A Comparative Study of Performance in a Split-type Air Conditioning System with the Solar Collector

Abstract

This research was a comparative study of performance on a split-type
air conditioning system with the solar collector. The system consisted of a vapor
compression with an inverter system, air-cool type condenser, R32 type of refrigerant,
and 5.42 kW (18,500 Btu/h) of cooling capacity. To determine the system performance
and the potential of energy saving between solar collector, two experiments were conducted as testing an air conditioner combined flat plate solar collector and testing an
air conditioner combined vacuum tube solar collector. In which the copper tube is 5
meters long, installed inside the solar collector. The cooling load for air conditioning was
controlled at 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 kW, in a room area 25 m2, at a constant room
temperature of 25๐C, the time of testing 09.00 am – 05.00 pm. The result show that
the air conditioner combined with vacuum tube solar collector was best effective
combination system more than flat plate solar collector, the coefficient of performant
(COP) was equaled to 7.24 and 7.15, energy efficiency ratio (EER) was equaled to 23.16
and 22.49 Btu/h/W, the average maximum electric power was at 1.08 and 1.14 kW, and
the electrical energy was consumed at 8.8 and 9.16 kWh/day (09.00 am - 05.00 pm)
which will cost equaled to 37.15 and 38.67 baht/day.