# US 2024/0200835 A1 · Solar powered refrigeration systems

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- Number: US 2024/0200835 A1
- Document ID: US20240200835A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/083,685
- Filed: 2022-12-19
- Published: 2024-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2022-12-19
- Assignees: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
- Applicants: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
- Inventors: Ayman Jamal ALAZAZMEH
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240200835A1

## CPC

- F25B 27/002: {using solar energy}
- B01D 1/26: Multiple-effect evaporating
- B01D 5/006: {with evaporation or distillation}
- B01D 5/0075: {with heat exchanging (B01D5/0039 takes precedence)}
- B01D 61/025: {Reverse osmosis; Hyperfiltration}
- B01D 61/08: Apparatus therefor
- B01D 61/10: Accessories; Auxiliary operations
- C02F 1/043: {Details}
- C02F 1/441: {by reverse osmosis}
- C25B 1/04: by electrolysis of water
- C25B 9/23: comprising ion-exchange membranes in or on which electrode material is embedded
- C25B 15/08: Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes
- F24S 90/00: Solar heat systems not otherwise provided for
- F25B 25/00: Machines, plants or systems, using a combination of modes of operation covered by two or more of the groups F25B1/00 - F25B23/00
- F25B 27/007: {in sorption type systems}
- B01D 2313/243: Pumps
- B01D 2313/367: Renewable energy sources, e.g. wind or solar sources
- C02F 2103/08: Seawater, e.g. for desalination
- C02F 2303/10: Energy recovery
- C25B 15/00: Operating or servicing cells
- F22B 1/006: {using solar heat}
- F24S 20/20: Solar heat collectors for receiving concentrated solar energy, e.g. receivers for solar power plants
- F28D 20/02: using latent heat
- Y02E 10/46: Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines
- F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)
- C25B: ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR (anodic or cathodic protection C23F13/00; single-crystal growth C30B)
- F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00)
- F22B: METHODS OF STEAM GENERATION; STEAM BOILERS
- F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

