How it works
Basic Compression Cooling Principle
Most air conditioners and refrigerators use the compression cooling circle. The basic thermodynamic principle lies in deflation of gases and liquids: When a gas/liquid deflates it extracts heat from its environment. Extracting equals cooling, therefore when a gas/liquid deflates, it creates a cool environment.
The cooling cycle now has to provide a high pressurised gas/liquid which can deflate. The higher the flow of the gas, the more cooling will be achieved.
The compressor compresses the gas, it is easier for the compressor to compress a gas in comparison to a liquid which means less power is needed by the compressor. During compressing process the gas gets hot. Hereafter it is the condenser’s job to cool the hot gas down, this consists of a string of copper pipes and a fan which cools down the gas within the copper pipes using ambient air. This process changes its state from gaseous to liquid.
The next in the process is the expansion valve (in essence a very small hole which opens for a short time and lets the liquid pass through in small amounts, similar to the way in which an aerosol can will operate). This process also acts as a barrier against the compressor, so the compressor continues at all times to pressurise the gas. The liquid starts to deflate.
Thereafter the evaporator deflates the liquid completely and changes its state back from liquid to a gaseous state. This process of deflation and change of state extracts heat from the environment. It cools! A fan in front of the evaporator blows air around the copper pipes. The air is cooled down and can now be transported to the end users.
Thermodynamics of SolarCoolTM
The well-known compressor technology is enhanced with a proprietary developed solar thermal collection system. We now have a super advanced compressor system. The “trick” lies in the use of the ideal gas law:
p * V = Rs * T
The product of pressure (p) and volume (V) is proportional to its temperature. The special gas constant Rs defines the exact relationship for the respective gas.
Once the gas is compressed it gets hot. Anyone who has pumped up a bicycle tyre has experienced this, just by holding the now hot air pump in his hand. Logically, the inverse conclusion says that you can compress gas by heating it up, and exactly that is the trick of SolarCool. The gaseous refrigerant (here R410a and not air) is slightly compressed and then heated up in the solar collector upwards of 100°C.
The hotter the sun shines, the more the solar panel takes over compressing of the gas and the more power is saved. The compressor acts now mainly as a pump providing the necessary cycle flow.