Performance investigation of a solar thermoelectric-adsorption cooling system using activated carbon-methanol

Apart from the conventional compression cycle refrigeration, two other known cooling technologies throughout the last decade are thermoelectric and adsorption. Solar adsorption utilizes activated carbon-methanol as its working pair in producing cooling through desorption/adsorption processes. Solar thermoelectric however utilizes the conversion of solar energy to electricity by means of photovoltaic cells to power up the cooler. Both systems have witnessed an increasing interest due to its quietness, long-lasting, inexpensive to maintain and environmentally benign. In this study, a combined system of both techniques was introduced, where cooling could be produced continuously and suitable for places away from the conventional grid )The adsorption system utilized few key elements such as adsorbers, a condenser, a reservoir, an evaporator and a cooler. The thermoelectric system was powered by two 80W solar photovoltaic panels and is regulated using a charge controller and a battery as a backup system. The principle aim of this study was to gather relevant data through experiments and act as basis for future studies. Results from the experiments were later used to calculate the coefficient of performance (COP). The relevancy of the results was then further proved and determined with a series of statistical studies. Results obtained showed that such system is feasible. The COP values of the overall system were 0.014 - 0.183 (adsorption), 0.126 - 0.173 (thermoelectric) and 0.003 - 0.005 (hybrid), respectively