Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 205-216).

Thesis: Mech. E., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 1977 / Includes bibliographical references. / Mech. E. / Mech. E. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Thesis. 1977. Ph.D.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Alfred P. Sloan School of Management. / Vita. / Bibliography : leaves 336-346. / Ph.D.

Increased standards of living and indoor comfort demands have led to an increase in the demand for air-conditioning in buildings in South Africa. Conventional vapor compression systems use refrigerants that damage the ozone layer and contribute significantly to the global warming effect. Therefore, there is an urgent need to implement environmentally cleaner ways of satisfying this air-conditioning demand and absorption cooling systems have shown great potential to do so. This project is concerned with finding the technical and economic effectiveness of solar powered absorption cooling systems for South African climatic conditions. Solar cooling systems are made up of a solar collector array, water storage tank, absorption chiller and cooling tower for heat rejection. In this study, two complete systems, one utilizing an open wet cooling tower and another using a dry cooler were studied and their technical and economical performance analyzed. One system was installed at Netcare Moot Hospital in Pretoria and comprised of a solar collector array made up of 52 evacuated tube collectors, two 6000 litre hot water storage tanks, 35kW LiBr-water absorption chiller, and a wet cooling tower. This system was coupled to an existing vapor compression chiller so that cooling is provided even when no solar energy is available. The installation controlled and remotely monitored through the internet and parameters logged through a Carel Building Management System. The other system is at Vodacom World in Midrand, Johannesburg and is an autonomous solar heating and cooling system aimed at maintaining the building environment at comfort conditions throughout the year. It is made up of a 116m2 evacuated tube collector array, a 6500litre hot water storage tank, 35kW LiBr-Water absorption chiller, 1m3 of cold water storage, a dry cooler for the chiller, and two underground rock storages to pre-cool the supply air to the building and the dry cooler respectively. Long term system performance studies were carried out by varying the system control strategy for the chiller, hot water storage tank, existing vapor compression chiller (in the case of the Moot Hospital installation), hot water storage tank, dry cooler (for the Vodacom installation) and the system Coefficient of Performances were calculated and life cycle cost analysis carried out. Due to the fact that solar availability and cooling demand are approximately in phase, solar powered absorption cooling presents a great opportunity for reducing peak electrical cooling energy demand. It was also discovered that the economic effectiveness of the system increases with the absorption chiller capacity, and it‟s more advisable to operate the solar absorption cooling system with a vapor compression chiller as a backup for facilities that require uninterrupted cooling. The solar autonomous system is oversized for most of the year since it is designed to cover the peak cooling loads. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

In South Africa, a significant amount of electrical energy is used for air conditioning in commercial buildings, on account of the high humidity experienced. Due to its geographical location, the levels of solar irradiation and the demand for air-conditioning of commercial buildings reach maximum levels simultaneously. The South African region daily solar radiation average varies between 4.5 and 6.5 kWh/m2 and when compared to the United States 3.6 kWh/m2 and Europe’s 2.5 kWh/m2 , solar thermal powered cooling technologies has significant potential as this solar irradiation is also available all year around [1]. Utilizing solar energy for an air conditioning system has the advantage that the availability of solar radiation and the need for cooling reach maximum levels simultaneously and proportionally. This type of air conditioning system has an electrical energy saving benefit in light of increasing energy tariffs and the energy crisis currently facing Eskom in South Africa. Solar-assisted Absorption Cooling systems decreases the peak electricity consumption, is less noisy and vibration free, since it does not contain a compressor and this gives a higher reliability, low maintenance and its electricity consumption is approximately four times less (21.8kW versus 5.5kW for 35kW of Cooling) than that of an electric driven chiller containing a mechanical compressor [2]. However, due to the high capital cost of solar powered air-conditioning plants, it is essential that a feasibility analysis be undertaken to indicate and establish a return on capital investment. The main objective of the present study is to investigate and establish the feasibility of a solar-assisted air-conditioning system based on Lithium Bromide and Water (LiBr/H2O) absorption chillers on a medium scale for commercial buildings in terms of energy saving and performance. This study presents the results of the experiment on a solar-assisted air-conditioning facility constructed and installed in October 2009 at Pretoria’s Netcare Moot Hospital. This study has confirmed that a payback period of 13 months can be achieved and the performance parameters of the manufacturer’s specifications for a solar-assisted air conditioning system are exceeded for the South African climate. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

The thesis presents a comprehensive overview of the context and significance of ventilation cooling techniques and their feasibility in the United States. Passive cooling is one of the more architecturally interesting ways by which architects could make buildings energy efficient. There is great interest in passive systems since they can lead to a huge reduction of energy costs and support more sustainable building solutions. A number of ventilation system options are available to fill the need for a lower cost alternative to active [conventional] systems. It is the non-residential sector where energy consumption is of most concern and integrating passive natural ventilation in new non-residential buildings is receiving a lot of attention internationally and the U.S. building industry. Interest in improving air quality by passive ventilation is also increasing. / Department of Architecture

