The Power of Design: Product Innovation in Sustainable Energy Technologies

A.3 Results of the First Cycle of Product Development: Proof of Concept and Market

An overview of the wide range of available cooling technologies was made, and the possibilities were assessed. The same was done for solar collection technologies. Adsorption cooling was chosen as the preferred technology, as it can be provided with solar power and off the grid, with relatively simple components that can be produced and/or assembled locally, a low-cost price, and low costs of use.

Adsorption cooling is performed in an intermittent cycle, collecting energy in phase 1 of the cycle during the day (in the sun), and cooling the system in phase 2 during the night (out of the sun). When ice is produced during this cooling phase, this can be used to cool products the next day. The system works basically at two different pressure–temperature equilibrium conditions: the cooling phase (phase 2) at low pressure and temperature, and the generating phase (phase 1) at high pressure and temperature. The speed and efficiency of the process are dependent on the temperature and pressure differences achievable between the three main parts of the system: collector, condenser, and evaporator (Figure A.1.1).

Figure A.3.1 Intermittent adsorption cycle simplified (Martens, 2010)

A.3.1 First Prototype

As a first result, the basic functionality of adsorption cooling was proved with a first prototype (Figure ...