Mexico. A group of researchers from the Institute of Renewable Energies (IER) of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, designed a system that can operate perfectly both in the conditioning of spaces or for the conservation of products. It is a solar air conditioning system that can reach temperatures below zero degrees Celsius.
Wilfrido Rivera Gómez Franco, PhD in Thermodynamics and Refrigeration of the IER of the UNAM, Morelos campus, and researcher of the project explained that the machine works thanks to the operation of a field of solar collectors that is located at the top of the building, of approximately 60 square meters that have the capacity to heat water, which goes from approximately 20 degrees Celsius to 110.
The area of collectors together with the cooling machine are enough to provide air conditioning an office or house of up to 80 square meters.
Rivera Gómez explains that the hot water enters the machine's generator and produces the refrigerant (ammonia) at high temperature and pressure. Then it passes through a condenser and finally through a valve where the temperature is reduced, which reaches from minus seven degrees Celsius to above two, everything depends on what you want, whether it is to preserve food or condition a property.
Currently the research focuses on evaluating the system, with the aim of operating and controlling it perfectly in different temperature conditions, and then used to condition one of the laboratories of the institution.
Because the main source of power is solar energy, you have a clean source, and you do not contribute to generating carbon dioxide. In addition, it is profitable because electricity is not paid, and the capital recovery time is between six and seven years. "The machine has a calculated life of 15 years, but if it is produced in series the investment could be recovered in up to four years."
Dr. Rivera Gómez says that in the north of the country or in coastal areas, where the conditioning of spaces is required, bills of between five and 10 thousand pesos are paid for the use of air conditioning; however, by implementing this system the electricity that would be paid would be greatly reduced, because only a small pump is used to move the hot water from the roof to the system.
Although similar technology exists in countries such as Japan, China, Germany and Spain, the systems designed can only be used for air conditioning and not in the preservation of products or food, because they cannot reach temperatures below five degrees Celsius. The development of the Renewable Energy Institute does reach those conditions, so it can be conditioned as a refrigerator.
In addition, the Mexican system is much cheaper than foreign technology because it costs half. Imported products increase up to four times their value if import prices are added to them."
The project involves master's and doctoral students in Thermodynamics and Refrigeration, who evaluate and develop the machines. Thanks to the innovative features of the system, a patent application was made and is pending.
With information from Agency ID.
