raw · papers · ingested 2026-06-19
Study, Design and Fabrication of a Solar Powered Adsorption Refrigeration System
Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274512446
Read from local Zotero full-text PDF (group 5183627 / Joule Heist).
Key findings
- Working pairs tested: activated charcoal/methanol and activated charcoal/refrigerant R-11. Charcoal/methanol heated to a maximum 82 C and reached a minimum evaporator temperature of 17 C; charcoal/R-11 heated to a maximum 90 C and reached a minimum 16 C.
- Hybrid solar water-heater + adsorption refrigeration concept: solar collector heats and stores circulated water; cold-water temperature rises by several degrees during adsorption/evaporation (heat recovery), giving combined cooling plus useful hot water.
- Proposed full design (Fig. 2/3): flat-plate collector with 0.4 m^2 exposed area; cylindrical storage tank 900 mm long, 600 mm dia, 150 L capacity, mounted 1880 mm above ground; finned aluminium condenser with total heat-transfer area 3.62 m^2 (100 fins, 150 mm OD, 10 mm apart).
- Evaporator: four trapezoidal brass cells, dimensions 0.38 x 0.28 x 0.095 m^3, exchange area 0.206 m^2, with internal refrigerant flow channels for uniform distribution. Receiver 150 mm long, 81 mm OD. Adsorber 300 mm OD, 90 mm height, surface area 0.33 m^2, holding 2 kg activated charcoal mixed with 500 mL methanol. Components built from brass/copper/aluminium for conductivity.
- Modified prototype (after the full system leaked): brass adsorber 150 mm long, 80 mm dia, filled with 500 g activated charcoal; electric heater simulating solar collector. Initial tank water 18 C heated to 90 C; after desorption, hot water swapped for cold and adsorbent dropped rapidly to a minimum 38 C, then evaporator reached 16 C.
- Measured thermodynamic cycles: charcoal/methanol pressure rose to max ~300 mm Hg, min ~119 mm Hg; charcoal/R-11 max ~4.2 bar, min ~1.7 bar. R-11 followed the ideal cycle more closely than methanol.
- Intermittent single-bed cycle (P-T cycle Fig. 1: pre-heat, desorption at condensing pressure Pc, condensation in receiver, evaporation) that could be made continuous with two adsorbers; flagged as high installation cost but useful for off-grid cooling (e.g. vaccine preservation) plus household hot-water heating.