Design of a Building-Scale Space Solar Cooling System Using TRNSYS

Research into solar absorption chillers despite their environmental benefits has been limited to date mainly larger systems whilst ignoring smaller building-scale units, which can significantly benefit from the use of optimally designed, low concentrating, non-imaging optical reflectors. A chiller system designed provide year-round space cooling for a typical primary health care facility in Cairo, Egypt, was match local ambient, solar, and occupancy conditions, its performance simulated then optimized minimize auxiliary power consumption using TRNSYS18 software, TRNOPT. Different configurations collector types, array areas, storage sizes slopes were used determine optimum specifications components. Non-concentrating Evacuated Tube Collectors (ETCs) compared with same but integrated external Compound Parabolic Concentrators (CPCs) geometric concentration ratio 1.5X supplying thermal energy single-effect investigated. This paper describes user-friendly methodology developed design heat-powered small buildings employing Hookes–Jeeves algorithm within TRNOPT function. Clear steps avoid convergence problems when TRNSYS are articulated make repeatability different locations more straightforward. Collector areas varied 30 m2 160 size water-based 1 m3 3 configuration that supply maximum fraction building’s requirements lowest lifetime cost. The ETCs CPCs found be 0.66 0.94, respectively. If current air conditioning demand is met through adoption CPC-based this potentially save emission 3,966,247 tCO2 per annum.