Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-29-2017

Publication Title

International Journal of Environmental Studies

Keywords

Absorption, air-conditioning, wet-cooling, dry-cooling, hybrid cooling, efficiency, cost

Abstract

In tropical and sub-tropical regions, air-conditioning systems account for the greatest electricity consumption and high water use. Solar-driven absorption cooling systems can conveniently reduce electricity consumption at need. The performance of this cooling system depends on the system’s heat rejection. A simulation was performed for a 15 kW single effect ammonia-water absorption cooling system driven by low temperature thermal energy and with three different heat rejection methods (wet cooling, dry cooling, and hybrid cooling). This hybrid cooling system uses wet cooling on the absorber and dry cooling on the condenser. The system performance and economics of the chiller with these cooling methods were evaluated. The analysis showed that a wet cooling system has a higher system performance and water consumption compared to a dry cooling system, which has a high primary energy consumption with no water usage. In hot weather conditions and where there is scarcity of water, hybrid cooling can consume on average 41% less electrical energy than dry cooling and 49% less water than wet cooling and the payback period compared to a wet cooling system can be less than three years.

DOI

10.1080/00207233.2017.1396073

Comments

Available from Taylor and Francis at https://doi.org/10.1080/00207233.2017.1396073

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