A low cost solar refrigerator for developing countries

Worldwide there is large need for off-grid refrigeration, above all to cool food and medicaments. The existing market is large and varied with well established premises. Technology can be applied, sun is available and electricity lacks where it is needed. Shop owners, home users and the medical industry reveal interest for cooling and, although their needs differ, one thing is in common: it must be low-cost. Solar cooling technologies have to compete in performance, practicality, availability, environmental friendliness and cost, against generator powered Vapor-Compression Refrigerators and Diffusion-Absorption technologies, both running on fossil fuels. As for the competition on environmental aspects, a long runtime will be in favor of a solar system. The comparison and selection of the appropriate cooling and energy collecting techniques is discussed in this document as well as the problem of autonomous function and energy transportation. A solar sorption ice-maker was found to be the cheapest and most viable solution. The different options for this product are reviewed and through several phases of design, a new concept of a solar sorption refrigerator is developed. From the development of a low-cost system solutions can derive from the most basic needs and develop further towards more convenient solutions, resulting in a scalable and modular set of solutions. The design proposal is an innovative product for the solar cooling market. Its unique feature of being detached from the cool-box makes it flexible in use. The essential parts of the product are produced as continuous profiles and assembled at the destination region to a refrigeration system. This approach hosts an unseen freedom of different refrigeration products for the most versatile uses. Improvement was suggested at this level and on what counts for the environmental impact. As determined in the life cycle assessment, the product has adequate properties for recycling and reuse, but certain materials need to be reconsidered. Conclusively the product fulfills the initial idea and shows promising opportunities.

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Embargo date

2011-01-28

Access restriction

Campus only

Part of collection

Student theses

Document type

master thesis

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