Solar Absorption Chiller
Summary: Industry standard for commercial and residential cooling requires the use of vapor compression and electrical compressors in chillers. The proposed design is of a solar heat absorption chiller. The absorption chiller provides a low Coefficient of Performance, due to
2025-06-28 16:36:00 - Adil Khan
Solar Absorption Chiller
Project Area of Specialization Mechanical EngineeringProject SummarySummary:
Industry standard for commercial and residential cooling requires the use of vapor compression and electrical compressors in chillers. The proposed design is of a solar heat absorption chiller. The absorption chiller provides a low Coefficient of Performance, due to the lack of power input. Minimal power is required to use water and solution pumps. The ultimate goal is to design a net-zero energy system that uses renewable energy to supply the necessary energy to operate this system. Due to the energy efficiency and reduction in consumption, the absorption chiller is an appropriate system to build on. Renewable energy and their sources are being researched and invested in to allow for a sustainable future. This includes solar energy, and the utilization of waste heat to recycle this energy instead of rejecting it. The solar and waste heat provide enough heat energy to drive a simple, mobile packaged absorption chiller and provide cooling in temporary locations or places that lack electrical power.
Problem Statement:
By today’s standards, non-renewable energy sources are depleted constantly, and the environment loses a battle every day to humans. Harmful emissions from fossil fuels and chlorine-based refrigerants have led to economic and more severely, environmental hardships. The world has been working to reduce hazardous emissions while developing renewable energy sources and technology. Leading the industry of renewable energy is solar power. By collecting and storing solar heat, and transferring this energy to power an absorption chiller, energy efficiency can improve, eradicating usually necessary electricity. Considering electrical power prices increasing, systems are developed to reduce electrical consumption and improve efficiency. Heat is a widely under-developed and under-utilized form of energy that can provide the necessary power for a net-zero energy efficient packaged air conditioning system. Worldwide organizations and military units provide health and support services, often in countries that have no electrical power. Some may have insufficient electricity to power a system to cool or dehumidify a space. These sites provide shelter and basic needs, but often lack comfortable conditions. An air conditioning system can greatly increase and improve living and health conditions. The implementation of a net-zero packaged air conditioning system allows it to run itself, and be moved between locations with minimal extra set-up. This design utilizes otherwise wasted and often overlooked sources of energy, that leads to future designs and improvements.
Key points
- Absorption Chiller
- Cycle & Components
- Efficiency (COP = Power output/ Power input)
- Refrigerant
- Heat source
The goal of this project is to design and fabricate a structurally sound model of a Green energy
''Absorption Chiller by using solar radiations instead of any mechanical machine that operating on fossil fuels''.
Hazardous emissions from fossil fuels and chlorine-based refrigerants are released into the atmosphere when people drive, fossil fuels are burnt, and refrigerants are released. In addition to deteriorating the ozone and air quality, the expansion of cities and globalization has overtaken entire ecosystems and depleted natural resources. “To curb human-influenced climate change, the United States. Canada, and Mexico announced a proposal in April 2013 to reduce Hydro-fluorocarbon (HFC) consumption by 85% between 2016 and 2033…within the European Union to reduce HFC consumption by roughly 80% by 2030.” This exemplifies the importance of new and more efficient systems. The development of such systems, using available renewable energy to reduce carbon and green gas emissions has increased tremendously. “In many parts of the country, the cost difference between electricity and natural gas is sufficient to justify absorption chillers.” The world has been working to reduce hazardous emissions while developing renewable energy sources and technology.
- The most abundantly available energy source proves to be the most useful – the sun.
- The sun’s radiation heat provides a renewable, but not constant energy source. This has led to the production of devices to store this energy when it may not be available at a certain time. In order to take advantage of this widely desired energy, this project utilizes solar collectors to heat water.
- Renewable energy and their sources are being researched and invested in to allow for a sustainable future. This includes solar energy, and the utilization of waste heat to recycle this energy instead of rejecting it.
The solar and waste heat provide enough heat energy to drive a simple, mobile packaged absorption chiller and provide cooling in temporary locations or places that lack electrical power. The heat and solar energy can drive pumps, and exclude electrical components completely.
- The use of solar energy has gained popularity with manufacturers and the Department of Energy supports this renewable energy.
The ultimate goal is to design a system that requires less or no electrical power, and utilizes the several available heat sources. This design is proposed to run a net-zero energy efficient HVAC system, and improve on or replace the current existing technology, and promise a sustainable future.
DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION:
The proposed and conceptual design include multiple components of which are tested, evaluated and analyzed to determine the most efficient and cost effective system. Using industry standards, certified and tested equipment, and comparing the actual output and performance of the components enables the necessary parts to be chosen. By analyzing these components using engineering practices and formulas, the proposed design is altered to match the desired capacity and requirements.
