GB2479349A - Solar Powered Absorption Refrigeration Apparatus - Google Patents
Solar Powered Absorption Refrigeration Apparatus Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2479349A GB2479349A GB1005663A GB201005663A GB2479349A GB 2479349 A GB2479349 A GB 2479349A GB 1005663 A GB1005663 A GB 1005663A GB 201005663 A GB201005663 A GB 201005663A GB 2479349 A GB2479349 A GB 2479349A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- condenser
- solar
- evaporator
- refrigeration apparatus
- pipe
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 238000005057 refrigeration Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 59
- 238000010521 absorption reaction Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 38
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 30
- 239000003507 refrigerant Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 29
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 18
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 24
- OKKJLVBELUTLKV-UHFFFAOYSA-N Methanol Chemical compound OC OKKJLVBELUTLKV-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 15
- 230000005484 gravity Effects 0.000 claims description 8
- KBPLFHHGFOOTCA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 1-Octanol Chemical compound CCCCCCCCO KBPLFHHGFOOTCA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000002440 industrial waste Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 238000009826 distribution Methods 0.000 abstract description 6
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 abstract description 6
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 abstract description 5
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 abstract description 2
- 230000002745 absorbent Effects 0.000 abstract 4
- 239000002250 absorbent Substances 0.000 abstract 4
- 238000004378 air conditioning Methods 0.000 description 7
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 7
- QGZKDVFQNNGYKY-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ammonia Chemical compound N QGZKDVFQNNGYKY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- DIKBFYAXUHHXCS-UHFFFAOYSA-N bromoform Chemical compound BrC(Br)Br DIKBFYAXUHHXCS-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 239000003651 drinking water Substances 0.000 description 4
- 235000020188 drinking water Nutrition 0.000 description 4
- KFZMGEQAYNKOFK-UHFFFAOYSA-N Isopropanol Chemical compound CC(C)O KFZMGEQAYNKOFK-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 230000005611 electricity Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000007710 freezing Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000008014 freezing Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000008246 gaseous mixture Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 3
- LVGUZGTVOIAKKC-UHFFFAOYSA-N 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane Chemical compound FCC(F)(F)F LVGUZGTVOIAKKC-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N Atomic nitrogen Chemical compound N#N IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- ATUOYWHBWRKTHZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Propane Chemical compound CCC ATUOYWHBWRKTHZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 230000006978 adaptation Effects 0.000 description 2
- 229910021529 ammonia Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 2
- 229950005228 bromoform Drugs 0.000 description 2
- 230000002706 hydrostatic effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 235000013619 trace mineral Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 239000011573 trace mineral Substances 0.000 description 2
- OTMSDBZUPAUEDD-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ethane Chemical compound CC OTMSDBZUPAUEDD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 208000034817 Waterborne disease Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 239000001273 butane Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000919 ceramic Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000593 degrading effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007613 environmental effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000001914 filtration Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000001307 helium Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052734 helium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- SWQJXJOGLNCZEY-UHFFFAOYSA-N helium atom Chemical compound [He] SWQJXJOGLNCZEY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052500 inorganic mineral Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000005304 joining Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007774 longterm Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- IJDNQMDRQITEOD-UHFFFAOYSA-N n-butane Chemical compound CCCC IJDNQMDRQITEOD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- OFBQJSOFQDEBGM-UHFFFAOYSA-N n-pentane Natural products CCCCC OFBQJSOFQDEBGM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052757 nitrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000001294 propane Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- F25B27/00—Machines, plants or systems, using particular sources of energy
- F25B27/002—Machines, plants or systems, using particular sources of energy using solar energy
- F25B27/007—Machines, plants or systems, using particular sources of energy using solar energy in sorption type systems
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02A30/00—Adapting or protecting infrastructure or their operation
- Y02A30/27—Relating to heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC] technologies
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
- Y02B30/00—Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]
- Y02B30/62—Absorption based systems
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Sustainable Development (AREA)
- Sustainable Energy (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Thermal Sciences (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Sorption Type Refrigeration Machines (AREA)
Abstract
A solar-powered absorption refrigeration apparatus includes an evaporator 7, a finned condenser 10, at least one solar collector panel 1 and an absorption reservoir 4, and uses a refrigerant, an absorbent and an auxiliary fluid; the auxiliary fluid reducing the partial pressure of the refrigerant effecting a change of state in order to liberate refrigerant gas. In use, solar energy heats a mixture of absorption medium and auxiliary liquid within the solar collector 1, liberating an auxiliary gas and an absorption liquid. The gaseous auxiliary fluid is directed via pipework 5 and distribution head 8 to the evaporator. At the evaporator, the auxiliary gas reacts with liquid refrigerant to liberate refrigerant gas and provide cooling. The mixture of refrigerant gas and auxiliary gas pass via pipe 6 to the condenser where liquid absorbent delivered from condenser header 11 reacts with the mixture forming condensed refrigerant and the auxiliary gas is absorbed by the absorbent liquid. The heavier absorbent/auxiliary liquid mixture settles at the bottom of the condenser and is returned to the solar collector via pipework 13, and the lighter refrigerant is returned via pipework 9 to the evaporator for reuse.
