Design and performance of hybrid thermal energy storage integrated within a solar‐powered vapor absorption cooling system for milk chilling

Solar‐powered sorption cooling systems inevitably require optimized thermal energy storage to achieve consistent performance and economic viability, thereby ensuring sustainability. This study presents the design, performance, productivity, cost performance, and environmental impact of a 400 MJ hybrid sensible and latent thermal energy storage (comprising Xylitol as a phase change material and soft water as a heat transfer fluid) when integrated within a system that has a 17.5 kW single‐effect LiBr‐H 2 O vapor absorption driven by a hot water outlet from an 81 m 2 solar collector field used for cooling 1000 L of milk per day. The dynamic modeling of the entire system as a function of time is performed, along with the integration of a hybrid thermal energy storage system, using fundamental and empirical relations. Furthermore, a year‐round analysis is conducted to estimate the amount of cold energy produced and the overall system performance. The results clearly show that the system can produce up to 28,360 kWh of cold energy annually, thereby reducing annual CO 2 emissions by 2.98 tonnes in the Indian context. The economics of cooling produced with this system have been improved investigated with carbon credit‐linked incentives, which resulted in the simple and discounted payback periods of 8.9 and 12.23 years, respectively. The levelized cost of cooling of 0.103 $/kWhc has been achieved for the system, with an internal rate of return of 15.4%.