Solar air-conditioning (AC) is an attractive AC system but it has intermittent output, and therefore, a conventional heater is needed as a backup. This study presents the effect of ratio of heat delivered by solar (Qsolar) to the total heat delivered to an adsorption chiller (Qsolar + Qheater) or solar fraction (SF) on the economic and environmental performance of a solar AC. This solar AC is not a solar-assisted AC, and therefore, it needs to fully cover the cooling load. The cooling demand of an office building in Kuala Lumpur, and the performance of flat-plate collectors and the adsorption chiller were calculated by equest and watsun software and by a mathematical model, respectively. Economic performance was analyzed by life-cycle cost analysis, whereas the environmental performance was analyzed by using typical emissions rate of energy systems used. It was found that a boiler was a better solution than an electric heater as a backup heater. Furthermore, the net profit (NP) at lower SF was higher because of its lower capital investment, but more emissions were released compared to the conventional AC because of the boiler operation. Thus, when economic and environmental performance were fairly considered, it is appropriate to have solar AC with an SF around 0.74.
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December 2015
Research-Article
Effect of Solar Fraction on the Economic and Environmental Performance of Solar Air-Conditioning by Adsorption Chiller in a Tropical Region
Firdaus Basrawi,
Firdaus Basrawi
Energy Sustainability Focus Group,
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
Universiti Malaysia Pahang,
Pekan Pahang 26600, Malaysia
e-mail: mfirdausb@ump.edu.my
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
Universiti Malaysia Pahang,
Pekan Pahang 26600, Malaysia
e-mail: mfirdausb@ump.edu.my
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Thamir K. Ibrahim,
Thamir K. Ibrahim
Energy Sustainability Focus Group,
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
Universiti Malaysia Pahang,
Pekan Pahang 26600, Malaysia
e-mails: thamirmathcad@yahoo.com;
thamir@ump.edu.my
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
Universiti Malaysia Pahang,
Pekan Pahang 26600, Malaysia
e-mails: thamirmathcad@yahoo.com;
thamir@ump.edu.my
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Giok Chui Lee,
Giok Chui Lee
Energy Sustainability Focus Group,
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
Universiti Malaysia Pahang,
Pekan Pahang 26600, Malaysia
e-mail: gclee@ump.edu.my
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
Universiti Malaysia Pahang,
Pekan Pahang 26600, Malaysia
e-mail: gclee@ump.edu.my
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Khairul Habib,
Khairul Habib
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Universiti Technology Petronas,
Bandar Seri Iskandar,
Tronoh 31750, Perak, Malaysia
e-mail: khairul.habib@petronas.com.my
Universiti Technology Petronas,
Bandar Seri Iskandar,
Tronoh 31750, Perak, Malaysia
e-mail: khairul.habib@petronas.com.my
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Hassan Ibrahim
Hassan Ibrahim
Energy Sustainability Focus Group,
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
Universiti Malaysia Pahang,
Pekan Pahang 26600, Malaysia
e-mail: drhassan@ump.edu.my
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
Universiti Malaysia Pahang,
Pekan Pahang 26600, Malaysia
e-mail: drhassan@ump.edu.my
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Firdaus Basrawi
Energy Sustainability Focus Group,
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
Universiti Malaysia Pahang,
Pekan Pahang 26600, Malaysia
e-mail: mfirdausb@ump.edu.my
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
Universiti Malaysia Pahang,
Pekan Pahang 26600, Malaysia
e-mail: mfirdausb@ump.edu.my
Thamir K. Ibrahim
Energy Sustainability Focus Group,
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
Universiti Malaysia Pahang,
Pekan Pahang 26600, Malaysia
e-mails: thamirmathcad@yahoo.com;
thamir@ump.edu.my
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
Universiti Malaysia Pahang,
Pekan Pahang 26600, Malaysia
e-mails: thamirmathcad@yahoo.com;
thamir@ump.edu.my
Giok Chui Lee
Energy Sustainability Focus Group,
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
Universiti Malaysia Pahang,
Pekan Pahang 26600, Malaysia
e-mail: gclee@ump.edu.my
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
Universiti Malaysia Pahang,
Pekan Pahang 26600, Malaysia
e-mail: gclee@ump.edu.my
Khairul Habib
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Universiti Technology Petronas,
Bandar Seri Iskandar,
Tronoh 31750, Perak, Malaysia
e-mail: khairul.habib@petronas.com.my
Universiti Technology Petronas,
Bandar Seri Iskandar,
Tronoh 31750, Perak, Malaysia
e-mail: khairul.habib@petronas.com.my
Hassan Ibrahim
Energy Sustainability Focus Group,
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
Universiti Malaysia Pahang,
Pekan Pahang 26600, Malaysia
e-mail: drhassan@ump.edu.my
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
Universiti Malaysia Pahang,
Pekan Pahang 26600, Malaysia
e-mail: drhassan@ump.edu.my
Contributed by the Solar Energy Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF SOLAR ENERGY ENGINEERING: INCLUDING WIND ENERGY AND BUILDING ENERGY CONSERVATION. Manuscript received May 22, 2015; final manuscript received September 2, 2015; published online October 15, 2015. Assoc. Editor: Jorge E. Gonzalez.
J. Sol. Energy Eng. Dec 2015, 137(6): 061009 (9 pages)
Published Online: October 15, 2015
Article history
Received:
May 22, 2015
Revised:
September 2, 2015
Citation
Basrawi, F., Ibrahim, T. K., Chui Lee, G., Habib, K., and Ibrahim, H. (October 15, 2015). "Effect of Solar Fraction on the Economic and Environmental Performance of Solar Air-Conditioning by Adsorption Chiller in a Tropical Region." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. December 2015; 137(6): 061009. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4031707
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