Open Access

ARTICLE

PHOTOVOLTAIC VAPOR COMPRESSION AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WITH PHASE CHANGE MATERIAL (PCM) STORAGE TANK

by

a Solar Energy Research Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
b The University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
* Corresponding Author. Email: ksopian@ukm.edu.my

Frontiers in Heat and Mass Transfer 2023, 20, 1-6. https://doi.org/10.5098/hmt.20.21

Abstract

This study will demonstrate the performance of a photovoltaic (PV) powered vapour compression cooling system connected to a Phase Change Material (PCM) storage tank. Three options were studied, namely (a) PV vapour compression with a PCM storage tank and an air-conditioned room with chilled water circulation with transparent membrane/desiccant; (b) PV vapour compression with a PCM storage tank and an air-conditioned room with chilled air dehumidification; and (c) PV vapour compression with a PCM storage tank and an air-conditioned room chilled by combined water circulation, a transparent membrane/desiccant, and air duct dehumidification. Simulation using TRNSYS, TRNBuild, and EES programmes has been conducted to determine the best indoor temperature and humidity options. The first simulation was for the room without cooling, where the room temperature reached 32.58°C at a time of 4146 hr. Then the rest of the simulation was carried out for options (a), (b), and (c) of the solar air conditioning PCM storage vapour compression system, The coefficient of performance (COP) for the system has been evaluated. It is important to note that the heat pump operates for 9 hours and the system operates for 24 hours, depending on the use of the system for cooling, reaching room temperatures at a rate of 4144.50 hours, which is 22.36 °C, 24.52 °C, and 23.56 °C, respectively. Both options (b) and (c) had about the same relative humidity inside the building with cooling, 56.66% and 59.69%, respectively, but option (a) had 100%. After 4144.50 hours of operation, the systems with options (b) and (c) had the lowest room dew point temperatures of 15.38 °C and 15.38 °C, respectively, followed by option (a) with a dew point temperature of 22.36 °C. Also, at the same time of operation (4144.50 hours), systems with options (b) and (c) had COP systems of 7.25 and 7.86, respectively, which were higher than option (a), which had a COP system of 6.9. A vapour-compression air conditioning system with PCM storage will make the system perform better.

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Keywords

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