Liquid absorption and solid adsorption system for household, industrial and automobile applications: A review

The degradation of fossil fuels and other non-renewable energy resources are the challenges faced by current and future generations. This trend requires humans to utilize, reuse, and transform energy efficiently, for the right applications and with the right timing. The low-grade heat from industry, automobiles and the sun could be used/reused to drive a liquid absorption system and solid adsorption system. Then, the absorption and adsorption system could provide refrigeration, dehumidification and heating owing to the proper utilization of low-grade heat at 60–90 °C. The reuse of low-grade heat would reduce the heat pollution to the environment and avoid/minimize the consumption of fossil energy to drive the absorption and adsorption system. In this paper, the absorption and adsorption system are differentiated and categorized by the source of heat energy and its applications. The three main topics discussed are absorption, adsorption, and dehumidification. The individual working mechanism of each absorption and adsorption system is described thoroughly. This paper provides insights into innovative ways for how these systems could be constructed.