What is it about?
This chapter reviews the latest developments in sorption refrigeration systems, which are eco-friendly cooling technologies that use heat instead of electricity to produce cold air for refrigeration and air conditioning. Unlike common electric compressors, these systems rely on chemical processes like absorption (using liquids like water-lithium bromide or ammonia-water) and adsorption (using solids like silica gel) to "pump/rise" heat from cool areas to warmer ones. It covers commercial products from major companies around 2010, focusing on small-scale units (under 100 kW) that run on low-heat sources below 90°C, making them ideal for pairing with waste heat from fuel cells or solar panels. The text details key players, including Yazaki, Broad, Robur, Rotartica, and ClimateWell, describing their machines' capacities, efficiencies (Coefficient Of Performance ranging from 0.7 to 1.2), and features such as gas-fired or hot water-driven operation. It also notes market trends, such as absorption dominating 70% of solar-cooled systems in 2008 surveys, and highlights innovations like rotary absorbers for compactness or triple-state accumulators for continuous cooling. Overall, it explains why these systems, though less efficient and more expensive than traditional ones, are gaining traction for sustainable applications where waste heat is available, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and cutting energy costs in homes, offices, and industries.
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Why is it important?
This chapter captures a pivotal shift toward sustainable cooling amid rising energy demands and environmental concerns, uniquely focusing on low-temperature sorption systems compatible with emerging technologies like fuel cells—a niche not widely covered at the time. By cataloging commercial and developmental systems with real-world data on efficiencies, capacities, and manufacturers, it provides a benchmark for engineers and policymakers to advance heat-driven cooling, potentially slashing electricity use in air conditioning (a major global energy consumer) and integrating renewables. Its impact lies in promoting alternatives to ozone-depleting compressors, influencing modern designs that could lower greenhouse emissions, boost energy security in heat-rich regions, and inspire innovations in green building and industrial processes for a cooler, more efficient future.
Perspectives
This chapter presents an optimistic yet pragmatic assessment of sorption refrigeration as a viable alternative to vapor-compression systems, highlighting its role as a heat pump for sustainable energy management. It highlights absorption's market dominance due to higher efficiencies and established tech, while noting absorption's potential for compactness and lower maintenance, all tailored for small-scale, low-heat applications under 90°C to enable cogeneration with PEM fuel cells. Drawing on data showing Europe's lead in solar integration, the perspective underscores the need for R&D to overcome barriers such as high costs and low CoPs, advocating for advanced mixtures and cycles to enhance performance. Ultimately, it views these systems as key to decoupling cooling from electricity grids, thereby fostering a transition to renewables and waste-heat recovery, which promotes global energy equity and reduces environmental impact.
Professor Rosenberg J Romero
Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Morelos
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: State of the Art of Sorption Refrigeration Systems, January 2011, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-84996-028-1_4.
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