CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

The demand of air conditioning is increasing due to the effect of climate

change and global warming. If we still rely on the conventional electric air
conditioning but electricity is generated from fossil fuels, the greenhouse gas emission
would continuously worsen global warning; in turn the demand of air conditioning
would be further increasing. In subtropical cities, air conditioning is a standard
provision for buildings. However, air conditioning would commonly take up half of
building electricity consumption.
Air conditioning is defined as the simultaneous processing of temperature,
humidity, purification and distribution of air current in compliance with the
requirement of space needing air conditioning. In general, air conditioning which also
can be known as refrigeration is defined as any process of heat removal. To produce
the process, it requires energy where the sources are commonly gas and electricity.
With increasing gas and electricity tariffs, solar energy becomes attractive once the
system has been installed. As one of the sources of renewable energy, solar energy is
like the most suitable system for installation in sub-tropical countries.
The most common globally, preferred type of thermally driven technology is
absorption cooling. The system, which has simpler capacity control, mechanism,
easier implementation, high reliability, silent operation, long life and low maintenance
cost was a genuine candidate for efficient and economic use of solar energy for
cooling application. But in this project concentrates on development and improvement
of a normal air conditioner unit in order to operate using electricity generated from the
photovoltaic system.
Utilizing solar energy to run the air conditioning system is a practical
technique to replace conventional electricity. In order to obtain a feasibility of the air
conditioning system using solar, a lot research and testing have been initiated to learn
and discover these design and operation of the air conditioning and solar system
which is consist of photovoltaic system.
 2

1.1 Aim and Objectives

The main aim and objective of this thesis is to study the design parameter and
performance of solar air conditioning system and provide in non-electrified areas,
which has contributed greatly toward increasing the standard of living.
Solar cooling technology collects the thermal energy from the sun and uses
this
heat to provide cool air for residential, institutional and manufacturing building.
These technologies displace the need to use electricity or natural gas. Today, countries
across the globe are at work manufacturing and installing solar heating and cooling
systems that significantly reduce our dependence on imported fuels. We need smart
policies to expand this fast growing, job producing sector.
It uses solar energy to produce cold or hot air. These technology can be used
to reduce the energy consumption environmental impact of mechanical cooling
system. The significant advantage of this system is that it has no moving parts.

1.2 Scope of Thesis

The need for renewable energy source is on the rise because of the acute
energy crisis in the world today. Solar energy is a vital untapped resource in a tropical
country like ours. The main hindrance for the penetration and reach of solar PV
systems is their low efficiency and high capital cost.
a. Institutional buildings, such as schools, colleges, universities, libraries,
hospitals, nursing homes, museums, indoor stadium, cinema theatres etc.
b. Commercial buildings, such as offices, stores and shopping centers,
supermarkets, departmental stores, restaurants and others.
c. Residential buildings, including hotels, motels, single family and multifamily
low rise buildings of three or fewer stories above grade.
d. Manufacturing buildings, which manufacture and stores products for example
medicines.
e. Desert Areas.
f. In remote villages where electricity is not present.
Air conditioning systems are mainly for the occupant’s health and comfort. They are
often called comfort air conditioning systems.
The project involves the development of a suitable cooling module designed
with a Solar AC to cool the surrounding air. This cooling system needed to be
 3

powered up by a DC power supply, which is designed or using a suitable off-shelf

power supply.

1.3 Outline of Thesis

A total of five chapters are presented in this report. Chapter one describes
introduction of Solar Air Condition systems. And also aim and objectives of this
thesis and scope of thesis are added in this chapter. Chapter two is about the literature
review and its components. Design theory of capillary tube is describe in chapter
three. Chapter four is about design calculations. The conclusion and verifying data
are described in final chapter attached with results.