Description
Solar Powered Refrigeration Apparatus
Background
This invention relates to solar powered refrigeration apparatus utilising solar thermal energy. This apparatus can be used for refrigeration, freezing, air conditioning and atmospheric water collection.
Two billion people live without electricity and many more with an unreliable source.
Furthermore approximately 38% of the world's power consumption is used on refrigeration 2/3 of that being on air conditioning. Both of these provide a huge market for a solar powered refrigeration system, providing refrigeration for food and medical supplies to those with no electricity, and providing a suitable environmental alternative to those already with refrigeration. This will be greatly advantageous to those with high usage air conditioning or refrigeration, as they will benefit from a large cost savings.
Every 8 seconds a child dies from water related diseases. There are large numbers of people in remote or poverty areas who do not have a reliable or adequate source of fresh drinking water. Using this solar powered refrigeration apparatus for atmospheric water collection, pure drinking water can be provided to these families, communities and villages with no on going costs or need for electricity.
Previous attempts at solar powered refrigeration have mostly been using Photovoltaic (PV) electrical solar power to drive a vapour compressor based refrigerator, as show by Ewert eta! in US patent no 6,253,563. The main disadvantages of this is thatPV can be costly and can have a limited lifetime of around 20 years, and the compressor based technology relies on moving parts which like all mechanical moving parts can fail during long term use.
Other attempts mostly are single cycle systems on a day and night cycle whereby the sun charges the system during the day and as it cools over night the cooling of the cold box takes place. An example of this is seen in US patent no 2,391,434. Further attempts have been made by using a heat exchanger to transfer solar thermal energy into an absorption refrigeration unit, such as in US patent no 4,362,025.
Accordingly it is desirable to provide an efficient thermally driven solar refrigeration system that is cheap to manufacture and contains no moving, or degrading parts.
Statement of Invention
This thermally driven solar powered refrigeration apparatus is based upon advancements and adaptations of Albert Einstein & Leo Szilard's method of refrigeration detailed in GB patent no 282,428 titled Improvements relating to Refrigerating Apparatus.
This invention relates to the modification and adaptation of Einstein et al's method of refrigeration to utilise solar thermal energy as a direct source of heat within this modified apparatus along with further modifications to optimise its use with solar thermal energy, including the use of environmentally safe organic substances within the apparatus, and improvements to the required cooling of the condenser and other parts of the apparatus.
The refrigeration process us is carried out by utilising an auxiliary medium, an absorption medium and a refrigerant in this apparatus.
An organic version of this refrigeration process can be carried out utilising a methyl alcohol such as methanol as the auxiliary medium, octyl alcohol such as octanol as the absorption medium and a refrigerant of butane, propane, ethane, isopropyl alcohol or other suitable refrigerant having a lower specific gravity than the solution of chosen absorption medium with chosen auxiliary medium. In different embodiments of the apparatus a refrigerant with high specific gravity can be used such as bromoform or Tetrafluoroethane Ri 34a.
