Salvatore Vasta

TOPMACS: Thermally OPerated Mobile Air Conditioning Systems

The TOPMACS Project was devoted to the development of mobile air conditioning systems with a reduced impact on the environment, both direct and indirect. The core of the systems is a heat pump based on sorption cooling which is powered by the waste heat recovered from the engine coolant. This paper describes the development, realization and testing of two demonstrator vehicles with such innovative air conditioning systems: • A Passenger cars equipped with a silicagel-water adsorption system • A Heavy truck equipped with a zeolite-water adsorption system The testes demonstrate the potential of such devices to replace conventional vapour compression system.

Adsorption Heat Storage: State of the Art and Future Perspectives

Thermal energy storage (TES) is a key technology to enhance the efficiency of energy systems as well as to increase the share of renewable energies. In this context, the present paper reports a literature review of the recent advancement in the field of adsorption TES systems. After an initial introduction concerning different heat storage technologies, the working principle of the adsorption TES is explained and compared to other technologies. Subsequently, promising features and critical issues at a material, component and system level are deeply analyzed and the ongoing activities to make this technology ready for marketing are introduced.

Experimental Characterization of Sorption Thermal Energy Storage Systems

In the present chapter, the experimental methods employed for the characterisation of sorption TES are discussed. The investigated systems comprise liquid and solid sorption technologies, both for closed and open systems. In particular, the proposed procedure for the closed sorption TES systems is described in details and an example on a lab-scale adsorption TES is reported. Finally, also experimental methodologies applied for components testing, namely, kinetic testing of small-scale adsorbers and characterisation of evaporators, are introduced.

Sorption Thermal Energy Storage

In the present chapter, an introduction about the concept of sorption TES technology is reported. The closed and open configurations are discussed and an overview on the ongoing research and development activities for materials, components and systems is given.