Adsorption Refrigeration Optimization via Response Surface Methodology Using Waste Heat in a Ship

In this research, the desirability function is used for adsorption refrigeration optimization in a ship utilizing response surface methodology. The interaction of adsorbent mass (60–140 kg), exhaust gas temperature (240–360 °C), cooling cycle time (40–80 min), and adsorption working pair (zeolite-water and activated carbon-ammonia) as independent parameters are determined. The coefficient of performance (COP), specific cooling power (SCP(W/kg)), and cooling capacity (Qe(kJ)) are regarded as the optimizing items of adsorption refrigeration. Overall, the obtained results showed that a higher desirability value could be achieved in the lower cooling cycle time and higher adsorbent mass with zeolite-water as adsorption working pair. Maximum desirability function (d = 0.664) showed that combined optimized outputs were obtained at conditions including: 140 kg of adsorbent mass, 325.6 °C exhaust gas temperature, 40 min of cooling cycle time, and zeolite-water as adsorption working pair. The adsorbent mass has more influence on COP and cooling capacity, and the effect of cooling cycle time in SCP was essential, but the exhaust gas temperature and adsorption working pair had a noticed effect on all responses. COP, SCP, and Qe ranges from 0.3104 to 0.4146, 49.95 to 318.33 W/kg, and 11,332 to 91,679 kJ, respectively.