The systems of the present disclosure include a solar-powered steam Rankine cycle (SRC) subsystem to convert solar energy into thermal energy and store the thermal energy; an ejector refrigeration cycle (ERC) subsystem to provide a first refrigeration effect with a first range of temperature based on the thermal energy; an absorption refrigeration cycle (ARC) subsystem to provide a second refrigeration effect with a second range of temperature based on the thermal energy; a brine refrigeration cycle (BRC) subsystem to generate and store when there is no cooling demand and provide a third refrigeration effect with a third range of temperature based on the electrical power generated by the ERC subsystem and the ice being melted; and an adsorption refrigeration cycle (ADRC) subsystem to provide a fourth refrigeration effect with a fourth range of temperature based on the thermal energy.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system, comprising:
a solar-powered steam RRankine cycle (SRC) subsystem configured to receive solar energy, convert the solar energy into thermal energy, and store the thermal energy;
an ejector refrigeration cycle (ERC) subsystem configured to
generate an electrical power based on the thermal energy, and
provide a first refrigeration effect with a first range of temperature based on the thermal energy;
an absorption refrigeration cycle (ARC) subsystem configured to provide a second refrigeration effect with a second range of temperature based on the thermal energy;
a brine refrigeration cycle (BRC) subsystem configured to
generate and store when there is no cooling demand, and
provide a third refrigeration effect with a third range of temperature based on the electrical power generated by the ERC subsystem and the ice being melted; and
an adsorption refrigeration cycle (ADRC) subsystem configured to provide a fourth refrigeration effect with a fourth range of temperature based on the thermal energy.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the SRC subsystem includes
a central receiver (CR) configured to receive the solar energy to heat cold molten salt flowing through the central receiver;
a heat recovery vapor generator (HRVG) configured to
generate superheated steam for the ERC subsystem based on the heated molten salt, and
pass the heated molten salt to the ARC subsystem;
a hot molten salt storage tank configured to
store the heated molten salt, and
pass the heated molten salt from the CR to the HRVG;
a cold molten salt storage tank configured to
store the cold molten salt, and
pass the cold molten salt from the ADRC subsystem to the CR; and
a heat transfer fluid (HTF) pump configured to pump the cold molten salt from the cold molten salt storage tank to the CR.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the ERC subsystem includes
a first evaporator (E1) configured to provide the first refrigerant effect with the first range of temperature by evaporating water flowing through the first evaporator into water vapor;
a steam turbine (T) configured to generate the electrical power based on the superheated steam from the HRVG of the SRC subsystem;
a steam ejector configured to generate a mixture by mixing an exhaust from the steam turbine and the water vapor from the first evaporator;
a first condenser (C1) configured to cool the mixture from the steam ejector into the water;
a first throttling valve (TV1) configured to
pass a first volume of the water from the first condenser to the first evaporator, and
reduce a pressure of the first volume of the water to a pressure of the first evaporator; and
a first pump (P1) configured to pump a second volume of the water from the first condenser to the HRVG of the SRC subsystem.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the BRC subsystem includes
a third evaporator (E3) configured to provide the third refrigeration effect with the third range of temperature by evaporating liquid refrigerant flowing through the third evaporator into superheated refrigerant vapor;
a compressor (COMP) powered by the electrical power generated from the steam turbine of the ERC subsystem and configured to generate high-pressure superheated refrigerant vapor by compressing the superheated refrigerant vapor from the third evaporator;
a third condenser (C3) configured to cool the high-pressure superheated refrigerant vapor into the liquid refrigerant flowing to the third evaporator;
a fourth throttling valve (TV4) configured to
pass the liquid refrigerant from the third condenser to the third evaporator, and
reduce a pressure of the liquid refrigerant to a pressure of the third evaporator; and
an ice storage system configured to build the ice when there is no cooling demand and melt the ice when there is cooling demand.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the ARC subsystem includes
a generator (G) configured to
pass the heated molten salt from the HRVG of the SRC subsystem to adsorption chambers of the ADRC subsystem,
generate superheated water vapor refrigerant based on the heated molten salt flowing through the generator, and
generate a strong solution based on a weak solution flowing into the generator;
a second condenser (C2) configured to generate saturated liquid refrigerant by cooling the superheated water vapor refrigerant from the generator;
a second evaporator (E2) configured to provide the second refrigeration effect with the second range of temperature by generating saturated water vapor based on the saturated liquid refrigerant from the second condenser;
a second throttle valve (TV2) configured to
pass the saturated liquid refrigerant from the second condenser to the second evaporator, and
reduce a pressure of the saturated liquid refrigerant to a pressure of the second evaporator;
an absorber (A) configured to generate the weak solution by mixing the strong solution with the saturated water vapor from the second evaporator;
a solution heat exchanger (SHX) configured to
pre-heat the weak solution from the absorber,
pass the pre-heated weak solution to the generator, and
pre-cool the strong solution from the generator;
a second pump (P2) configured to pump the weak solution from the absorber to the SHX; and
a third throttling valve (TV3) configured to
pass the pre-cooled strong solution from the SHX to the absorber, and
reduce a pressure of the pre-cooled strong solution to a pressure of the absorber.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the ADRC subsystem includes
two adsorption chambers (AC-1 and AC-2) configured to alternatively and respectively perform as adsorber and desorber;
a fourth evaporator (E4) configured to provide the fourth refrigerant effect with the fourth range of temperature by evaporating water flowing through the four evaporator into water vapor flowing to a first adsorption chamber of the two adsorption chambers performing as the absorber; and
a fourth condenser (C4) configured to cool the water vapor from a second adsorption chamber of the two adsorption chambers performing as the desorber,
wherein the heated molten salt is cooled through the two adsorption chambers and returns to the cold molten salt storage tank of the SRC subsystem.

