Applicability of adsorption cooling/desalination systems driven by low-temperature waste heat

Abstract

Environmental and economic factors have a very strong impact on technological development. Energy efficiency is one of the most important topics associated with new technologies and their improvements. Increasing restrictions are being imposed on energy consumption and pollutant emissions in many countries, especially in the European Union. At the same time, the whole energy sector is facing rapidly growing cooling demands. A cooling system based on sorption processes may be an interesting alternative, especially adsorption chillers which can be driven by heat at a temperature from 45°C. The application of this kind of systems has one more advantage: it enables seawater desalination for drinking and service water. The paper presents an overview of adsorption chillers applicability in polygeneration using low-temperature waste heat. The newest systems, their parameters and working conditions are described. Also, directions of current research focused on adsorption chillers with desalination function are demonstrated based on literature. A review of available adsorption chillers technologies, materials and exemplary research installations is also presented. The general conclusion is that adsorption cooling and desalination technology have a strong potential, especially in regions with limited drinking water resources and high cooling demands.