Refrigeration systems have a broad range of applications, playing a critical role in human life. Especially, vaccine preservation in rural regions has become more critical than in the past during the COVID19 era. In this sense, meeting the cooling process's energy need with renewable energy is critical, as the grid cannot support it. Thus, solar energy has been extensively studied for use in refrigeration cycles. Compression, absorption, adsorption, desiccant, and ejector refrigeration cycles are frequently used in this configuration. This article discusses multiple studies showing various attributes' impact on a system's overall efficiency. Most previous reviews did not cover PV with refrigeration cycles. So, this paper surveys the literature on PV-powered cooling cycles. For better classification, PV technologies are categorized into three types: PV, PVT, and CPVT. With this regard, CPVTs still have a way to progress due to a lack of studies compared to PV. The works are divided into three main sections as Exergy Studies, Experimental Studies, and Simulation and Numerical Studies. This review paper categorizes and rates refrigeration-assisted solar systems based on exergy destruction, exergy efficiency, and COP of cooling cycles. The results showed that PV panels have the highest exergy destruction in most of the systems. It is concluded that using PV technologies has a great potential to supply cooling demand, especially in a hot climate condition. Moreover, the study's findings are anticipated to aid designers in scaling up photovoltaic-based cooling systems, resulting in more efficient and sustainable designs. 

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Photovoltaic and Photovoltaic Thermal Technologies for Refrigeration Purposes: An Overview

In this study, four different cooling systems have been thermodynamically analysed for vegetable cold storage application, considering a fixed cooling demand of 10 kW. Both vapour absorption refrigeration (VAR) and compression refrigeration (VCR) cycles are considered, each with two different working fluids. For the VCR cycles, R410A and R134a are considered as refrigerants, whereas for the VAR cycles, NH3–water and LiBr–water solutions are considered as refrigerant–absorbent pairs. Both energetic and exergetic performances are assessed and compared between the cycles. The system performances are assessed by varying the conditions of the evaporator and condenser. The effects of ambient temperature on the system performances are also studied. The study reveals that VAR systems can provide feasible alternatives to VCR systems for the cold space temperature range applicable for vegetable storage with the exception that LiBr–H2O cycle cannot be used for cold space temperature below 2 °C. Exergetic performance (ECOP) of the LiBr–H2O-based cooling system matches well with that of VCR systems for evaporator temperature 2–5 °C, and it exceeds the ECOP of R410A cycle at 2 °C evaporator temperature. When the ambient temperature is reached above 35 °C, the exergetic performance of LiBr–H2O-based system is better than that of both the VCR systems. For higher condenser temperature also (40 °C and above), the VAR and VCR cycles show closer ECOP values.

Comparative Energetic and Exergetic Assessment of Different Cooling Systems in Vegetable Cold Storage Applications

Cold Storage with Backup Thermal Energy Storage System

In the present paper, an attempt has been made to review the performance of various solar powered refrigeration system. The refrigeration is closely related to the demand for cooling commodities. Solar refrigeration is the best alternatives to address this issue and it may be accomplished by using one of the refrigeration system like vapour compression system, thermo electric refrigeration. The simulation model of photovoltaic thermal hybrid system has been created by using TRANSYS and the performance of 1.44kW photovoltaic thermal hybrid system has been evaluated. The results of solar PV have been improved by using plane mirror which was inexpensive and cost effective. The average performance indicator of SPV powered refrigerator i.e. COP varies from 2.02 to 2.41 and maximum value obtained by using Nano refrigerant. Majority of the studies carried out on 40L to 50L direct cool refrigerator

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A review on modelling and performance evaluation of solar photovoltaic powered refrigeration system

This study involves a performance  analysis between solar photovoltaic (SPV) operated vapour compression and vapour absorption refrigeration systems. For the purpose of comparison, two refrigerators working on different refrigeration cycles (compression and absorption) have been selected. The temperature and energy consumption of both units were recorded by using various parameters. The results show that though the vapour absorption refrigerator takes more time to decrease the temperature of the cabinet in comparison to the vapour compression refrigerator yet it consumes less power. The vapour absorption system is especially useful in rural areas having no or less frequent power supply where we want to preserve drugs and food items because it can maintain a constant low temperature between 6-10°C if delivered on the same temperature . The initial capital cost of the absorption refrigeration system is also less than compression system.

https://ijrer.com/index.php/ijrer/article/download/3516/pdf

Hari Singh

Papers

Performance Analysis of Vapour Compression and Vapour Absorption Refrigeration Units Working on Photovoltaic Power Supply