Simulation of a low capacity absorption cooling system for indoor air-conditioning

Air-conditioning in summer is usually carried out through electrically driven devices based on vapor compression cycles. However, an alternative to such conventional applications is the adoption of thermally driven chillers, powered by free thermal energy made available from waste heat or solar thermal systems. In this context, this paper examines the performance of an air-conditioning system for office applications, based on a low capacity water-cooled LiBr/water absorption chiller. The scope is to identify the role of some operating conditions, such as the feeding temperature to the absorption cooling system and the rotation speed of the fan in the cooling tower. The possibility of driving the absorption machine through hot water produced by means of a solar thermal system is also considered. The analysis is carried out in dynamic conditions by using the simulation platform SimSpark, based on a general model already validated through experimental data. The results provide useful suggestions for the design and the operation of solar-assisted absorption cooling systems.