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Comparison Of Solar Air Conditioners Review of Absorption, PV and Hybrid Thermal Air Conditioners
Solar Air Conditioner / Solar Heating (AC-DC)
Listed below are the various types of solar air conditioners currently in the market (Updated 10/2012).
DC Air Conditioner (All-DC, for off-grid use)
Solar Powered Chillers (Commercial Only)
Ultra-Efficient Chiller Air Conditioner/Heat Pump Heat Recovery Swimming Pool Heater
These chiller systems can be powered by evacuated tube solar thermal collectors or solar concentrators. They can also be powered by recovering waste heat energy from various industrial or commercial process. Basically these systems run on hot water or steam that can be produced in a number of ways including using solar energy.
Solar Pool Heating Panels
1. Absorption Chiller Air Conditioners - Lithium Bromide Example: Yazaki Can run on hot water 170-200F range, within range of evacuated tube solar.
Solar Batteries
2. Adsorption Chiller Air Conditioners - Silica - Example: Eco-Max Can run on hot water 170-200F range, within range of evacuated tube solar.
Corn Glycol
3. Absorption Chiller Air Conditioners - Ammonia - Example: Robur (Serval) Can run on hot water >240F range, works with a parabolic solar concentrating collector.
Commercial Heat Recovery Water Heaters
Our team has installed and configured several evacuated tube solar-powered Yazaki systems, we have a Yazaki certified installer on staff. All of the above systems are min. 10 tons, commercial use only.
Residential Heat Recovery Water Heaters DC Inverter PTAC Hotel Air Conditioner
Solar PV Powered Solar Air Conditioners (Residential & Commercial)
DC Inverter Portable Air Conditioner
These air conditioners use BLDC (Brushless DC) compressors, or standard type compressors, they get some or all of their power from solar. Solar photovoltaic panels produce DC power, which in some units is used natively and in others must be inverted to AC.
Heat Recovery AC/Heat Pumps
1. 100% DC Solar Air Conditioners - All DC compressor, fans, and controls- Example: DC48 Telco/Solar All DC powered system built around a pure-DC VRF compressor used in off-grid solar, mobile command posts, telecom cooling. 48VDC, no inverter used, very high efficiency.
Heat Recovery Walk-In Coolers/Freezers
Heat Recovery Display Coolers/Freezers Chilled Water / Hot Water Buffer Tanks
Solar Heat Pump Pool Heater & Chiller Solar Heating Air Conditioner w/ Built-in Free Hot Water Circuit
LED Fluorescent Tube Replacement Pool Heat Exchanger Heat Recovery Controls
Heat Recovery Valves
2. Hybrid AC-DC Solar Air Conditioners - Mixed Solar AC/DC - Example: ACDC12C Officially SEER 22, and a calculated SEER equivalent of 75 or higher with 3 solar panels, accepts DC power directly, no inverter or batteries needed, uses up to 100% solar. Requires AC power connection for low sunlight or night operation. 3. "Solar Ready" AC units - AC Power - Example: Lennox Central AC system connects to AC power inverted from solar panels and connected to AC line current (grid). Clever marketing approach, uses inverted solar power but this is an AC powered unit.
Hybrid Thermal Solar Air Conditioners (Sedna Aire and various Chinese copycats) The manufacturer claims to have patented technology that uses solar heat added into the normal vapor compression refrigeration cycle, with the claim of saving energy as a result. These hybrid thermal solar "absorption" air conditioners are connected to a solar thermal collector, compressor discharge gas is pumped through the solar collector to pick up additional superheat prior to condensing. 1. Solar Hybrid Thermal Absorption Air Conditioner - AC w/ Solar Thermal - Example: Ecoline(Sedna Aire) *Note. This so-called solar air conditioner is included here based only upon claims made by the manufacturer. We cannot find any data to verify the manufacturers claims and our engineers do not recognize the Sedna Aire or similar "hybrid thermal absorption systems" as a solar air conditioner because they do not believe that solar contributes to any net energy savings in the system. We have NOT tested any of these units. One thing we find particularly curious about these claims is the Sedna water heating option. If (and we don't agree) adding extra superheat to the system somehow makes it more efficient, then immediately taking the added superheat back out to make free hot water doesn't seem to fit the storyline. Even if the basic claims are somehow correct, we don't see how you can have it both ways.
ROI Calculator
See what the professional HVAC online community says about the Sedna Aire systems: http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?933472-Sedna-solar-assisted-a-c-are-the-really-efficient
Heat Recovery Tanks
See Sedna Aire PDF that claims EnergyStar, AHRI & UL (Note* None of the three claimed certifications appear to be verifiable).
Heat Recovery Remote Units
More professional HVAC feedback on the Sedna Aire solar thermal hybrid air conditioner.
Pre-Heat Tanks
http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?896812-Solar-Assisted-A-C
Tank Adapter & More DC Air Conditioning Systems Performance Monitor HRU System Designs
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