DESIGN, INSTALLATION & PERFORMANCE OF A 10 TR SOLAR POWERED COLD STORAGE IN INDIA

ABSTRACT A 10 TR Solar Powered Potato Cold Storage has been installed in a remote village near Baroda, to study its technical feasibility and performance. Solar System, having 152 selectively coated flat plate collectors (nominal area 304 sq.mtr.) supply hot water at 95°C to the aqua-ammonia vapour absorption refrigeration system. The cold storage chamber is designed for storing 75 tons of potatoes at 4°C. A part of chamber is made underground and some collectors are placed on its roof - both for reducing the heat gain. A novel “Product Storage Concept” is tried to store the cooling effect over the non-sunshine hours. The plant has been operated under no-load conditions as well as on fully loaded conditions. The desired storage temperature of 4°C could be achieved and maintained throughout the operation period. On solar energy, plant could be run on an average 5 hrs. a day against designed value of 6 hrs. a day. The system c.o.p. which could be practically attained was in the range of 0.40 to 0.50 against the design value of 0.58.