Experimental study on operating features of heat and mass recovery processes in adsorption refrigeration

Combined use of heat and mass recovery processes in adsorption refrigeration is an efficient way to improve the system performance. Several kinds of heat and mass recovery processes have been proposed. In this study, a serial heat recovery process between two adsorbers and a mass recovery-like process between two evaporators is selected. Their operating features in a practical silica gel-water adsorption refrigeration system are experimentally studied. Operating features and performances of heat and mass recovery process can be presented in terms of inlet and outlet temperatures and transferred heat of two adsorbers and two evaporators. The results show that residual heat transfer fluid in the adsorbers and evaporators significantly influences the heat and mass recovery processes, respectively. In the case of this study, optimal ranges of heat and mass recovery time is 25-45 s and 5-50 s, respectively. Heat recovery process can produce negative effect when heat recovery time is beyond 45 s and it is inefficient when heat recovery time is below 25 s. Cooling effect is remarkably yielded when mass recovery time is within the range of 5-50 s.