Absorption cooling system

Abstract

The absorption cooling system is capable of continuous operation both day and night while using only solar power for its basic operation. The system is an absorption type system using phase changes of aqua-ammonia and a storage system for storing chilled refrigerant for operations when solar power is not available. When solar power is available during the day, the system operates according to the principles of absorption cooling systems, and also stores a reserve of chilled refrigerant in the storage unit. The stored refrigerant then continues the absorption process during the night when solar energy is not available, thereby providing uninterrupted cooling during the day, and also at night when solar energy is not available.

1 . An absorption cooling system, comprising:
 a generator unit;   a condenser unit communicating with the generator unit;   an evaporator unit communicating with the condenser unit;   an absorption unit communicating with the generator unit and with the condenser unit;   a first storage tank communicating with the generator unit and the absorption unit;   a second storage tank being concentric to and disposed within the first storage tank, the second storage tank communicating with the generator unit and the absorption unit, wherein the second storage tank has an open upper end positioned beneath a closed upper end of said first storage tank, a gap being defined therebetween for the flow of aqua-ammonia vapor between said first and second storage tanks, an annular ammonia storage volume being defined between sidewalls of said first and second storage tanks;   a first pump disposed between the generator unit and the first storage tank; and   a second pump disposed between the absorption unit and the second storage tank.   
     
     
         2 . The absorption cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the generator unit comprises:
 a case having a lower portion, an upper portion, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side;   a heated fluid inlet and a heated fluid outlet extending from the lower portion of the case;   a first plurality of heat exchange tubes disposed in the lower portion of the case, the tubes being disposed in a sinusoidal path between the heated fluid inlet and the heated fluid outlet;   a second plurality of heat exchange tubes disposed in the upper portion of the case, the second plurality of tubes forming a sinusoidal path;   a header disposed in the second side of the case, the header having a plurality of return tubes communicating with the lower portion of the case, the header further communicating with the second plurality of heat exchange tubes;   a vapor chamber disposed above the second plurality of heat exchange tubes;   a rectifier and dephlegmator disposed within the vapor chamber about the second plurality of heat exchange tubes; and   at least one vapor outlet extending from the upper portion of the case.   
     
     
         3 . The absorption cooling system according to  claim 2 , farther comprising:
 a solar collector communicating with the heated fluid inlet and the heated fluid outlet of the generator case; and   a solar panel communicating with the first pump and the second pump.   
     
     
         4 . The absorption cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the condenser unit comprises:
 a liquid tank having a lower portion and an upper portion, the upper portion having first and second air channels disposed therethrough;   first and second vapor inlet tubes extending from the upper portion of the tank;   a plurality of vapor-liquid heat exchanger tubes disposed in the lower portion of the liquid tank in a sinusoidal array;   a plurality of condenser tubes disposed across each of the air channels, the condenser tubes communicating with the lower portion of the tank; and   first and second condenser fans disposed in the first and second air channels, respectively, of the tank.   
     
     
         5 . The absorption cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the evaporator unit comprises:
 an evaporator tank;   a plurality of coolant tubes disposed within the evaporator tank, the coolant tubes being in a sinusoidal array;   a fluid inlet disposed in the evaporator tank;   a flotation control valve disposed in the evaporator tank at the fluid inlet; and   a fluid outlet disposed in the evaporator tank.   
     
     
         6 . The absorption cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the absorption unit comprises:
 a closed case having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;   a plurality of airflow tubes disposed through the case, the airflow tubes extending from the first end to the second end;   an airflow fan disposed in the second end of the case, the airflow fan selectively drawing air through the airflow tubes;   a vapor inlet tube extending from the case;   a fluid inlet tube extending from the case; and   a fluid outlet tube extending from the case.   
     
     
         7 . The absorption cooling system according to  claim 1 , further comprising aqua-ammonia fluid selectively circulating within the generator unit, the absorption unit, the condenser unit, the evaporator unit, the first storage tank, the second storage tank, the first pump, and the second pump. 
     
     
         8 . An absorption cooling system, comprising:
 a generator unit having:   a case having a lower portion, an upper portion, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side;   a heated fluid inlet and a heated fluid outlet extending from the lower portion of the case;   a first plurality of heat exchange tubes disposed in the lower portion of the case in a sinusoidal path between the heated fluid inlet and the heated fluid outlet;   a second plurality of heat exchange tubes disposed in a sinusoidal path in the upper portion of the case;   a header disposed in the second side of the case, the header having a plurality of return tubes communicating with the lower portion of the case, the header also communicating with the second plurality of heat exchange tubes;   a vapor chamber disposed above the second plurality of heat exchange tubes;   a rectifier and dephlegmator disposed within the vapor chamber and about the second plurality of heat exchange tubes;   at least one vapor outlet extending from the upper portion of the case;   a condenser unit communicating with the generator unit;   an evaporator unit communicating with the condenser unit;   an absorption unit communicating with the generator unit and with the condenser unit;   a storage tank system communicating with the absorption unit and with the generator unit, wherein the storage tank system comprises a first storage tank communicating with the generator unit and the absorption unit and a second storage tank being concentric to and disposed within the first storage tank, the second storage tank communicating with the generator unit and the absorption unit, wherein the second storage tank has an open upper end positioned beneath a closed upper end of said first storage tank, a gap being defined therebetween for the flow of aqua-ammonia vapor between said first and second storage tanks, an annular ammonia storage volume being defined between sidewalls of said first and second storage tanks; and   a pump system communicating with the storage tank system, the generator unit, and the absorption unit, wherein the pump system comprises a first pump disposed between the generator unit and the first storage tank and a second pump disposed between the absorption unit and the second storage tank.   
     
