MODELING AND SIMULATION OF IMPROVED SOLAR ABSORPTION COOLING SYSTEMS

Solar absorption cooling is economically unattractive compared to vapor compression cooling. This is due to the high cost and relatively low efficiency of the equipment. The purpose of this dissertation is to study improved configurations of the different components of the solar absorption system, and develop techniques for their evaluation. The method consists of mathematic modeling and computer simulations.; Three advanced absorption cycles, the absorption-resorption, double effect, and the generator-absorber heat exchange cycles are described and modeled. An improved configuration of the generator-absorber heat exchange cycle is proposed. The ranges of cycle temperatures under which the performances of these cycles is better than that of the single effect cycle are calculated.; To lower the cut-off temperature of an absorption cycle, a thermodynamic criterion for the selection of the refrigerant-absorbent pair is proposed. The effect of this thermodynamic property on the performance of various absorption cycles is estimated.; An arrangement of the solar energy collection and the absorption cooling subsystem is proposed. It is found that its performance is better than that of the conventional arrangement.; The fi bar, f-chart method is adapted so it applies to the design of solar absorption systems whose COP is variable.; An economic comparison between the solar absorption and the conventional system is made. The limiting values for the equipment cost and the energy inflation rate, under which the two systems break even, are found.