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Integration of Solar Energy into Absorption Refrigerators and Industrial Processes
Author(s) -
Tora E. A.,
ElHalwagi M. M.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
chemical engineering and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-4125
pISSN - 0930-7516
DOI - 10.1002/ceat.201000048
Subject(s) - absorption refrigerator , refrigeration , process engineering , solar energy , thermal energy storage , pinch analysis , fossil fuel , environmental science , absorption (acoustics) , thermal energy , process integration , engineering , mechanical engineering , waste management , thermodynamics , materials science , electrical engineering , physics , composite material
Absorption refrigeration is gaining increasing attention in industrial facilities to use process heat for partially or completely driving a cooling cycle. This paper introduces a systematic approach to the design of absorption refrigeration systems for industrial processes. Three sources of energy are considered to drive absorption refrigerators: excess process heat, solar energy, and fossil fuels. To handle the dynamic nature of solar energy, hot water tanks are used for energy storage and dispatch. Thermal pinch analysis is performed to determine the amount of available excess heat and the required refrigeration duty. Next, a multiperiod optimization formulation is developed for the entire system. The procedure determines the optimal mix of energy forms (solar versus fossil) and the dynamic operation of the system. Three case studies are solved to demonstrate the effectiveness and applicability of the devised procedure.