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RESEARCH PRODUCT
Energy balance and life cycle assessment of small size residential solar heating and cooling systems equipped with adsorption chillers
Marco BeccaliMaurizio CelluraValeria PalombaSonia LongoSalvatore Vastasubject
ChillerSolar SystemAdsorption chillers; Global warming potential; Life cycle assessment; Solar heating and cooling; Renewable Energy Sustainability and the Environment; Materials Science (all)Settore ING-IND/11 - Fisica Tecnica AmbientaleRenewable Energy Sustainability and the Environmentbusiness.industry020209 energyEnergy agencyGlobal warming potentialEnergy balance02 engineering and technologyTRNSYSRaw materialSolar heating and coolingLife cycle assessmentAdsorptionAdsorption chillers0202 electrical engineering electronic engineering information engineeringEnvironmental scienceGeneral Materials ScienceProcess engineeringbusinessLife-cycle assessmentSolar heating and cooling Life cycle assessment Global warming potential Adsorption chillersdescription
Abstract Solar heating and cooling systems for space heating and cooling are experiencing a growing trend and interest. However, the actual energy and environmental performance of small/medium size installations is not clearly foreseeable. In this paper, an analysis of such systems using adsorption chillers in different European climates is presented. Solar systems have been simulated in TRNSYS and compared to a conventional system employing a vapour compression unit. The results have been used for a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study, determining the potential impact during the whole life of the system, from raw materials supply to its end-of-life. The LCA has been carried out by using the LCA tool developed in the framework of the International Energy Agency SHC Task 48. Results showed that the useful life of the system is a key parameter: for a useful life of 10 years, the conventional system performs better than the renewable-based one for almost all the locations. However, if a longer life is achieved (15 or 20 years), solar systems show environmental advantage under almost all the climatic conditions: the environmental benefits of using a solar system during the operation step counterbalance the additional impact generated during the other life-cycle steps.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-12-01 |