In a tropical country like India, the importance of air conditioning can hardly be over-emphasized. In the current season, who would not want to be with air conditioning? In hot, humid climates it is more than a modern comfort - it is an essential element in getting through those sweltering, sticky days. But, like most modern conveniences, air conditioning has its down-sides. The impacts of growth in air conditioning include:
· Increasing electricity demand.
· A concomitant increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
· Increasing peak electricity demand. It is estimated that 40-50% of the residential sector’s peak demand on hot summer days is attributable to air conditioners.
Solar Energy as a Solution
Therefore, while looking for making life more comfortable for ourselves we must not ignore these impacts and must also look for solutions to overcome the same. India being in the sunny regions of the world with most parts of the country receiving 4-7wh (kilowatt-hour) of solar radiation per square meter per day 250-300 sunny days in a year, Solar Energy indeed can be a solution! But is it possible to turn the hot sun into an air-conditioning system?
World’s Highest Efficiency Solar Thermal Cooling System
Recently world’s highest efficiency solar thermal cooling system was inaugurated at the Solar Energy Centre in Gurgaon in Haryana. The new 100 kW Solar Air-Conditioning System works at 30 % higher efficiency than the current available systems and has several unique features. It is based on the new triple effect absorption cooling technology. The system has indigenously built medium temperature high efficiency parabolic troughs for collection of solar energy and effective solar thermal energy storage in the form of Phase Change Materials.
The present system will cater to air-conditioning needs of 13 rooms of Solar Energy Centre. To achieve this, 288 sq meter of Solar Collector area has been installed which generates nearly 60 kW of 210 o C Pressurized hot water. This heat is used in Vapour Absorption Machine to generate 7 o C Chilled water which in turn circulates through the Fan coil unit installed in the thirteen rooms. The major attraction of this system is that the hottest days have the greatest need for cooling and simultaneously, offer the maximum possible solar energy gain.
The system has been developed in joint collaboration by Solar energy Centre with M/s Thermax Limited, Pune and is expected to meet the growing demand for air-conditioning in India in highly efficient and cost effective way through use of direct solar energy.
A Collaborative Project
High efficiency solar thermal air conditioning systems as a collaborative project of Thermax Limited and Solar Energy Centre started with the following objectives.
· Development of cost effective high efficiency cooling engine with COP of 1.7. Development of indigenous components for Vapor Absorption Machine targeting substantial cost reduction.
· Development of suitable medium temperature solar concentrating collectors with improved efficiency and reliability.
· Development of indigenous components for solar collectors targeting substantial cost reduction.
· Integration of solar collectors, Vapour Absorption Machine and appropriate thermal storage to achieve consistent performance of the system.
Project Specifications
Following specifications have been followed in the making of the Solar Thermal cooling system.
· Heat source: Hot water from solar collectors (210oC)
· Cooling capacity : 100 kW
· Chilled water inlet Temperature : 32 o C
· COP of cooling system : 1.7
· Thermal storage : Chilled Water/Hot Water/PCM
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