A new adsorbent bed design: Optimization of geometric parameters and metal additive for the performance improvement

Abstract

A numerical simulation is performed for an innovative star fin type adsorbent bed with metal additive in order to determine the optimum geometrical parameters. Also, the effect of the addition of metal additives to the adsorbent bed on performance of an adsorption chiller is analyzed. The Fuji RD-type silica gel/water is used as the adsorbent/adsorbate pair. The material, shape and the location of the heating/cooling fluid pipe, as well as the adsorbent particle radius, are predicted, and their influence on the specific cooling performance (SCP) of the adsorption chiller is analyzed. The average temperature, concentration and the duration of the whole process in the two-dimensional star finned bed are analyzed by Taguchi method for different geometrical configurations to find the best configuration for the highest SCP. Besides, the aluminum metal particles are added to the best adsorbent bed configuration, and the effect of the metal additive on SCP is also investigated. The obtained results showed that the adsorbent particle radius change and the distance between the fins have important roles in SCP. The effect of aluminum particle additive on SCP of the adsorption heat pump is observed as 300% of increment.