This process could also be run as a non-organic version utilising ammonia as the auxiliary medium and water as the absorption medium, or any other possible absorption pairs. This is more in line with the know absorption refrigeration cycles but would be less efficient.
The cooling of the condenser and pipe carrying the absorption medium into the condenser have also being modified to have cooling fins to be suitable for solar and use in remote locations.
A cold thermal store is added over the evaporator to store cold thermal energy for continued use in the absence of the sun. This cold thermal store can be either located within the refrigeration area or insulated and located remotely with remote cooling taking place via a refrigerant passed through pipes within the thermal store. This could be controlled by way of a thermostat for accurate temperature control. Using this method a refrigeration system could be installed for a building with a large scale solar refrigeration unit on the roof and refrigeration pipes added into the building from the cold thermal store to all of the refrigeration appliances (fridges, freezers and air-conditioning) around the building.
An alternative for a temperature-controlled environment is to have the cold thermal store located above the refrigeration area with thermostatically controlled insulated vents that open when cooling is required.
To use the apparatus for atmospheric water collection the thermal store would not be necessary and the evaporator should be joined to a large surface area water condenser within an atmospheric water collection unit. This would be suitable for collection of pure drinking water in remote locations or where the water source was dirty or contaminated.
Introduction to Drawings
Figure 1 is a schematic view of the solar powered refrigeration apparatus in its preferred embodiment when the thermal store is located directly within an attached refrigeration area.
Figure 2 is a schematic view of the solar powered refrigeration apparatus in an alternative embodiment of figure 1.
Figure 3 is a schematic view of the evaporator and cold thermal store of the solar powered refrigeration apparatus when the apparatus is to be located away from the refrigeration area such as with air conditioning, or if accurate temperature control is needed within the refrigeration area by way of a thermostat.
Figure 4 is a schematic view of the condenser cooling fins in the preferred embodiment with heat pipes attached to the condenser and through the fins.
Figure 5 shows the same as figure 1 but the preferred embodiment using a solar thermal collector with thermal mass as detailed in my patent application entitled Improvements to Solar Thermal Collectors filed on 25th March 2010 with application number GB1005038.3.
Figure 6 shows the same as figure 1 but the preferred embodiment using a refrigerant of higher specific gravity than the solution of absorption medium with auxiliary medium.
Figure 7 is a schematic view of the solar powered refrigeration apparatus in an alternative embodiment.
Figure 8 is a schematic view of the evaporator housed in an example casing designed for atmospheric water collection.
Numbering of items is universal between all figures, i.e. 10 is the condenser within all figures and embodiments detailed.
Detailed Description
Referring to figure 1 showing one embodiment of the invention, 1 shows the solar collector tubes containing a mixture of the auxiliary medium and the absorption medium. A small solar collector 2 is feed from a pipe within the solar collector 1 at a point lower than the level 17 of mixed auxiliary medium and absorption medium solution, this small solar collector provides additional heat to the absorption medium which is fed into pipe 3 which further connects to the absorption medium reservoir 4.
Gaseous auxiliary medium is driven off by thermal energy from the combined solution of auxiliary medium and absorption medium from the solar collector. This gaseous auxiliary medium enters pipe 5, which connects from the top of solar collector 1 and reservoir 4 to the distribution head 8 inside the evaporator 7. To lower the temperature of the gaseous auxiliary medium pipe 5 parses through the middle of pipe 6, which connects the condenser 10 to the evaporator 7. Gaseous auxiliary medium is fed from pipe S through distribution head 8, which is positioned towards the bottom of the evaporator 7 within the liquid refrigerant 18. The introduction of the auxiliary medium as a gas into the liquid refrigerant causes the refrigerant to change state into a gas under Dalton's Law of Partial Pressure and the gaseous pair travel though pipe 6 into the condenser 10.
Pipe 15 carries absorption medium and is fed from reservoir 4, through the bottom of solar collector 1 as a heat exchange to pass any wasted heat back into the solar collector and to reduce the temperature of the absorption medium. Cooling fins 16 are attached to pipe 15 to further reduce the temperature of the absorption medium before entering condenser 10 via distribution head 11. The absorption medium from distribution head 11 absorbs the gaseous auxiliary medium from the gaseous mixture of auxiliary medium and refrigerant entering via pipe 6.
