On Air Conditioning With Photovoltaics

A simple solar photovoltaic power system comprised of photovoltaic modules and a vapor-compression air conditioner is described and its performance characteristics are analyzed. The mathematical model expresses the system’s cooling capacity as a function of insolation, ambient air temperature, and indoor air temperature. The economics of photovoltaic power systems are generally optimum when the power supply matches exactly the load demand, thus eliminating the need for on-site energy storage or backup power. Correlations between predicted cooling capacities and air conditioning loads are presented as one measure of the economics of air conditioning with photovoltaics.Copyright © 1979 by ASME