Mexico. A new solar cooling system was developed by the Zeolite Research Department of the BUAP Institute of Sciences (ICUAP), through Dr. Susana Elvia Toledo Flores, who presented the prototype at the last International Solar Energy Congress in Germany.
In this congress, international scientists highlighted the project as "green" for the use of renewable energy, in addition to being a project that draws attention to economic, efficiency and safety aspects.
As reported by the portal www.energiaestrategica.com the operation of the system is based on a thermodynamic desorption-adsorption cycle, making solar radiation its only source of energy. In addition, it uses methanol as a refrigerant and as an adsorbent zeolite (natural clinoptilolite chemically and thermally activated). The elements of the adsorption solar cooling prototype are a solar collector, adsorbent bed, condenser and evaporator, all inside a vacuum-sealed glass tube.
"Although the coefficient of performance (COP) of the solar refrigerator is low compared to that of a conventional refrigerator, this prototype is low cost, easy to manufacture and above all environmentally friendly," the Doctor of Chemical Sciences told the newspaper.
The tests were carried out in the city of Puebla, which has an average solar radiation of 1394.6 W/m2 and an ambient temperature variation of 26 to 11 degrees Celsius. As a result, the project obtained 2.5 liters of water in the evaporation tank and 2.5 liters in the condensation tank, a coefficient of performance value of 0.17. For the researcher, this result is positive since the coefficient of performance was 0.22, even with the option of improving the system much more.
The investigations will continue with two prototypes that have been developed so far, which are placed at 32 degrees of inclination to capture more solar radiation. In the first a temperature of nine degrees was obtained, while in the second it is expected to reach three to five degrees Celsius, enough to cool food. Image: www.energiaestrategica.com