The absorption of the auxiliary medium into the liquid absorption medium causes the refrigerant to condense back to a liquid state. The solution of auxiliary medium with absorption medium 12 settles to the bottom of the condenser 10. The liquid refrigerant with lower specific gravity settles on top of this solution and is carried by pipe 9 back to the evaporator to repeat the cycle. The solution of absorption medium with auxiliary medium is carried back to the bottom of the solar collector 1 by pipe 13 for the cycle to begin again.
The height of hi must be greater than that of h2 in order to create enough hydrostatic pressure for flow to take place. It is also necessary for reservoir 4 to be higher than the condenser 10.
Condenser 10 has cooling fins 14 connected around the outside of the chamber; these should be of a large number and large surface area for cooling of the condenser.
Figure 4 shows a preferred embodiment of the cooling fins 14 using heat pipes 25 thermally connected via a point or heat sink 24 to the condenser chamber and connected though the cooling fins.
Evaporator 7 is located within a cold thermal store 19. This thermal store can be located within the cold box or refrigeration area to store cold thermal energy for use during hours with no solar heat. Preferably the thermal store would be a sealed unit that contains a gas with low freezing point held in liquid form, such as liquid helium or liquid nitrogen. Both of these would be the ideal due to their extremely low freezing points and the large volume that is contained when in liquid form.
Figure 3 shows another embodiment of the cold thermal store where the thermal store is insulated and has refrigeration pipe 21 passing though it. This can be used either when more exact temperature control is required, with a thermostat allowing refrigeration fluid through pipe 21 when cooling is required. Or when the apparatus is to be located away from the refrigeration area, such as air conditioning or installing the apparatus on a roof when using refrigeration apparatus within the building. Here refrigerant would be passed or pumped through pipe 21 between the thermal store and the area(s) to be cooled.
Figure 2 shows a further embodiment of the apparatus with the addition of pipe 20 from reservoir 4 to the top of condenser 10 and reservoir 4 not joining pipe 5. This method would be marginally less efficient but may assist in keeping correct pressures within the apparatus.
Figure 5 shows the same as figure 1 but with the preferred embodiment using a solar thermal collector 22 with thermal mass 23 as detailed in my patent application entitled Improvements to Solar Thermal Collectors filed on 25th March 2010 with application number GB1005038.3.
Figure 6 shows the same as figure 1 but the preferred embodiment using a refrigerant of higher specific gravity than the solution of absorption medium with auxiliary medium. Possible refrigerants for this embodiment include bromoform, Tetrafluoroethane R134a and Ammonia. In this embodiment the hydrostatic pressure for hi is from the level in the reservoir rather than the condenser and pipe 9 is from the lower level of the condenser whilst pipe 13 is from the middle.
Figure 7 shows the same as figure 1 again using a refrigerant of low specific gravity.
Contrary to the previous embodiments detailed above, the gaseous mixture of auxiliary medium with refrigerant from the evaporator 7 enters the condenser 10 through distribution head 11, which is located towards the bottom of the condenser within the absorption medium. This gaseous mixture bubbles through the absorption medium that absorbs the auxiliary medium and the refrigerant condenses back into a liquid. The circulation of fluid between the solar collector 1 and the condenser 10 is purely maintained on the difference in specific mass of the absorption medium compared to the specific mass of the solution of absorption medium with auxiliary medium.
Figure 8 shows the apparatus for atmospheric water collection, this shows the evaporator 7 encased in an example atmospheric water collection unit. This shows the evaporator 7 joined to a large surface area water condenser 34 within casing 30, which has an opening at either end.
One end has fan assembly 32, which drives air though the housing and over the large surface area water condenser 34 that is being cooled by the evaporator. The other end of the casing has an opening with air filter 31 to filter the incoming air. The atmospheric water condenses on the large surface area water condenser and drips into the water collection reservoir 27 where it then passes through a ceramic water filter 28 and into the pure water reservoir 30 where it is stored and available to use immediately as fresh pure drinking water. The opening with outflow of air from the casing should preferably be directed towards the cooling fins on the condenser to further assist it's cooling.
