numerical model for predicting operating temperatures of solar adsorption refrigeration cycle
,” Appl. Therm. Eng.
130
, 1163
–1174
(2018
).15.
Du
, S. W.
, Li
, X. H.
, Yuan
, Z. X.
, Du
, C. X.
, Wang
, W. C.
, and Liu
, Z. B.
, “Performance of solar adsorption refrigeration in system of SAPO-34 and ZSM-5 zeolite
,” Sol. Energy
138
, 98
–104
(2016
).16.
Edin Hamrahi
, S.
, Goudarzi
, K.
, and Yaghoubi
, M.
, “Experimental study of the performance of a continues solar adsorption chiller using nano-activated carbon/methanol as working pair
,” Sol. Energy
173
, 920
–927
(2018
).17.
Elsayed
, A.
, Mahmoud
, S.
, Al-Dadah
, R.
, Bowen
, J.
, and Kaialy
, W.
, “Experimental and numerical investigation of the effect of pellet size on the adsorption characteristics of activated carbon/ethanol
,” Energy Proc.
61
, 2327
–2330
(2014
).18.
Goyal
, P.
, Baredar
, P.
, Mittal
, A.
, and Siddiqui
, A. R.
, “Adsorption refrigeration technology—An overview of theory and its solar energy applications
,” Renewable Sustainable Energy Rev.
53
, 1389
–1410
(2016
).19.
Hassan
, H. Z.
, Mohamad
, A. A.
, and Bennacer
, R.
, “Simulation of an adsorption solar cooling system
,” Energy
36
, 530
–537
(2011
).20.
Khalil
, A.
, El-Agouz
, E.-S. A.
, El-Samadony
, Y. A. F.
, and Sharaf
, M. A.
, “Experimental study of silica gel/water adsorption cooling system using a modified adsorption bed
,” Sci. Technol. Built Environ.
22
(1
), 41
–49
(2016
).21.
Kumar
, V.
and Prasad
, L.
, “Thermal performance investigation of three sides concave dimple roughened solar air heaters
,” Sol. Energy
188
, 361
–379
(2019
).22.
Kumar Ojha
, M.
, Kumar Shukla
, A.
, Verma
, P.
, and Kannojiya
, R.
, “Recent progress and outlook of solar adsorption refrigeration systems
,” Mater. Today: Proc.
46
, 5639
–5646
(2021
).23.
Li
, M.
, Wang
, R. Z.
, Xu
, Y. X.
, Wu
, J. Y.
, and Dieng
, A. O.
, “Experimental study on dynamic performance analysis of a flat-plate solar solid-adsorption refrigeration for ice maker
,” Renewable Energy
27
, 211
–221
(2002
).24.
Liu
, Y.
and Leong
, K. C.
, “Numerical modeling of a zeolite/water adsorption cooling system with non-constant condensing pressure
,” Int. Commun. Heat Mass Transfer
35
(5
), 618
–622
(2008
).25.
Liu
, Y. M.
, Yuan
, Z. X.
, Wen
, X.
, and Du
, C. X.
, “Evaluation on performance of solar adsorption cooling of silica gel and SAPO-34 zeolite
,” Appl. Therm. Eng.
182
, 116019
(2021
).26.
Mahesh
, A.
, “Solar collectors and adsorption materials aspects of cooling system
,” Renewable Sustainable Energy Rev.
73
, 1300
–1312
(2017
).27.
Mahesh
, A.
and Kaushik
, S. C.
, “Solar adsorption refrigeration system using different mass of adsorbents
,” J. Therm. Anal. Calorim.
111
, 897
–903
(2013
).28.
Moffat
, R. J.
, “Describing the uncertainties in experimental results
,” Exp. Therm. Fluid Sci.
1
, 3
–17
(1988
).29.
Najeh
, G.
, Slimane
, G.
, Souad
, M.
, Riad
, B.
, and Mohammed
, E. G.
, “Performance of silica gel-water solar adsorption cooling system
,” Case Stud. Therm. Eng.
8
, 337
–345
(2016
).30.
Pan
, Q.
, Peng
, J.
, Wang
, H.
, Sun
, H.
, and Wang
, R.
, “Experimental investigation of an adsorption air-conditioner using silica gel-water working pair
,” Sol. Energy
185
, 64
–71
(2019
).31.
Pan
, Q. W.
and Wang
, R. Z.
, “Study on operation strategy of a silica gel-water adsorption chiller in solar cooling application
,” Sol. Energy
172
, 24
–31
(2018
).32.
Qasem
, N. A. A.
and El-Shaarawi
, M. A. I.
