Dynamic Modeling and Simulation of a Facade-Integrated Adsorption System for Solar Cooling of Lightweight Buildings

Abstract

Reductions of carbon dioxide emissions from the building sector are mandatory for climate protection. This calls for both a reduction of the construction material and energy as well as a reduction of the operational energy. Against this background, a novel facade-integrated adsorption system for solar cooling of lightweight buildings is proposed and theoretically investigated in this work. For this purpose, a detailed simulation model is developed to analyze both the processes in the single components as well as the overall system behavior. The proposed system consists of the three components adsorber, condenser and evaporator, which are connected vacuum-tight and are coupled by vapor transfer. The simulation results of a defined reference case yield cooling rates of 54 W per installed square meter of adsorber facade. The cooling power can be maintained for 12 h, confirming the applicability of the proposed system. Furthermore, a comprehensive parametric study is carried out in order to identify an optimum set of parameter values for maximum cooling rate under the assumed conditions. The results reveal that controlled constant cooling rates of 105 W per square meter of adsorber facade can be reached and a maximum peak power of 145 W per square meter of adsorber facade is possible.

Keywords

• solar energy
• thermal energy storage
• adsorption chiller
• cooling ceiling
• thermal management
• building energy systems