Implementation of Adapted Black Box Models for the Performance Characterization of Commercial Sorption Chillers
Abstract
Thermally-driven sorption chillers represent an excellent alternative for solar thermal cooling. Specifically, when coupled to low-temperature collectors (flat plate or vacuum tube collectors), three commercial options emerge: two closed sorption systems (single-stage absorption and adsorption chillers) and an open sorption system (Dissociative Evaporative Cooling system, DEC). Due to the complexity of these systems, their modeling (which is fundamental for viability studies) remains a complicated task. In this regard, black box models represent a simple alternative to simulate their performance. Two methods have been used in the literature for the most common system (the absorption chiller): the adapted characteristic equation (CE) and the Carnot function model (CFM). However, these methods have not yet been applied to the other type of sorption chillers. The present work studies the performance simulation of different commercial sorption chillers and discusses their advantages and their limits regarding each technology.