Modelling and Simulation of a Solar Single Effect Absorption Cooling System in Aspen Hysys^®

As an alternative to conventional vapor compression cooling systems, a thermodynamic analysis with the integration of Aspen Hysys^® and MatLab^® to a solar driven single effect LiBr - Water absorption cooling is conducted in this paper under meteorological conditions for Barranquilla in Colombia supplied with a solar captive system integrated by 15 flat plat solar collectors Barilla F22AR. First law and second law of thermodynamic are applied to system in order to calculate the thermodynamic states and exergy of each stream of the system, in addition to the Coefficient of performance and second law exergy efficiency of the chiller, and exergy loss rate for every component and the whole system. The influence of monthly variation of total solar irradiance on COP, exergy efficiency and exergy loss rate is evaluated in this study under steady state condition for each month of the year. The results of this study show a proportional relationship between heat loads calculated in each component and the heat flow supplied by the solar captive system to the generator, moreover the total solar radiation is directly related to the COP and inversely proportional exergy efficiency.