DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS

ENGINEERING

TOPIC:
Solar Drying and Solar Cooling

Prepared by : D. SIVARAJ AP/EEE

1
Solar Dryer
 Drying is a simple process of excess water (moisture) removal
from a natural or an industrial product.
 Drying is an energy intensive process. (long preservation)
 The purpose of drying an agricultural product is to reduce its
moisture content to a level that prevents its deterioration.
 To slow down the action of enzymes, bacteria, yeasts and molds.
 This enable the food to be stored and preserved for long time
with out spoilage.
Solar Dryer
 Crops are very sensitive to the drying conditions.
 Drying must be performed in a way that does not seriously affect
their color, flavor, texture or nutritional value.
 Temperature is major importance.
Solar Dryer
 Solar dryer use air collectors to collect solar energy.

 Two process:
 1. Is a heat transfer to the product using energy from the heating
source.
 2. Is a mass transfer of moisture from the interior of the product to
its surface and from surface to the surrounding air, in the form of
water vapor.
When the pool of moisture on the surface is depleted and water can no longer diffuse to the
surface to maintain the constant rate of removal, we enter the falling rate drying period.
 Thank You
 DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS
ENGINEERING

TOPIC:
Solar Cooling

Prepared by : D. SIVARAJ AP/EEE

14
Solar cooling

 In recent years, demonstration projects have shown the

potential to use solar thermal energy to drive those
chillers. Because most of the available thermal chillers
have large cooling capacities (often several hundred
KW), the focus of R &D was largely on developing
smaller cooling units as well as to improve the system
design.
 About 100 systems have been installed in Europe and
several are offering solar cooling solutions as part of
their product and service portfolio.
Why Solar cooling?

 Dramatic increase of air conditioning

 Cost of energy
 Issues related to environmental pollution
 Due to energy production
 Due to the use of CFC’s and HCFC’s
 Matched demand with source availability
 Crucial for improving life standards in developing
countries
 Absorption type

 How does absorption chiller works?

 Absorption chillers use solar heat energy instead of
mechanical energy to provide cooling.
 A thermal compressor consists of an absorber, a generator,
a pump, and a throttling device, and replace the mechanical
vapor compressor
 Refrigerant vapor from the evaporator is absorbed by a
solution mixture in the absorber. This solution is then
pumped to the generator. There the refrigerant re vaporizes
using a waste steam heat source. The refrigerant- depleted
solution then returns to the absorber via a throttling
device.
 Conversion of Solar Radiation into Cooling or Air-conditioning

 1. Open Cycle Heat Transformation Thermal Process:

 Liquid Absorber usually water
 Solid Absorber usually silica gel
 2. Closed Cycle Heat Transformation Thermal Process:
 Liquid Absorption process using water/lithium-bromide or water/ammonia
solutions
 Solid Adsorption using silica gels, salts or ammonia activated carbon
 3. Thermo-mechanical Process:
 Vapour Compression
 Rankine Cycle
Basic Solar Cooling System
Absorbents commonly used

 The two most common refrigerant/absorbent mixtures used in

absorption chillers are

 Water/lithium bromide
 Ammonia/water
Components of a Solar cooling Systems

 A solar cooling installation consists of a typical solar

thermal system made up of
 Solar collectors
 Storage tank
 Control unit
 Pipes and pumps
 Thermally driven cooling machine- chillers.
Vapour compression
LiBr-HO system
NH3-HO Coolers
 Thank You