Experience with fully operational solar-driven 10-ton LiBr/H2O single-effect absorption cooling system in Thailand
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Author list: Pongtornkulpanich A., Thepa S., Amornkitbamrung M., Butcher C.
Publisher: Elsevier
Publication year: 2008
Journal: Renewable Energy (0960-1481)
Volume number: 33
Issue number: 5
Start page: 943
End page: 949
Number of pages: 7
ISSN: 0960-1481
eISSN: 1879-0682
Languages: English-Great Britain (EN-GB)
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Abstract
A solar-driven 10-ton LiBr/H2O single-effect absorption cooling system has been designed and installed at the School of Renewable Energy Technology (SERT), Phitsanulok, Thailand. Construction took place in 2005, after which this system became fully operational and has been supplying cooling for our main testing building's air-conditioning. Data on the system's operation were collected during 2006 and analyzed to find the extent to which solar energy replaced conventional energy sources. Here, we present these data and show that the 72 m2 evacuated tube solar collector delivered a yearly average solar fraction of 81%, while the remaining 19% of thermal energy required by the chiller was supplied by a LPG-fired backup heating unit. We also show that the economics of this cooling system are dominated by the initial cost of the solar collector array and the absorption chiller, which are significantly higher than that of a similar-size conventional VCC system. ฉ 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords
Experimental research, Lithium bromide solution, Solar absorption cooling, Solar fraction
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