PERFORMANCE OF A 2ND-GENERATION SOLAR COOLING UNIT

This paper describes the performance of a 1.5 ton solar-operated absor ption refrigeration unit operating with a 14 m(2) flat-plate solar col lector system and containing five heat exchangers: the generator, the absorber, the condenser, the solution heat exchanger tall of these bei ng of shell-and-tube type) and finally the evaporator, which is of the fin-and-tube type. One circulation primp is used for solution flow an d another for the hot water flow. The condenser and the absorber are b oth cooled by city mains water. This particular unit, called the secon d generation unit, is compared with as earlier, first-generation unit (FGU), i.e. a low-cost, locally manufactured unit of 0.5 ton capacity. The results are based on the observed operation of the unit during ho urs of sufficient solar irradiance in April and May, the beginning of the air-conditioning season in Jordan. The variation of both the gener ator and evaporator temperatures during the test period are reported. Also reported is the performance of the unit as measured by the actual and theoretical (ideal) coefficients of performance, both of these be ing functions of the temperatures and solar irradiance. The maximum va lues obtained for both actual and theoretical coefficients of performa nce were 0.85 and 2.7, respectively. These values are within the range of values published in literature, and higher than those obtained by the FGU. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.