Title: Technical and economic analysis of a solar-assisted air-conditioning system

Authors: Zouhour Sayadi; Mahmoud Bourouis; Ahmed Bellagi

Addresses: Research Unit Thermodynamics and Thermal Industrial Processes, National Engineering School of Monastir (ENIM), Department of Energy Engineering, Av. Ibn Jazzar, 5019 Monastir, Tunisia. ' Mechanical Engineering Department, CREVER -Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Paîsos Catalans, No. 26, 43007 Tarragona, Spain. ' Research Unit Thermodynamics and Thermal Industrial Processes, National Engineering School of Monastir (ENIM), Department of Energy Engineering, Av. Ibn Jazzar, 5019 Monastir, Tunisia

Abstract: This paper presents analysis aiming at assessing the feasibility and economic performance of a solar-assisted air-conditioning system for a middle class house under the climatic conditions of Tunis City. Two alternative cooling modes for the single effect water-lithium bromide absorption machine are considered, a water-cooling in association with a cooling tower and air-cooling. The numerical simulations show that for the water-cooling case, a solar system with 18 m² of evacuated tube collector area and a thermal storage tank of 1.3 m³ maintained at a temperature of 95°C can cover 50% of the energy needs of the machine. The corresponding optimal results for the air-cooled chiller are: energy needs coverage 40%, hot water tank capacity 1 m³ at 110°C, collector area 14 m². The annually total costs for the case of water-cooling and air-cooling are respectively 3.52 €/kWh and 2.51 €/kWh.

Keywords: single effect chiller; water-lithium absorption machine; evacuated tube collectors; solar air conditioning; economic viability; cost; optimisation; TRNSYS; technical analysis; economic analysis; solar energy; solar power; Tunisia; water cooling; numerical simulation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJRET.2013.051069

International Journal of Renewable Energy Technology, 2013 Vol.4 No.1, pp.65 - 85

Published online: 30 Jan 2014 *

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