Performance of a multi-bed adsorption heat pump using SWS-1L composite adsorbent and water as the working pair

An analysis of the coefficient of performance (COP), specific cooling power (Qscp) and exergy losses for a four-bed adsorption heat pump is presented. A composite adsorbent (SWS-1L) and water are the adsorption pair. An optimum cycle time, corresponding to a maximum specific cooling power, was found. This maximum specific cooling power increases almost linearly with the regeneration temperature. For the operation corresponding to the maximum specific cooling power at the regeneration temperature of 120 °C, using the SWS-1L composite adsorbent to substitute a regular-density silica gel in the adsorbers, the COP and Qscp values can be increased by 51% and 38.4%, respectively. At the regeneration temperature of 100 °C and the mode operating time of 360 s, the second-law efficiency of the adsorption heat pump is 20.4%. The cycle exergy loss mainly occurs in the adsorbers. The exergy losses in the condenser and evaporator are small. Among the four processes in the adsorbers, the precooling and preheating processes result in 41.55% and 28.96% of the cycle exergy loss, respectively, while the adsorption and regeneration processes cause 8.44% and 18.97%, respectively. The exergy losses in the precooling and preheating processes mainly result from heat transfer through a significant temperature difference.