Thesis (MTech (Mechanical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / Agriculture has emerged as a major economic activity in the African continent. Therefore, fruits and vegetables are considered as essential source of vitamins, minerals and proteins. However, fruits and vegetables are perishing rapidly. Thus, the adequate handling starts from the field, by applying appropriate method of storage and preservation in order to reduce post-harvest losses and extend its shelf life. Preservation by removing heat from the products is the most common method of preservation. In rural areas, the access to the grid is expensive or in some cases impossible. Therefore, researchers have been paying more attention to find alternative sources of power to run the cooling units. This study provides proof of a concept for the use of solar energy to cool down harvested fruits and vegetables at the farm level to an adequate farm storage temperature. The target storage temperature range is between 5 and 15 oC. A model refrigerator was designed and constructed in the mechanical engineering workshop of Cape Peninsula University of Technology. It was installed and tested in outdoor conditions to get the effect of different weather conditions. The model consists of a typical vapour compression system powered by a 12 V solar PV system. A DC compressor was used, and therefore, there is no inverter. The model was first tested without a product and then with 20 kg batches of different fruits for a period of two weeks in April 2016. Wind speed, ambient temperature and solar radiation intensity data were monitored and collected from a Campbell Scientific weather station mounted on the roof adjacent to the model. By monitoring the temperatures and compressor current hourly, the refrigeration effect, power consumption and coefficient of performance were determined. The overall COP based on input solar energy was 2.8. It was thus proved that a suitably sized PV system could be designed and implemented at farm level to cool harvested fruits from ambient to storage temperature without the use of an inverter. This could go some way to helping retard deterioration of fruits and vegetables before delivery to a marketplace or to storage.

[pt] A partir do funcionamento contínuo e em regime permanente do sistema de ar condicionado solar, projetado pelo Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica da PUC/RJ, são feitas experiências variando-se as vazões de ar, tri-etileno glicol e água, nas torres de secagem, regeneração e umidificação, que compõem o sistema. As condições destes fluidos são medidas na entrada e saída destas torres. Através dos dados experimentais levantados, obtiveram se para cada experimento os valores dos coeficientes de transferência de massa para as torres de absorção e determinaram-se correlações empíricas para o cálculo destes coeficientes como função de vazões e da seção das torres. Com estas equações, montou -se uma simulação numérica do sistema projetado, e através de parâmetros como .coeficiente de desempenho e capacidade frigorífica, avaliou-se o desempenho do sistema, variando-se a vazão de ar na secagem, vazão e concentração do tri-etileno glicol e a temperatura da água no regenerador. Com esta Simulação, foi determinada a operação ótima do sistema de ar condicionado solar em termos das condições de operação. / [en] Experimental data were obtained by operating a solar air conditioning system installed on the roof of PUC/RJ. As working fluids, air, triethylene glycol and water were used in the drying and regeneration towers, together with the air washer. Their flow rates were varied during the esperiments. Correlations for mass transfer coefficients were obtained from experimental data, as a function of flow rates and cross section area. Thus, by knowing the performance parametrs of each component, a numerical simulation scheme was developed to calculate the overall performance of the air conditioning under different operating conditions. Flow rates and concentration can be varied in this simulation. Based on this simulation, optimum Operating conditions of the solar air conditioning system were specified.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1978 H6 / Master of Science

Thesis (MEng) -- Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A passive night-sky radiation cooling system consists of a radiation panel and a cold water storage tank. The stored cold water may be used to cool a room during the day time, particularly in summer. In this thesis a theoretical and mathematically sound simulation model is developed. An experimental set-up was constructed and subsequently used to show that the theoretical model effectively simulates the transient heating or cooling response of the system. It is shown that under South African conditions the typical heat emitting rate during the night is 55 W/m2. After the heat has been removed from the water, it is stored in a cold water tank from where it is circulated through a natural convector during the day time to absorb heat from the room. The experiment extracted a minimum of 102 W/m3 of heat from a 1.87 m3 galvanized steel room while a brick room with a volume of 120 m3 requires 22.7 W/m3. Additional to cooling, the system during the day, absorbed an average of 362 W of energy and heated 68 l of water from 24 °C to 62 °C within an 8-hour period. The system achieved similar results during winter conditions and the experiment confirms that the system is capable of operating without a control system. Therefore it is recommended that renewable energy-conscious designers pay more attention to the use of night-sky radiation cooling in future. / AFRIKKANSE OPSOMMING: en ’n koue water tenk. Die sisteem kan gebruik word om ’n vertrek gedurende die dag te verkoel, veral in die somer, deur gebruik te maak van die gestoorde verkoelde water. In hierdie tesis word ’n teoretiese en sinvolle wiskundige simulasie model ontwikkel. ’n Eksperimentele stelsel is gebou en vervolgens gebruik om te bewys dat die teoretiese model die veranderende verkoeling en verwarming van die stelsel effektief simuleer. Die tesis dui aan dat onder Suid Afrikaanse toestande daar ’n hitte vrystellings tempo van 55 W/m2 is gedurende die nag. Nadat die water verkoel is, word dit gestoor in die koue water tenk vanwaar dit deur ’n natuurlike konvektor sirkuleer en gedurende die dag warmte vanuit die vertrek onttrek. Die eksperiment het ’n minimum van 102 W/m3 warmte vanuit die galvaniseerde 1.87 m3 vertrek geabsorbeer, terwyl ’n baksteen vertrek van 120 m3, 22.7 W/m3 verkoeling benodig. Bykomstig tot die verkoelingstelsel verhit die sisteem 68 l water vanaf 24 °C to 62 °C gedurende ’n 8-uur periode in die dag, dus word 362Wenergie geabsorbeer. Die sisteem is ook getoets tydens winter toestande, die resultate was dieselfde as wat in die somer verkry is. Verder is daar ook bewys dat die sisteem sonder enige beheerstelsel kan funksioneer. Verder word daar aanbeveel dat hernubare energie bewuste ontwerpers in die toekoms meer aandag aan ruimte straling verkoeling skenk.