Experimental tests and predictive model of an adsorptive air conditioning unit

An adsorption air conditioning unit has been built operating with a heat an d mass recovery cycle and a zeolite-water pair. A new consolidated adsorben t composite with good heat transfer properties has been developed and imple mented in the adsorber. At an evaporating temperature of 4 degrees C, the e xperimental specific cooling power (SCP) of 97 W.kg(-1) achieved represents a real improvement in comparison with those measured with a packed bed tec hnology. At this evaporating pressure, the mass transfer resistance control s the process. Therefore, at higher evaporating temperature a COP of 0.68 a nd a SCP of 135 W.kg(-1) were experimentally achieved. A new model has been developed to take into account the mass transfer limitations. The model ha s been validated and can predict the average pressure inside the adsorber a nd the components temperature of the unit. A new high conductive material w ith enhanced mass transfer properties has been developed. The predictive mo del shows that a SCP of 600 W.kg(-1) and a COP of 0.74 could be achieved wi th this new material.