Techno-economic and environmental evaluations of a solar thermal-assisted chiller facility in hot desert climates

Solar-powered absorption refrigeration systems have the potential to substitute conventional vapor-compression refrigerators in high solar irradiance areas with extensive cooling demands. Their feasibility relies significantly on system design and site. This study conducts an in-depth techno-economic and environmental assessment of an optimum solar absorption refrigeration system for Madinah, Saudi Arabia’s hot desert climate. A TRNSYS model for the dynamic system was developed, and a multi-variable parametric analysis was conducted in an attempt to ascertain the optimal configuration. The optimized design, an array of 100 m² evacuated tube collectors tilted at 38° and a storage tank of volume 1.5 m³, has an annual solar fraction of 32%. Economic analysis indicates high economic viability with the initial investment of $90,223, having a rapid Discounted Payback Period of 3.33 years, with a high Internal Rate of Return of 32.2% and a low Levelized Cost of Cooling of $0.028/kWh. Environmentally, the system accounts for an overall saving of 272.2 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. The report does contain a major negative point: a projected annual water consumption of 827.78 m³ of the cooling tower. The findings provide a sound, fact-oriented guide for the implementation of clean energy technology in desert environments but indicate the requirement for additional research in water-saving heat rejection technology and advanced control strategies for maximum sustainability.