Solar Refrigeration And Air Conditioning

In 1960, the worldwide first set of ammonia-water solar absorption air conditioning system was built in the US, with the cooling capacity of 5 tons. After the 1970s, along with the development of active solar house, solar refrigeration and air conditioning followed the suit, for example, the solar house completed in Japan in 1974, was equipped with lithium-bromide-water solar absorption refrigeration device with the cooling capacity of 1.3 tons. After 1978, Japan constructed 80 sets of solar house. From 1984 to 1990, 3 sets of solar absorption air conditioning system installed with heating storage device and replenished energy were constructed in California of the US, among which one set was in a collecting area of 149 m², supplemented by natural gas and with the cooling capacity of 10 tons.

After the 1970s, China also started its research on solar refrigeration and air conditioning. Several sets of small-sized pilot ice machine were made, including lithium-bromide-water absorption ice machine and solid adsorption ice machine. Meanwhile, experimental research on solar air conditioning was also conducted and several sets of small-sized air conditioning system were established. Moreover, China also conducted experiment on solar dehumidification for temperature decline and irradiation for temperature decline. In 1998, 100kW solar air conditioning system in Guangdong was put into operation, employing 500 m² concentrator for heat supply, oil burner as supplementary thermal supply, 2 stage absorption lithium-bromide ice machine to produce ice, which can satisfy the utilization requirement. In 1999, 100kW solar air conditioning system in Shangdong was put into running, employing heat-pipe evacuated tubular concentrator for heat supply. Right now, prototype of household solar adsorption air conditioner has been developed successfully and will be produced for commercial purpose.