Dynamic Simulation of Absorber for Solar Adsorption Refrigerator: A Validated Numerical Model

Abstract

In this work, a numerical model is presented that describes the transfer of heat and mass inside a cylindrical regenerator of a solar adsorption refrigerator that uses the methanol/activated-carbon refrigerant pair. This model is based on the equations of mass conservation, energy conservation, Darcy’s law and the balance model between sorbate and sorbent given by the Dubinin-Astak- hov’s equation. On the other hand, the linear driving force (LDF) model is used to describe the rate of desorption. In the developed model, the spatial variation of methanol vapor pressure within the activated carbon bed is taken into account and, as one of the boundary conditions, the temperature is used at the external surface of the absorber measured experimentally along the day. Using the developed model, the temperature, pressure and concentration of methanol were calculated; both inside the grains of carbon and in the space between the grains, as a function of time. The algorithm was validated comparing the numerical results with the experimental data, obtaining a satisfactory concordance.