Development of the Solar Thermal Adsorptive Refrigerator (STAR)

Development of the Solar Thermal Adsorptive Refrigerator (STAR)

Presenter(s)

Joshua Wayne Romo

Description

The Solar Thermal Adsorptive Refrigerator (STAR) project at the University of Dayton seeks to bridge sustainability and the need for efficient refrigeration in developing communities. Cost-effective construction, operation and maintenance, as well as the use of environmentally benign and sustainable materials, give STAR great potential in the realm of humanitarian engineering. Furthermore, renewably-powered refrigeration technology has the potential to greatly reduce the amount of harmful emissions released to the atmosphere. A STAR utilizes ethanol and activated carbon to produce cooling. This is done by decreasing the pressure of the system to allow liquid ethanol to vaporize at lower temperatures. To vaporize, the ethanol draws in energy from its surroundings, creating the cooling effect of a STAR. Although ethanol is not widely used in adsorptive refrigeration, it was selected for this application because it is easy to produce, non-toxic and widely available.

Publication Date

4-24-2019

Project Designation

Honors Thesis

Primary Advisor

Amy R. Ciric

Primary Advisor's Department

Chemical Engineering

Keywords

Stander Symposium project

Development of the Solar Thermal Adsorptive Refrigerator (STAR)

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