     
         9 . The absorption cooling system according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a solar collector communicating with the heated fluid inlet and the heated fluid outlet of the generator case; and   a solar panel communicating with the pump system.   
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The absorption cooling system according to  claim 8 , wherein the condenser unit comprises:
 a liquid tank having a lower portion and an upper portion, the upper portion having first and second air channels disposed therethrough;   first and second vapor inlet tubes extending from the upper portion of the tank;   a plurality of vapor-liquid heat exchanger tubes disposed in a sinusoidal array in the lower portion of the liquid tank;   a plurality of condenser tubes disposed across each of the air channels, the condenser tubes communicating with the lower portion of the tank; and   first and second condenser fans disposed in the first and second air channels, respectively, of the tank.   
     
     
         12 . The absorption cooling system according to  claim 8 , wherein the evaporator unit comprises:
 an evaporator tank;   a plurality of coolant tubes disposed in a sinusoidal array in a sinusoidal array within the evaporator tank;   a fluid inlet disposed in the evaporator tank;   a flotation control valve disposed in the evaporator tank at the fluid inlet; and   a fluid outlet disposed in the evaporator tank.   
     
     
         13 . The absorption cooling system according to  claim 8 , wherein the absorption unit comprises:
 a closed case having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;   a plurality of airflow tubes disposed through the case, the airflow tubes extending from the first end to the second end;   an airflow fan disposed in the second end of the case, the airflow fan selectively drawing air through the airflow tubes;   a vapor inlet tube extending from the case;   a fluid inlet tube extending from the case; and   a fluid outlet tube extending from the case.   
     
     
         14 . The absorption cooling system according to  claim 8 , further comprising aqua-ammonia fluid selectively circulating within the generator unit, the absorption unit, the condenser unit, the evaporator unit, the storage tank system, and the pump system. 
     
     
         15 . An absorption cooling system, comprising:
 a generator unit;   a condenser unit communicating with the generator unit, the condenser unit having:   a liquid tank having a lower portion and an upper portion, the upper portion having first and second air channels disposed therethrough;   first and second vapor inlet tubes extending from the upper portion of the tank;   a plurality of vapor-liquid heat exchanger tubes disposed in a sinusoidal array in the lower portion of the liquid tank;   a plurality of condenser tubes disposed across each of the air channels, the condenser tubes communicating with the lower portion of the tank;   first and second condenser fans disposed in the first and second air channels, respectively, of the tank;   an evaporator unit communicating with the condenser unit;   an absorption unit communicating with the generator unit and with the condenser unit;   a storage tank system communicating with the absorption unit and with the generator unit, wherein the storage tank system comprises a first storage tank communicating with the generator unit and the absorption unit and a second storage tank being concentric to and disposed within the first storage tank, the second storage tank communicating with the generator unit and the absorption unit, wherein the second storage tank has an open upper end positioned beneath a closed upper end of said first storage tank, a gap being defined therebetween for the flow of aqua-ammonia vapor between said first and second storage tanks, an annular ammonia storage volume being defined between sidewalls of said first and second storage tanks;   a pump system communicating with the storage tank system, the generator unit, and the absorption unit, wherein the pump system comprises a first pump disposed between the generator unit and the first storage tank and a second pump disposed between the absorption unit and the second storage tank; and   a solar panel communicating with the pump system.   
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The absorption cooling system according to  claim 15 , wherein the generator unit further comprises:
 a case having a lower portion, an upper portion, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side;   a heated fluid inlet and a heated fluid outlet extending from the lower portion of the case;   a solar collector communicating with the heated fluid inlet and the heated fluid outlet of the generator case;   a first plurality of heat exchange tubes disposed in the lower portion of the case, the heat exchanges tubes being in a sinusoidal path between the heated fluid inlet and the heated fluid outlet;   a second plurality of heat exchange tubes disposed in a sinusoidal path in the upper portion of the case;   a header disposed in the second side of the case, the header having a plurality of return tubes communicating with the lower portion of the case, the header further communicating with the second plurality of heat exchange tubes;   a vapor chamber disposed above the second plurality of heat exchange tubes;   a rectifier and dephlegmator disposed within the vapor chamber about the second plurality of heat exchange tubes; and   at least one vapor outlet extending from the upper portion of the case.   
     
     
         18 . The absorption cooling system according to  claim 15 , wherein the evaporator unit comprises:
 an evaporator tank;   a plurality of coolant tubes disposed in a sinusoidal array within the evaporator tank;   a fluid inlet disposed in the evaporator tank;   a flotation control valve disposed in the evaporator tank, at the fluid inlet; and   a fluid outlet disposed in the evaporator tank.   
     
     
         19 . The absorption cooling system according to  claim 15 , wherein the absorption unit comprises:
 a closed case having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;   a plurality of airflow tubes disposed through the case, the airflow tubes extending from the first end to the second end;   an airflow fan disposed in the second end of the case, the airflow fan selectively drawing air through the airflow tubes;   a vapor inlet tube extending from the case;   a fluid inlet tube extending from the case; and   a fluid outlet tube extending from the case.   
     
     
         20 . The absorption cooling system according to  claim 15 , further comprising aqua-ammonia fluid selectively circulating within the generator unit, the absorption unit, the condenser unit, the evaporator unit, the storage tank system, and the pump system.