Design Analysis The analysis includes sections on testing and analyzing the absorption chiller and solar energy components. The absorption chiller outputs a cooling load using heat input to the generator, and operational heat transfer between their system components. The heat load requirements are given by manufacturer specifications, along with their flow rates and variable correction factors. The heat transfer analysis includes testing and comparing the results by varying the given parameters and using the results to vary the proposed design components. The solar energy analysis includes testing and comparing solar power and heat input. The PV panels are tested to understand their efficiency and the effects of their weather and equipment conditions in order to size the panels. The solar water heat collectors are theoretically and experimentally tested and compared using manufacturer supplied efficiency calculations and given engineering formulas. The actual output of the PV panels and solar heat collectors are compared to the theoretical output in order to size these panels to produce the minimum desired output.
key points:
- Heat transfer analysis
- Solar energy analysis
- Pump Selection
- PV panel selection
Considering extensive research and including various parameters and limitations, the proposed design consists of the designed and tested components. The cooling cycle is produced by an absorption refrigeration system, using a water fired heat source to provide the necessary temperature to drive the generator within the absorption system. The conceptual design is developed to condition and cool spaces with people and equipment occupying a given space. Considering the necessary cooling and heating load required for occupied spaces, typically estimated as 400 sq.ft./ton. As the design is intended for military or government application, used as a portable and self-contained system, the required cooling load for indoor buildings, or outdoor residential tents, will require consistent and constant conditioned air. Therefore, the system requires constant energy and heat sources. The solar heat collectors with thermal energy storage, and PV panel with battery charging station, produces constant heat and electric energy to drive the absorption chiller and pumps, to allow the system to be used during all weather conditions and times of day.
Benefits of the ProjectBenefits:
The proposed design is of a solar heat absorption chiller. The misconception of the absorption chiller is a low COP. This is not due to a lack of power output, but rather a lack of power input. The ultimate goal is to design a net-zero energy system. Due to the energy efficiency and reduction in consumption, the absorption chiller is an appropriate system to build on. Centrifugal chillers have the decreased their power requirement, and efficiency is improving. “The absorption cooling system should be operated to maximize electric peak-shaving in areas with high demand charges or extended ratchet electricity rates.”
- Absorption systems are widely studied as they are an eco-friendly alternative to conventional compression chillers.
- The energy input is waste heat or a renewable heat source, such as non-conventional solar or geothermal heat.
- Another benefit is that absorption units operate with environmental friendly working fluids.
- Fulfilled the sustainability.
- No noise & atmospheric pollution.
- Green energy
- Save use of electricity and the ways to provide electicity where there acess is limited .
Technical Details:
To build a prototype that explains and portrays the solar absorption cycle, it is necessary to use manufactured and off-the-shelf components. The absorption cycle does not require further engineering or designing. The primary goal of applying solar power and waste heat to drive this system can be completed using solar water heating, photovoltaic panels, thermal storage, and heat driven or solar powered pumps. In communicating with industry companies, and comparing product cost, efficiency, and capability, the combination of multiple components requires ultimate care, design, and understanding. To build a possible prototype, the unit is modeled on a much smaller scale than the industry used actual system. The small capacity absorption chiller units are uncommon, considering their design. The typical absorption chiller is used in large applications with huge turbines, rather than small, economic, residential or light commercial applications. The availability then proves difficult in locating such a manufacturer with a unit of the required size, let alone for sale. In speaking with companies, the best choice includes a unit from a company named, Robur. They provided specifications and higher-education consideration to allow for a financially capable unit of around $10,000 upto RS16, 000, 00. However, lack of significant funding and financial assistance does not enable the purchase of this component. The size and function of the system additionally prevents the acquisition and utilization of this equipment. Considering the necessity of displaying an absorption cycle for the prototype means a small system, like an absorption refrigerator or a cooling system used in RVs can represent the same cooling cycle, on a smaller scale, for a smaller price. To build the prototype successfully, the absorption chiller needed to operate correctly, and the combination of the solar water heating system and PV panel technology needed to cooperate. In figuring the necessary heating and cooling loads, flow rates and energy quantities the sizing of the solar water heating system could be made more exact.
Components
BUILDING THE PROTOTYPE
- Protype PV Pannel
- Protype Demo Kit
- Protype Absorption Chiller
- Generator tank-
- condenser
- evaporator
- absorber
- heating source
For the completion we need 1 generator tank in which water vapours are formed having a solution of LiBr with water as water boils by heating source like PV pannel ,it makes vapors while LiBr settles and water vapors are transmitted in the condenser and heat transfer occurs which make the temperature high of cooling water of condenser comes from cooling tower , the water vapors after loosing its energy becomes liquid and showering at the evaporator , the mixture of LiBr goes through refrigerating pump to the condenser and hot vapors showered at absorber where lower concentrating LiBr travels through sol.pump to the generator and this cycle repeats.
Final Deliverable of the Project Hardware SystemCore Industry Energy Other IndustriesCore Technology OthersOther Technologies Cloud Infrastructure, Wearables and ImplantablesSustainable Development Goals Affordable and Clean Energy, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Responsible Consumption and Production, Climate ActionRequired Resources| Item Name | Type | No. of Units | Per Unit Cost (in Rs) | Total (in Rs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total in (Rs) | 67950 | |||
| Generator- | Equipment | 1 | 5000 | 5000 |
| Absorber-Water absorber/gas absorber | Equipment | 1 | 5000 | 5000 |
| Evaporator-Finned evaporator | Miscellaneous | 1 | 4500 | 4500 |
| Condenser-Water-cooled condenser/double tube | Miscellaneous | 1 | 5500 | 5500 |
| Safety Valves-REW Diaphgram valves/PN-10 | Equipment | 1 | 6000 | 6000 |
| Control Valves-Pressure independent control valve | Equipment | 2 | 7500 | 15000 |
| Pressure Gauges-Rotherm pressure gauge | Equipment | 1 | 8500 | 8500 |
| Solar heating Source-ASTROENERGY 410 WATT HALF CUT MONO PER PV plates- | Equipment | 1 | 18450 | 18450 |