Modelling an absorption system assisted by solar energy

This paper studies the global modelling of an absorption system working with LiBr-H2O assisted by solar energy. It satisfies the air-conditioning necessities of a classroom in an educational centre in Puerto Lumbreras, Murcia, Spain. The absorption system utilises a set of solar collectors to satisfy the thermal necessities of the vapour generator. Several models have been developed for the characterisation of the absorption equipment, one of them based on the manufacturer data catalogue and the others based on neural networks. These are based on the Adaptive Resonance Theory. They are proved to predict the outlet temperature of the absorption system with efficiency. The experimental data obtained during two years of performance have been used for training and validation. For the dynamical simulation of the global system, TRNSYS software is proposed. The model can easily be programmed in Fortran and included in TRNSYS code. The paper is closed drawing some conclusions. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.