, “Improving ice productivity and performance for an activated carbon/methanol solar adsorption ice-maker
,” Sol. Energy
98
, 523
–542
(2013
).33.
Robbins
, T.
and Garimella
, S.
, “An autonomous solar driven adsorption cooling system
,” Sol. Energy
211
, 1318
–1324
(2020
).34.
Rouf
, R. A.
, Jahan
, N.
, Alam
, K. C. A.
, Sultan
, A. A.
, Saha
, B. B.
, and Saha
, S. C.
, “Improved cooling capacity of a solar heat driven adsorption chiller
,” Case Stud. Therm. Eng.
17
, 100568
(2020
).35.
Saeidi
, N.
and Lotfollahi
, M. N.
, “Effects of powder activated carbon particle size on adsorption capacity and mechanical properties of the semi activated carbon fiber
,” Fibers Polym.
16
, 543
–549
(2015
).36.
Saha
, D.
and Grappe
, H. A.
, “Adsorption properties of activated carbon fibers
,” in Activated Carbon Fiber and Textiles
, Woodhead Publishing Series in Textiles, edited by J. Y.
Chen
(Woodhead Publishing
, 2017
), pp. 143
–165
.37.
San
, J.-Y.
and Lin
, W.-M.
, “Comparison among three adsorption pairs for using as the working substances in a multi-bed adsorption heat pump
,” Appl. Therm. Eng.
28
, 988
–997
(2008
).38.
Solmuş
, I.
, Kaftanoglu
, B.
, Yamali
, C.
, and Baker
, D.
, “Experimental investigation of a natural zeolite–water adsorption cooling unit
,” Appl. Energy
88
(11
), 4206
–4213
(2011
).39.
Solmuş
, I.
, Yamali
, C.
, Kaftanoglu
, B.
, Baker
, D.
, and Çaglar
, A.
, “Adsorption properties of a natural zeolite–water pair for use in adsorption cooling cycles
,” Appl. Energy
87
(6
), 2062
–2067
(2010
).40.
Tso
, C. Y.
, Chan
, K. C.
, Chao
, C. Y. H.
, and Wu
, C. L.
, “Experimental performance analysis on an adsorption cooling system using zeolite 13X/CaCl2 adsorbent with various operation sequences
,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer
85
, 343
–355
(2015
).41.
Tso
, C. Y.
, Fu
, S. C.
, and Chao
, C. Y. H.
, “Modeling a solar-powered double bed novel composite adsorbent (silica activated carbon/CaCl2)–water adsorption chiller
,” Build. Simul.
7
, 185
–196
(2014
).42.
Wang
, L. W.
, Wang
, R. Z.
, Lu
, Z. S.
, Chen
, C. J.
, Wang
, K.
, and Wu
, J. Y.
, “The performance of two adsorption ice making test units using activated carbon and a carbon composite as adsorbents
,” Carbon
44
, 2671
–2680
(2006
).43.
Wang
, R. Z.
, Wu
, J. Y.
, Xu
, Y. X.
, and Wang
, W.
, “Performance researches and improvements on heat regenerative adsorption refrigerator and heat pump
,” Energy Convers. Manage.
42
, 233
–249
(2001
).44.
Yoda
, T.
, Shibuya
, K.
, and Myoubudani
, H.
, “Preparation and adsorption performance evaluation of activated carbon fibers derived from rayon
,” SN Appl. Sci.
1
, 1029
(2019
).45.
Yu
, Y.
, Pan
, Q. W.
, and Wang
, L. W.
, “A small-scale silica gel-water adsorption system for domestic air conditioning and water heating by the recovery of solar energy
,” Front. Energy
14
, 328
–336
(2020
).46.
Zhang
, G.
, Wang
, D. C.
, Zhang
, J. P.
, Han
, Y. P.
, and Sun
, W.
, “Simulation of operating characteristics of the silica gel–water adsorption chiller powered by solar energy
,” Sol. Energy
85
(7
), 1469
–1478
(2011
).47.
Zhang
, L. Z.
, “Design and testing of an automobile waste heat adsorption cooling system
,” Appl. Therm. Eng.
20
, 103
–114
(2000
).48.
Zhu
, L. Q.
, Tso
, C. Y.
, Chan
, K. C.
, Wu
, C. L.
, Christopher
, Y.
, Chao
, H.
, Chen
, J.
, He
, W.
, and Luo
, S. W.
, “Experimental investigation on composite adsorbent—Water pair for a solar-powered adsorption cooling system
,” Appl. Therm. Eng.
131
, 649
–659
(2018
).© 2022 Author(s). Published under an exclusive license by AIP Publishing.
2022
Author(s)
You do not currently have access to this content.