### Claim 7

A system, comprising:
a solar-powered steam Rankine cycle (SRC) subsystem configured to receive solar energy, convert the solar energy into thermal energy, and store the thermal energy;
an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) subsystem configured to generate an electrical power based on the thermal energy;
an absorption refrigeration cycle (ARC) subsystem configured to generate a refrigeration effect based on the thermal energy;
a multi-effect desalination (MED) subsystem configured to desalinate seawater to produce first desalinated water based on steam generated from the ORC subsystem;
a reverse osmosis (RO) desalination subsystem configured to desalinate the seawater to produce second desalinated water based on the electrical power generated by the ORC subsystem; and
a hydrogen production subsystem configured to produce hydrogen from the second desalinated water produced by the RO desalination subsystem.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the SRC subsystem includes
a central receiver (CR) configured to receive the solar energy to heat cold molten salt flowing through the CR;
a heat recovery vapor generator (HRVG) configured to
generate superheated steam for the ORC subsystem based on the heated molten salt, and
pass the heated molten salt to the ARC subsystem;
a hot molten salt storage tank configured to
store the heated molten salt, and
pass the heated molten salt from the CR to the HRVG;
a cold molten salt storage tank configured to
store the cold molten salt, and
pass the cold molten salt from the ARC subsystem to the CR; and
a heat transfer fluid (HTF) pump (P1) configured to pump the cold molten salt from the ARC subsystem to the cold molten salt storage tank.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the ORC subsystem includes
a high-pressure turbine (HPT) configured to generate a first part of the electrical power based on the superheated steam from the HRVG of the SRC subsystem;
a low-pressure turbine (LPT) configured to generate a second part of the electrical power based on the superheated steam from the HRVG of the SRC subsystem;
a steam ejector (EJE) configured to
generate a mixture by mixing an exhaust from the HPT and vapor from the MED subsystem, and
pass the mixture to the MED subsystem;
a first condenser (C1) configured to condense steam from a turbine (T) of the ORC subsystem into water;
a heat exchanger (HX) configured to
generate condensate based on exhaust steam from the low-pressure turbine, and
generate steam based on the water from the first condenser;
a third pump (P3) configured to pump the condensate from the heat exchanger to the HRVG of the SRC subsystem;
a fourth pump (P4) configured to pump the cooled water from the first condenser to the heat exchanger; and
the turbine (T) is configured to generate a third part of the electrical power based on the steam from the heat exchanger.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the MED subsystem includes
a third condenser (C3) configured to heat and forward the seawater to a first evaporation effect of a plurality of evaporation effects; and
the plurality of evaporation effects configured to produce the first desalinated water from the heated seawater, wherein the first evaporation effect is driven by the mixture from the steam ejector of the ORC subsystem; and
a second pump (P2) configured to pump condensate from the first evaporation effect to the HRVG of the SRC subsystem.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the ARC subsystem further comprises:
a generator (G) configured to
pass the heated molten salt from the HRVG to the cold molten salt storage tank of the SRC subsystem,
generate superheated water vapor refrigerant based on the heated molten salt flowing through the generator,
generate a strong solution based on a weak solution flowing into the generator;
a second condenser (C2) configured to generate saturated liquid refrigerant by cooling the superheated water vapor refrigerant from the generator;
a first evaporator (E1) configured to provide the refrigeration effect by generating saturated water vapor based on the saturated liquid refrigerant from the second condenser;
a first throttle valve (TV1) configured to
pass the saturate liquid refrigerant from the second condenser to the first evaporator, and
reduce a pressure of the saturated liquid refrigerant to a pressure of the first evaporator;
an absorber (A) configured to generate the weak solution by mixing the strong solution with the saturated water vapor from the first evaporator;
a solution heat exchanger (SHX) configured to
pre-heat the weak solution from the absorber,
pass the pre-heated weak solution to the generator, and
pre-cool the strong solution from the generator;
a fifth pump (P5) configured to pump the weak solution from the absorber to the SHX; and
a second throttling valve (TV2) configured to
pass the pre-cooled strong solution from the SHX to the absorber, and
reduce a pressure of the pre-cooled strong solution to a pressure of the absorber.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the RO desalination subsystem includes
a high-pressure pump (P6) configured to pump seawater to a semi-permeable RO membrane that demineralizes the seawater to produce the second desalinated water.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the hydrogen production subsystem includes:
a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer configured to produce hydrogen and oxygen through a water separation process of the second desalinated water from the RO membrane of the RO desalination subsystem;
a hydrogen compressor configured to compress and cool the hydrogen;
a hydrogen storage tank configured to store the compressed hydrogen; and
an oxygen storage tank configured to store the produced oxygen,
wherein the high-pressure pump is powered by the second part of the electrical power generated by the low-pressure turbine of the ORC subsystem and both the PEM electrolyzer and the hydrogen compressor are powered by the third part of the electrical power generated by the turbine of the ORC subsystem.

