Dynamic modelling and simulation of the tubular adsorber of a solid adsorption machine powered by solar energy

• Theoretical model and numerical program have been developed.
• The daily thermal behaviour of the tubular adsorber has been determined.
• The system's performance depends strongly on the operating temperatures.
• The solar performance coefficient presents a maximum for an optimal adsorbent mass.
• The solar collector surface area strongly influences the system's performance.

This paper presents the modelling of heat and mass transfer in the tubular adsorber of a solar adsorption cooling machine. The modelling and analysis of the adsorber are key facets of such studies. The adsorber is heated by solar energy and contains a porous medium constituted of activated carbon AC-35 reacting by adsorption with methanol. The results obtained provide an insight into the daily thermal behaviour of the tubular adsorber. The performance of the machine has been discussed in the studied case of 1 m2 surface area of flat plate collector integrated with nine copper tubes containing the activated carbon AC35/methanol pair. Several main factors affecting the solar and thermal performance coefficient are discussed according to the results of computer simulations. The relationship between the performance of the cycles and these factors is investigated.