Modeling, simulation and optimization of a solar air conditioning solution
Studies focus on the modeling, dynamic simulation, experimental validation and energy optimization of absorption solar cooling units.
The objective is to develop a highly energy-efficient reversible solar air-conditioning solution that meets all the thermal requirements of industrial and tertiary buildings (air conditioning, heating, industrial cold and domestic hot water).
Among all the work carried out, the most recent task of the LaTEP is to develop a software tool to contribute to the optimum design of these devices.
The first step is to build a steady-state and a transient model of the cycle. The resolution of the steady-state model will help simulate the cycle in order to analyze the sensitivity of the operating and sizing parameters on the cycle performance and then a real numerical optimization against a user-defined criterion. (Optimal Performance Coefficient or economic criterion for example).
When the optimal operating and sizing points have been determined, the resolution of the transient model will serve to simulate the system’s response to external disturbances (load fluctuation, etc.). The goal will then be to design the control system that will maintain the system at its nominal operating point.
The models described in literature almost all use restrictive hypotheses that make it impossible to simulate the operation of the cycle when deviating from the nominal regime (disturbance, failure, etc.). In particular, the coolant is often considered pure condenser and evaporator.
The originality of our process is that it considers all currents as potentially binary and models absorption and regeneration using the concept of theoretical stages and writing the MESH (Mass balance, Equilibrium, Summation, Heat balance) equations for each stage.