Additional filtration or introduction of valuable trace elements or minerals can be added into the water at 29, if necessary based on the apparatus's location. The fan assembly should preferably be operated by a small solar PV system. The fan can be located at either end effectively, and in small systems a fan may not be required.
Advantages The apparatus being thermally driven it can work in harmony with the surrounding environment, whereby the hotter the outside temperature, the colder it makes it, thus being thermodynamic to its environment.
There are many ways of making a solar thermal collector that will work within the embodiment of the invention, but the preferred collector is one using a thermal mass in a sealed and insulated casing as detailed within my patent application entitled Improvements to Solar Thermal Collectors filed on 25th March 2010 with application number GB1005038.3. This is illustrated in figure 5.
Preferably the cooling fins 14&16 should have a large surface area and contain heat pipes thermally connected to the pipe or chamber respectively, and passing though all of the fins. This would move heat away faster as can be seen in some computer CPU heat-sinks. This is illustrated in figure 4.
Optionally for further improved efficiency solar powered fans could be added to blow across the cooling fins 14&16. If running with organic fluids the use of fans would probably not add much efficiency, as the lower vapour pressure requires less cooling in the condenser. If used these should be built as a separate replaceable module independent of the rest of the system as they will be the only moving part and will therefore have a limited lifetime.
In embodiments where the solar collector is made up of many collector pipes it is preferable that there should be several outlets from the top of solar collector 1 into pipe 5.
It is also possible to connect an atmospheric water collection unit to a remote cold thermal store as in figure 3 by passing refrigerant through pipe 21 and the cooling pipes within the atmospheric water collection unit.
A solar refrigeration unit can replace many existing air conditioning units fairly simply by replacing the outside electrical unit with a solar one and adapting or changing the heat exchanger unit into the building. This means that the work and cost involved in moving to solar is minimal and requires little disruption to the service or to the building.
The highest efficiency of this invention would be utilising the solar thermal collector with thermal mass, as shown in figure 5 with cooling fins 14&16 having heat pipes passing through the fins, as shown in figure 4. The apparatus should be charged with organic substances of a methyl-alcohol and an octyl-alcohol to provide the highest efficiency. As this apparatus will be completely free of all moving parts there is no reason why it should not operate for many decades or possibly a century or more.
Claims (8)
- Claims 1. Solar powered refrigeration apparatus comprising of: Einstein et Al's refrigeration apparatus modified to have; Solar thermal collector tubes built into the apparatus for direct collection of thermal energy within the apparatus; and Cooling fins attached to the condenser; and Cooling fins attached to the pipe carrying the absorption medium to the condenser.
- 2. Solar powered refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, where the evaporator is within a cold thermal store.
- 3. Solar powered refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, where the evaporator is connected to a large surface area water condenser for atmospheric water collection.
- 4. Solar powered refrigeration apparatus according to claim 2, where the cold thermal store is insulated and has refrigeration pipes passing through the inside for remote refrigeration away from the apparatus or by way of thermostatic control.
- 5. Solar powered refrigeration apparatus according to any of the proceeding claims where the cooling fins have heat pipes passing through them; and are thermally connected to the pipe or chamber to be cooled.
- 6. Solar powered refrigeration apparatus according to any of the proceeding claims using organic substances of an octyl-alcohol for the absorption medium and a methyl-alcohol as the auxiliary medium.
- 7. Solar powered refrigeration apparatus according to any of the proceeding claims where the cold thermal store is located above the refrigeration area with thermostatically controlled vents that open when cooling is required.
