SOLAR-POWERED COOLING SYSTEM

• US 20140060093A1
• Filed: 11/08/2013
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Farmer, Joseph C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,091,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/79
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 27/007 in sorption type systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/27 Relating to heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC] technologies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/272 Solar heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/00 Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]

Abstract

A solar-powered adsorption-desorption refrigeration and air conditioning system that uses nanostructural materials such as aerogels, zeolites, and sol gels as the adsorptive media. Refrigerant molecules are adsorbed on the high surface area of the nanostructural material while the material is at a relatively low temperature, perhaps at night. During daylight hours, when the nanostructural materials is heated by the sun, the refrigerant are thermally desorbed from the surface of the aerogel, thereby creating a pressurized gas phase in the vessel that contains the aerogel. This solar-driven pressurization forces the heated gaseous refrigerant through a condenser, followed by an expansion valve. In the condenser, heat is removed from the refrigerant, first by circulating air or water. Eventually, the cooled gaseous refrigerant expands isenthalpically through a throttle valve into an evaporator, in a fashion similar to that in more conventional vapor recompression systems.

Claims

1. A solar cooling apparatus that provides cooling from energy from the sun, comprising:

a bed or beds of adsorption media, said bed or beds of adsorption media positioned to receive energy from the sun;

said bed or beds of adsorption media containing a nanostructural material;

a refrigerant in said bed or beds of adsorption media;

a cooling unit; and

a circulation system for circulating said refrigerant from said bed or beds of adsorption media to said cooling unit to provide cooling from energy from the sun and to return said refrigerant from said cooling unit to said bed or beds of adsorption media.

2. The solar-powered adsorption-desorption refrigeration apparatus that provides cooling from energy from the sun of claim 1 wherein said nanostructural material is an aerogel.

3. The solar-powered adsorption-desorption refrigeration apparatus that provides cooling from energy from the sun of claim 1 wherein said nanostructural material is a sol gel.

4. The solar-powered adsorption-desorption refrigeration apparatus that provides cooling from energy from the sun of claim 1 wherein said nanostructural material is a zeolite.

5. The solar-powered adsorption-desorption refrigeration apparatus that provides cooling from energy from the sun of claim 1 wherein said cooling unit includes a condenser and an expansion valve.

6. The solar-powered adsorption-desorption refrigeration apparatus that provides cooling from energy from the sun of claim 1 including a shade adapted to selectively block energy from the sun from said bed or beds.

7. The solar-powered adsorption-desorption refrigeration apparatus that provides cooling from energy from the sun of claim 6 wherein said shade is a retractable shade adapted to selectively block energy from the sun from said bed or beds.

8. The solar-powered adsorption-desorption refrigeration apparatus that provides cooling from energy from the sun of claim 6 wherein said shade is a light blocking system adapted to selectively block energy from the sun from said bed or beds.

9. The solar-powered adsorption-desorption refrigeration apparatus that provides cooling from energy from the sun of claim 6 wherein said shade is an electronic light blocking system adapted to selectively block energy from the sun from said bed or beds.

10. A method of solar-powered adsorption-desorption refrigeration that provides cooling from energy from the sun over a first time period and a second time period, comprising the step of:

providing a first bed of adsorption media containing a first nanostructural material and a refrigerant;

providing a first retractable shade for said first bed of adsorption media;

providing a second bed of adsorption media containing a second nanostructural material and a refrigerant;

providing a second retractable shade for said second bed of adsorption media;

providing an condenser adapted to provide cooling;

positioning said first retractable shade in a retracted position to allow said first bed of adsorption media to receive energy from the sun on the first time period;

circulating said refrigerant from said first bed of adsorption media to said condenser to provide cooling from energy from the sun on the first time period,

positioning said second retractable shade in a covering position to prevent said second bed of adsorption media from receiving energy from the sun on the first time period;

circulating said refrigerant from said evaporator to said second bed of adsorption media on the first time period;

positioning said second retractable shade in a retracted position to allow said second bed of adsorption media to receive energy from the sun on the second time period;

circulating said refrigerant from said second bed of adsorption media to said evaporator to provide cooling from energy from the sun on the second time period,

positioning said first retractable shade in a covering position to prevent said first bed of adsorption media from receiving energy from the sun on the second time period;

circulating said refrigerant from said evaporator to said first bed of adsorption media on the second time period.

11. The method of solar-powered adsorption-desorption refrigeration that provides cooling from energy from the sun over a first time period and a second time period of claim 10 wherein said first time period is a first day and wherein said second time period is a second day.

12. A solar cooling method using sun energy over a first time period and a second time period, comprising the step of:

providing a first bed of adsorption media of a first nanostructural material containing a refrigerant;

providing a first shade adapted to selectively block sun energy from said first bed of adsorption media;

providing a second bed of adsorption media of a second nanostructural material;

providing a second shade adapted to selectively block sun energy from said second bed of adsorption media;

providing an condenser and expansion valve adapted to provide cooling;

enabling said first bed of adsorption media to receive sun energy during the first time period;

circulating said refrigerant from said first bed of adsorption media to said condenser and expansion valve to provide cooling during the first time period,

enabling said second shade to block sun energy from said second bed of adsorption media during the first time period;

circulating said refrigerant from said condenser and expansion valve to said second bed of adsorption media during the first time period;

enabling said second bed of adsorption media to receive sun energy during the second time period;

circulating said refrigerant from said second bed of adsorption media to said condenser and expansion valve to provide cooling during the second time period,

enabling said first shade to block sun energy from said first bed of adsorption media during the second time period; and

circulating said refrigerant from said condenser and expansion valve to said first bed of adsorption media during the second time period.

13. The method of solar-powered adsorption-desorption refrigeration that provides cooling from energy from the sun over a first time period and a second time period of claim 12 wherein said first time period is a first day and wherein said second time period is a second day.