### Claim 14

A system, comprising:
a solar-powered steam Rankine cycle (SRC) subsystem configured to receive solar energy, convert the solar energy into thermal energy, and store the thermal energy;
an absorption refrigeration cycle (ARC) subsystem configured to provide a first refrigeration effect with a first range of temperature based on the thermal energy;
a multi-effect desalination (MED) subsystem configured to
desalinate seawater to produce first desalinated water based on the thermal energy, and
generate an electrical power based on the thermal energy;
a transcritical refrigeration cycle (TRC) subsystem configured to
generate and store when there is no cooling demand, and
provide a second refrigeration effect with a second range of temperature based on the electrical energy generated by the MED subsystem and the ice being melted; and
a freezing desalination (FRD) subsystem configured to desalinate the seawater to produce second desalinated water based the ice in the TRC subsystem being melted.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the SRC subsystem includes
a central receiver (CR) configured to receive the solar energy to heat cold molten salt flowing through the central receiver;
a heat recovery vapor generator (HRVG) configured to
generate superheated steam for the MED subsystem based on the heated molten salt, and
pass the heated molten salt to the ARC subsystem;
a hot molten salt storage tank configured to
store the heated molten salt, and
pass the heated molten salt from the CR to the HRVG;
a cold molten salt storage tank configured to
store the cold molten salt, and
pass the cold molten salt from the ARC subsystem to the CR; and
a heat transfer fluid (HTF) pump (P1) configured to pump the cold molten salt from the ARC subsystem to the cold molten salt storage tank.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the ARC subsystem includes
a generator (G) configured to
pass the heated molten salt from the HRVG to the cold molten salt storage tank of the SRC subsystem,
generate superheated water vapor refrigerant based on the heated molten salt flowing through the generator, and
generate a strong solution based on a weak solution flowing into the generator;
a first condenser (C1) configured to generate saturated liquid refrigerant by cooling the superheated water vapor refrigerant from the generator;
a first evaporator (E1) configured to provide the first refrigeration effect with the first range of temperature by generating saturated water vapor based on the saturated liquid refrigerant from the first condenser;
a first throttle valve (TV1) configured to
pass the saturate liquid refrigerant from the first condenser to the first evaporator, and
reduce a pressure of the saturated liquid refrigerant to a pressure of the first evaporator;
an absorber (A) configured to generate the weak solution by mixing the strong solution with the saturated water vapor from the first evaporator;
a solution heat exchanger (SHX) configured to
pre-heat the weak solution from the absorber,
pass the pre-heated weak solution to the generator, and
pre-cool the strong solution from the generator;
a third pump (P3) configured to pump the weak solution from the absorber to the SHX; and
a third throttling valve (TV3) configured to
pass the pre-cooled strong solution from the SHX to the absorber, and
reduce a pressure of the pre-cooled strong solution to a pressure of the absorber.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the MED subsystem includes
a steam turbine (T) configured to generate the electrical power based on the superheated steam from the HRVG of the SRC subsystem;
a steam ejector (EJE) configured to
generate a mixture by mixing an exhaust from the steam turbine and vapor from the MED subsystem, and
pass the mixture to the MED subsystem;
a second condenser (C2) configured to heat and forward seawater to a first evaporation effect of a plurality of evaporation effects, wherein the plurality of evaporation effects are configured to produce fresh water from the heated seawater, wherein the first evaporation effect is driven by the mixture from the steam ejector; and
a second pump (P2) configured to pump condensate from the first evaporation effect to the HRVG of the SRC subsystem.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the TRC subsystem includes
a second evaporator (E2) configured to provide the second refrigeration effect with the second range of temperature by generating refrigerant vapor;
an internal heat exchanger (IHX) configured to generate superheated refrigerant vapor by evaporating liquid droplets of the refrigerant vapor from the second evaporator;
a compressor (COMP) powered by the electrical power generated from the steam turbine of the MED subsystem and configured to generate high-pressure superheated refrigerant vapor by compressing the superheated refrigerant vapor from the IHX;
a third condenser (C3) configured to cool the high-pressure superheated refrigerant vapor to saturated liquid refrigerant by melting ice in the FRD subsystem;
a second throttling valve (TV2) configured to
pass the saturated liquid refrigerant to the second evaporator, and
reduce a pressure of the saturated liquid refrigerant to a pressure of the second evaporator; and
an ice storage system configured to build the ice when there is no cooling demand and melt the ice when there is cooling demand.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the FRD subsystem includes
a washer configured to separate ice and brine that are transported from the ice storage tank of the TRC subsystem; and
a fourth condenser (C4) configured to pre-cool seawater through a product fresh water steam from an ice melter and discharged brine steam from the washer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the MED subsystem is configured to operate in one of parallel feed configuration, forward feed configuration, backward feed configuration, and parallel/cross flow feed configuration.