Assessment Of H2O-LiBr Absorption Refrigerator Driven by Parabolic Trough Solar Collector for Air Conditioning in Ho Chi Minh City

This study presents a thermodynamic performance assessment of a single-effect H2O-LiBr absorption refrigeration system (ARS) specifically driven by a parabolic trough solar collector for air conditioning applications in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The methodology involved developing a detailed mass and energy balance model for the absorption cycle, which was successfully validated against existing literature, showing a Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 0.7195. The system's performance and collector area requirements were then analyzed against key operating parameters and local climate data. Key findings reveal a strong influence of temperatures on system viability: the COP significantly improves (from 0.5 to 0.78) while the required solar collector area (Acollector) decreases drastically (from 65 m2 to 41 m2) as the condenser temperature (T8) is lowered (from 48C to 39C). Conversely, higher generator outlet temperatures (T7) and increased solution heat exchanger effectiveness (SHX) both lead to substantial increases in COP and a corresponding reduction in Acollector. The results confirm that optimizing the heat rejection temperature (T8) and maximizing heat recovery (via SHX) are critical factors for achieving high system efficiency and minimizing the expensive solar collection area, thereby proving the feasibility of solar-driven H2O-LiBr air conditioning in the hot, sunny climate of Ho Chi Minh City.