Performance analysis of solar adsorption cooling machine using fined tubular reactor

A model describing the heat and mass transfer in cylindrical finned reactor of solar adsorption refrigerator is presented. The reactor is heated by solar energy and contains an adsorbent bed constituted of activated carbon reacting by adsorption with ammonia. From real solar data, the model computes the performances of the machine. The validity of the model has been tested by using experimental device. By using the model and through the analysis of heat and mass transfer phenomenon inside the reactor, we highlighted the sensitivity of the solar COPS of the machine according to the fins number used and the radius of the reactor. Then, we demonstrated the existence of an optimal dimensioning of the reactor.