Comparison of absorption refrigeration cycles for efficient air-cooled solar cooling

Absorption chiller is a widely used technology owing to its capability to utilize low grade thermal energy including solar thermal energy and waste heat. Yet, most solar absorption cooling systems need cooling tower to dissipate heat rejection into ambient. The use of cooling tower increases both the initial investment and water consumption, which can be improved by air-cooled solar absorption cooling system. In this paper, to give the best absorption cycle options under different conditions, five absorption refrigeration cycles suitable for air-cooled solar cooling including three double lift absorption cycles and two semi-GAX (Generator-Absorber heat eXchange) absorption cycles were compared. Steady-state simulation is carried out. Efficiencies of these cycles were calculated with LiBr-water and water-ammonia working pairs in the scenario of air-cooled solar cooling. Heat source temperatures of 75-100 °C from non-concentrating solar collector and air temperatures of 20-40 °C were considered. Both air-conditioning condition with evaporation temperature of 5 °C and sub-zero condition with −10 °C were discussed. It is found that mass-coupled semi-GAX absorption cycle with ammonia-water is suitable for air-conditioning with higher heat source temperatures, mass-coupled double lift absorption cycle with water-LiBr is suitable for air-conditioning with lower heat source temperature and mass-coupled double lift absorption cycle with ammonia-water is suitable for sub-zero conditions.