Analytical optimization of a solar absorption cooling system

One of the applications of solar energy is solar absorption cooling system in air conditioning systems. Energy for these systems is supplied using a solar system. In this research, two different problems have been investigated by changing the conditions of an absorption system. So, the pressure in the low pressure region in one of the problems and the pressure in the high pressure region in the other problems is constant. Therefore, the best operating mode can be investigated for the selected system. According to the conditions of this problem, the best operation conditions for this selected solar absorption system were evaporator temperature of 7°C and heat flux of 530W/m2. Finally, some important parameters of the solar collector (glass cover thickness, distance between the absorber pipes, distance between the absorber plate and the glass cover, specific heat capacity of the fluid, heat transfer coefficient of air, heat transfer coefficient of fluid) are optimized to supply the required load of the absorption system. According to the results, the glass cover thickness, the distance between the absorber plate and the glass cover, and the heat transfer coefficient of the fluid are in the optimal conditions. But, the heat absorbed in the collector can be increased by about 10% by changing the distance between the absorber pipes, the specific heat capacity of the fluid, and the heat transfer coefficient of the air. Also, the present results error were about 1% and 1.5% for modeling of the solar collector and the absorption system, respectively.