Thermodynamic evaluations of solar cooling cogeneration cycle using NaSCN–NH3 mixture

Abstract

The commercial refrigeration and air conditioning consumes more electric power for its operation. The solar vapor absorption refrigeration helps to minimize the electric power usage and it is renewable. Large size of solar collector area is required for producing the standalone power as well as cooling cycle. The integration of power and cooling cycle minimizes the number of components such as heat exchanger, separator and collector area. The main objective of the work is to integrate power and cooling for two outputs with single cycle using NaSCN–NH₃ as working fluid. The advantages of NaSCN–NH₃ are having high pressure and pure ammonia vapor at the exit of the generator. The integrated cycle is made by providing the turbine at the exit of the generator along with superheater. It has three pressures of generator, condensing and sink pressure, which is depending on separator and ambient temperature. At the separator temperature of 150°C with weak solution concentration of 0.30, it produces the cogeneration output of 284.80 kW with cycle and plant thermal efficiency of 0.49 and 0.20 respectively.