Chapter 9
TEWI Assessment of Conventional
and Solar Powered Cooling Systems
Md. Amirul Islam and Bidyut Baran Saha
Abstract Conventional cooling and refrigeration systems already evolved to efficient design, have higher COP and compact size. However, the compressor section of
such system consumes a tremendous amount of electricity and contribute indirectly
to global warming. The working fluids of these systems are typically HFC or HFC
blends which possess very high global warming potential. A significant percentage
of working fluid is leaked from the high-pressure side of the system and directly contribute to global warming. The summation of indirect and direct warming impact,
namely, total equivalent warming impact (TEWI) of the vapour compression cooling systems are significantly high. Adsorption cooling system (ACS) can resolve this
critical issue. In ACS, the mechanical compressor of the traditional cooling system is
replaced by a thermal compressor, namely, a pair of adsorption beds. Highly porous
adsorbent material (silica gel, activated carbon, zeolite and so forth) is the key component of an adsorption bed. These materials have the capability to capture and hold
certain types of fluid. This phenomenon is known as adsorption. Upon heating, the
adsorbed fluid is liberated from the pores (desorption process) and gets thermally
compressed. Solar thermal energy is the most prospective option for the desorption
process to occur. Since there is no mechanical compressor, electricity consumption is
deficient, which significantly minimizes the indirect warming impact. Moreover, natural or alternative refrigerants are used as the working fluid, which has zero/negligible
GWP. Hence, the direct warming impact is also shallow. In this chapter, the working
Md. A. Islam · B. B. Saha (B)
Kyushu University Program for Leading Graduate School, Green Asia Education Center,
IGSES, Kyushu University, Kasuga-Koen 6-1, Kasuga-shi, Fukuoka 816-8580, Japan
e-mail: saha.baran.bidyut.213@m.kyushu-u.ac.jp
Md. A. Islam
e-mail: toha_apece@yahoo.com
International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I 2 CNER), Kyushu University,
744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
Md. A. Islam
Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalganj 8100, Bangladesh
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
H. Tyagi et al. (eds.), Solar Energy, Energy, Environment,
and Sustainability, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0675-8_9
147
TEWI Assessment of Conventional
and Solar Powered Cooling Systems
Md. Amirul Islam and Bidyut Baran Saha
Abstract Conventional cooling and refrigeration systems already evolved to efficient design, have higher COP and compact size. However, the compressor section of
such system consumes a tremendous amount of electricity and contribute indirectly
to global warming. The working fluids of these systems are typically HFC or HFC
blends which possess very high global warming potential. A significant percentage
of working fluid is leaked from the high-pressure side of the system and directly contribute to global warming. The summation of indirect and direct warming impact,
namely, total equivalent warming impact (TEWI) of the vapour compression cooling systems are significantly high. Adsorption cooling system (ACS) can resolve this
critical issue. In ACS, the mechanical compressor of the traditional cooling system is
replaced by a thermal compressor, namely, a pair of adsorption beds. Highly porous
adsorbent material (silica gel, activated carbon, zeolite and so forth) is the key component of an adsorption bed. These materials have the capability to capture and hold
certain types of fluid. This phenomenon is known as adsorption. Upon heating, the
adsorbed fluid is liberated from the pores (desorption process) and gets thermally
compressed. Solar thermal energy is the most prospective option for the desorption
process to occur. Since there is no mechanical compressor, electricity consumption is
deficient, which significantly minimizes the indirect warming impact. Moreover, natural or alternative refrigerants are used as the working fluid, which has zero/negligible
GWP. Hence, the direct warming impact is also shallow. In this chapter, the working
Md. A. Islam · B. B. Saha (B)
Kyushu University Program for Leading Graduate School, Green Asia Education Center,
IGSES, Kyushu University, Kasuga-Koen 6-1, Kasuga-shi, Fukuoka 816-8580, Japan
e-mail: saha.baran.bidyut.213@m.kyushu-u.ac.jp
Md. A. Islam
e-mail: toha_apece@yahoo.com
International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I 2 CNER), Kyushu University,
744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
Md. A. Islam
Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalganj 8100, Bangladesh
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
H. Tyagi et al. (eds.), Solar Energy, Energy, Environment,
and Sustainability, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0675-8_9
147