DA-76-15-5 -- Selecting Refrigerant-Absorbent Fluid Systems for Solar Energy Utilization PDF

The need to augment our nation's energy resources has recently stimulated those involved in solar energy utilization to reexamine the potential of absorption refrigeration for space cooling. An absorption-cooling system is deemed compatible with the low-grade heat generated by present-day flat-plate collectors (temperatures below 200F) and could increase in significance in the near future, when new collector developments might make practical the efficient generation of temperatures in the range of 250 to 300F.

The preceding papers discussed the advantages and limitations of current absorption systems for present-day solar-powered cooling applications. They also presented operational and design modifications that should overcome some of the shortcomings of existing systems for solar-powered cooling. This paper discusses an entirely different approach: the use of new absorption fluid systems compatible with solar-powered cooling requirements. In particular, this paper described a new refrigerant-absorbent combination that can be operated in either the water- or air-cooled mode, retaining all the desirable characteristics of the LiBrH₂0 system.