Pamukkale University Journal of Engineering Sciences (Feb 2009)
Thermodynamic, Environmental and Economic Analyses of Solar Ejector Refrigeration System Application for Cold Storage
Abstract
The refrigeration processes have been widely applied for especially in cold storages. In these plants, the systems working with compressed vapour cooling cycles have been used as a classical method. In general, electrical energy is used for compressing in these processes. Although, mainly the electricity itself has no pollution effect on the environment, the fossil fuels that are widely used to produce electricity in the most of the world, affect the nature terribly. In short, these refrigeration plants, because of the source of the electricity pollute the nature indirectly. However, for compression an ejector refrigeration system requires one of the important renewable energy sources with negligible pollution impact on the environment, namely solar energy from a thermal source. Thermodynamical, environmental and economical aspects of the ejector refrigeration system working with solar energy was investigated in this study. As a pilot case, apple cold storage plants widely used in ISPARTA city, which 1/5 th of apple production of TURKEY has been provided from, was chosen. Enviromental and economical advantages of solar ejector refrigeration system application for cold storage dictated by thermodynamic, economic and enviromental analyses in this research.