Comparing different sinks of heat rejection of an existing solar powered absorption cooling system

Abstract

Nowadays about 400 [1] solar cooling air-conditioning

systems are installed throughout Europe. There are many

research papers referring to theoretical studies but the

information of experimental studies in this kind of

installations is scarce.

This paper describes a solar absorption cooling

installation based on the performance of an absorption

chiller. The installation is located in the University of

Zaragoza (Spain).

The solar cooling system consists mainly of 37,5 m2 of

flat plate collector, a 4,5 kW, single effect, LiBr-H2O

rotary absorption chiller and a dry cooler tower to cool

the absorption cycle. The installation provides cooling to

a gymnasium belonging to the sports center of the

University. To carry out the installation analyses, the

system was continuously monitored.

In the last three years, 2007, 2008 and 2009, several

studies have been carried out in order to analyze the full

system operation. The measured data results of the

installation show the strong influence of the cooling

water temperature and the generator driving temperature

on the COP.

Due to this experimental evidence of the influence of the

cooling water temperature, a geothermal sink for heat

rejection system has been installed and studied. The

installation with this new configuration started to work

this year.