Model based design and performance analysis of solar absorption cooling and heating system

The work presented in this thesis deals with the question of how solar energy might most effectively and efficiently be used in supplying energy for the operation of a building. The approach to dealing with this question has involved a specific building space, Carnegie Mellon's Intelligent Workplace; a specific solar system, parabolic trough solar thermal receivers, Parabolic Trough Solar Collector's; and a specific building energy use, space cooling and heating. The work has involved the design, installation, and test of a system incorporating PTSC's, an absorption chiller, a heat recovery exchanger, auxiliary equipment, instrumentation and controls. Mathematical models based on fundamental scientific and engineering principles have been developed and programmed for both the PTSC's and the overall IW cooling and heating system. These models have been improved and validated through comparisons of predicted and measured PTSC and IW cooling and heating system performance. The work reported in this thesis has developed suggestions and methods for the effective design and evaluation of PTSC's and also for the optimized design and operation of solar absorption cooling and heating systems, so that the system is able to reduce building energy consumption, and achieve environmental benefits in the operation of buildings by the use of renewable, solar energy.