Transient analysis and thermal design of a solar-powered cooling system for an office building: Enhancements using phase change materials and zeotropic mixtures in ejector refrigeration cycle

Sadegh Afzal and Behrooz M. Ziapour

Energy, 2024, vol. 309, issue C

Abstract: This study explores an innovative integration of solar energy with thermal energy storage for power production and cooling system support, utilizing phase change materials (PCMs) to enhance solar system performance, particularly for the cooling demands of an office building. The cooling load of a target office building in Ardabil City, Iran, is calculated for a typical day. Optimization is conducted using Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO) to select the optimal zeotropic mixture as the working fluid, aimed at maximizing efficiency and minimizing heat source requirements. The system is designed to meet the needs of a two-story office building. Analysis of photovoltaic modules integrated with PCM under various parameters led to the selection of 25 PVT-PCM units in a series. The total setup includes 730 modules covering 365 m2, achieving a mass flow rate of 2.92 kg/s and supporting a 40 kW cooling load in the Ejector Refrigeration Cycle (ERC). The development of this solar-powered cooling system presents a sustainable, economically viable solution for building cooling. It demonstrates significant advancements in thermal efficiency through the strategic use of PCMs and optimized zeotropic mixtures in ejector refrigeration cycles. The system's scalable design offers a model for adapting to diverse climatic conditions, marking a notable contribution to sustainable building technologies.

Keywords: Photovoltaic modules; Phase change materials; Cooling load; Power production; Ejector; Zeotropic mixture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544224029013
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:309:y:2024:i:c:s0360544224029013

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2024.133126

Access Statistics for this article

Energy is currently edited by Henrik Lund and Mark J. Kaiser

More articles in Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().