Simulation-Based Performance and Economic Evaluation of a Solar Thermal Cooling System for a Warehouse in Alkofra, Libya

This research proposes a thermal solar cooling system to meet refrigeration demand. The proposed system was investigated for a hot and arid environment using TRNSYS software. The main system variables were explored regarding solar fraction, coefficient of performance, and primary energy saving. The results demonstrate that a solar cooling system to cool a warehouse of 144 m2 area used to store 112 tonnes of fruits and vegetables at 6 to 8 °C requires an evacuated tube solar collector of area 1173 m2 supplied by TVP SOLAR with a claimed solar to thermal efficiency of 72%. Also, the solar panel gradient to achieve the highest values of solar fraction was 30 degrees, with 60 m3 storage capacity and collector pump flow rate of 20.8 kg/s with a backup system (Boiler 100 kWh capacity), to achieve the highest values of solar fraction, coefficient of performance of the whole system, COP of absorption chiller, and primary energy saving 0.53, 0.24, 0.68, and 0.24 respectively. However, financial analysis showed that the investment cost of the proposed system is 45 % higher than that of the traditional system, the Vapour compressor chiller system, in terms of £/Wh. However, the solar thermal cooling system's ongoing (running) cost was 60 % cheaper than a vapour compressor cooling system. Moreover, the investment payback period was nearly 10 years. Finally, CO2 emissions would be reduced by nearly 35 % per annum by utilising the proposed system compared to a vapour chiller compressor system.