- 8. Refrigeration apparatus according to any of the proceeding claims where the solar heat source is replaced by an alternative heat source including but not limited to geo-thermal and industrial waste heat.Amendments to the claims have been filed as followed Claims 1. Solar powered refrigerating apparatus comprising a solar thermal collector, a condenser with attached cooling fins which is positioned at a higher level than said solar thermal collector, an evaporator housed within a thermal store, a reservoir arranged at a higher level than the condenser, said solar thermal collector containing a solution of absorption medium and auxiliary medium, a pipe for conducting the auxiliary medium from the solar thermal collector to the evaporator, a pipe for conducting liquid refrigerant from the condenser to the evaporator, a conduit for conducting mixed vapour of refrigerant and auxiliary medium from the evaporator, a pipe for conducting rich absorption medium from the condenser to the solar thermal collector by gravity, a pipe for conducting weak absorption medium from the reservoir to the condenser by gravity and passing through a heat exchange conduit with the bottom of the solar thermal collector and then further passing through a series of cooling fins, a pipe extending upwardly from said solar thermal collector to said reservoir with a further smaller solar thermal collector to lift liquid from the solar thermal collector to the reservoir.2. Solar powered refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, with the exception of the evaporator being directly connected to a large surface area water condenser for atmospheric water collection and not housed within a thermal store.3. Solar powered refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, where the cold thermal store is insulated and has refrigeration pipes passing through the inside for remote refrigeration away from the apparatus or by way of thermostatic control.Q 4. Solar powered refrigeration apparatus according to any of the proceeding claims where the cooling fins attached to the condenser and cooling fins Q attached to the pipe from the reservoir to the condenser both have heat pipes passing through them which are thermally connected to the condenser and pipe respectively.5. Solar powered refrigeration apparatus according to any of the proceeding claims using organic substances of an octyl-alcohol for the absorption medium and a methyl-alcohol as the auxiliary medium.6. Solar powered refrigeration apparatus according to any of the proceeding claims where the cold thermal store is located above the refrigeration area with thermostatically controlled vents that open when cooling is required.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1005663A GB2479349A (en) | 2010-04-06 | 2010-04-06 | Solar Powered Absorption Refrigeration Apparatus |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1005663A GB2479349A (en) | 2010-04-06 | 2010-04-06 | Solar Powered Absorption Refrigeration Apparatus |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB201005663D0 GB201005663D0 (en) | 2010-05-19 |
| GB2479349A true GB2479349A (en) | 2011-10-12 |
Family
ID=42228867
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1005663A Withdrawn GB2479349A (en) | 2010-04-06 | 2010-04-06 | Solar Powered Absorption Refrigeration Apparatus |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2479349A (en) |
Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2030350A (en) * | 1933-04-10 | 1936-02-11 | Carl G Fisher | Solar operated refrigerating system |
| US2138688A (en) * | 1933-06-16 | 1938-11-29 | Altenkirch Edmund | Method and apparatus for the production of cold |
| US2692483A (en) * | 1951-01-05 | 1954-10-26 | Arthur W Hedlund | Refrigeration unit utilizing solar energy |
| WO2005019542A1 (en) * | 2003-08-20 | 2005-03-03 | Vital Earth Technologies Pty Limited | Method and apparatus for condensing water from ambient air |
| US20080178617A1 (en) * | 2004-07-13 | 2008-07-31 | Darryl John Jones | Single Cycle Apparatus for Condensing Water from Ambient Air |
-
2010
- 2010-04-06 GB GB1005663A patent/GB2479349A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2030350A (en) * | 1933-04-10 | 1936-02-11 | Carl G Fisher | Solar operated refrigerating system |
| US2138688A (en) * | 1933-06-16 | 1938-11-29 | Altenkirch Edmund | Method and apparatus for the production of cold |
| US2692483A (en) * | 1951-01-05 | 1954-10-26 | Arthur W Hedlund | Refrigeration unit utilizing solar energy |
| WO2005019542A1 (en) * | 2003-08-20 | 2005-03-03 | Vital Earth Technologies Pty Limited | Method and apparatus for condensing water from ambient air |
| US20080178617A1 (en) * | 2004-07-13 | 2008-07-31 | Darryl John Jones | Single Cycle Apparatus for Condensing Water from Ambient Air |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB201005663D0 (en) | 2010-05-19 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |