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US 9,702,597 B1Granted
System and method for preventing absorbent crystallization in a continuously operating solar-powered absorption cooling system with hybrid storage
AssigneeKing Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
InventorsMaged A. I. El-Shaarawi, Ali Abdulaziz Al-Ugla
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A solar powered absorption cooling system employing refrigerant-absorbent solutions such as water and lithium bromide and hybrid storage capabilities, and a method of employing the system in refrigeration and air conditioning units. The system includes a first temperature control valve and second temperature control valve that together regulate the flow of solar heating fluid into the generator and substantially reduce absorbent crystal formation.
Claims20
An absorption cooling system, comprising:
- a plurality of solar collectors configured to obtain energy and transfer that energy as heat to a heating fluid;
- a generator comprising a dilute absorbent-refrigerant solution comprising an absorbent dissolved in a first amount of a refrigerant, wherein the generator is configured to receive the heating fluid from the solar collectors and release a vapor refrigerant from the dilute absorbent-refrigerant solution;
- a condenser configured to receive and condense the vapor refrigerant from the generator to form a liquid refrigerant;
- an evaporator configured to receive the liquid refrigerant from the condenser and provide refrigerant and a cooling fluid, wherein the cooling fluid cools at least one load;
- an absorber configured to receive the refrigerant from the evaporator and a concentrated absorbent-refrigerant solution comprising the absorbent dissolved in a second amount of the refrigerant from the generator to reform the dilute absorbent-refrigerant solution;
- a heat exchanger located between the generator and the absorber, wherein heat is exchanged between the concentrated absorbent-refrigerant solution flowing from the generator to the absorber and the dilute absorbent-refrigerant solution flowing from the absorber to the generator;
- a first storage tank located downstream of the solar collectors and upstream of the generator, which is configured to store the heating fluid;
- a second storage tank located downstream of the condenser and upstream of the evaporator, which is configured to store the liquid refrigerant;
- a third storage tank located downstream of the evaporator, which is configured to store the cooling fluid;
- a first temperature control valve located between the solar collectors and the first storage tank having an open and a closed mode;
- a second temperature control valve located between the first storage tank and the generator having an open and a closed mode;
- and
- a plurality of additional valves;
- wherein the solar collectors, the first storage tank, the generator, the condenser, the second storage tank, the evaporator, the third storage tank, the absorber, and the heat exchanger are fluidly connected to one another and the generator and first storage tank are connected in parallel to the solar collectors;
- wherein the first amount of the refrigerant is greater than the second amount of the refrigerant;
- and
- wherein the first temperature control valve and the second temperature control valve are configured to regulate a flow of the heating fluid into the generator by automatically toggling between the open mode or the closed mode in response to a controller signal indicating a presence or an absence of a set point of a solid absorbent content in the dilute absorbent-refrigerant solution of the generator.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.