Performance of a Diesel Locomotive Waste-Heat-Powered Adsorption Air Conditioning System

An innovative exhausted-heat-powered solid adsorption air conditioning system with zeolite-water as working pair is designed for providing air-conditioning for the driver's cab of a diesel locomotive. Only one adsorber is used in the system and a cold storage water tank is attached to provide cooling during generation process to ensure the continuous cooling output. Experiments on the laboratory prototype have been carried out and a mean cooling power output of about 3.3 kW is obtained when the condensing temperature and the evaporating temperature are 40°C and 7°C respectively. The influences of some operating conditions on the system performance are analyzed by simulation and experiments. The results of the performance testing of the prototype installed in a diesel locomotive are also discussed as well. An average cooling power of 4.1 kW is got under typical summer condition. It is proved that such a system is quite competitive even if a little bit heavier.