Theoretical study of a solar powered absoprtion/MED combined system

Abstract In this article a theoretical study is presented for a solar powered combined system comprising a LiBr-H 2 O absorption cooling machine and a multi effect distillator (MED). The MED has 8 VTE of the falling film type and it replaces the condenser in conventional absorption machines. Steam released at the generator pressure is supplied to the effect which matches its conditions and the condensate follows Its usual root towards the evaporator of an A/C unit. Thus the MEP is powered by the waste heat of the absorption machine which improves the overall gain and the thermodynamic characteristics significantly. Governing equations for the combined system are given and are numerically solved. Medium parabolic concentrators are used to power of the system and a transient simulation for the combined arrangement is presented. Results are given for a typical design summer day in Jeddah Saudi Arabia for a range of firing temperature 150–190°C with a storage temperature amplitude of 10–20 °C over a daily working period of 12 hours. For a given cooling load of 100 ton refrigeration, the system can produce upto 40 m 3 of fresh water at a specific collector area of 12.4 liters of H 2 O plus 0.03 TR per square meter. The overall COP O reaches 1.44 which is more than twice that of a conventional absorption machine at the same temperature levels.