The Steinway & Sons Solar 2E Absorption Cooling and Low Pressure Steam System ASES Solar Cooling Forum Denver, CO May 16, 2012 Thomas Henkel, Ph.D Henkel Solar Corporation
Project Team Owner: Steinway & Sons. Bill Rigos, Project Manager Administration of NYSERDA Grant: ERS, Inc. Solar Energy Consultant & System Design: Henkel Solar Corporation Solar Collector Field Vendor: Abengoa-IST Absorption Chiller Vendor: Broad USA Solar Collector Field Installation: Sunshine Plus Solar Mechanical Contractor: Schuyler Engineering Controls Contractor: GCF, Inc.
2E Absorption Cooling and Low Pressure Steam Solar Project Steinway & Sons 2010 Primary System Equipment Broad 83/99-ton multi-energy source (hot water and natural gas) 2E absorption chiller Abengoa-IST 38 PT-1 tracking trough receivers, roof mounted Dean, high temperature, air-cooled, hot water pump for collector field circulator pump 182-ton cooling tower AERCO Steam generator condensate flashed into 50 psi steam Full instrumentation, including weather station, data acquisition and system performance monitoring
Solar Cooling and Steam System Diagram
Collector Field Site Plan
Roof Mounted Trough Receivers
Multi-Energy Source, Double Effect Absorption Chiller
Multi-Energy Source Absorption Chiller-Heater Absorption chiller can be fired by natural gas, LPG, fuel oil, hot water, steam, or hot thermal oil Steinway & Sons unit can run on hot water only, natural gas only, or hot water and natural gas simultaneously Newest units provide 180 0 F hot water for heating. Eliminates the need for separate backup energy source for solar absorption HVAC system Lower capital costs and higher system efficiency Concept fully tested in 50-ton Yazaki 2E chiller in 2002 Patent issued in 2006. Broad Air Conditioning Co. and Thermax are now manufacturing multi-energy source 2E absorption chillers.
Steam Generator
Useful Heat Capture (MMBtu) Predicted Annual Performance of the Steinway System 200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Total Useful Solar Thermal Production 38 Panels (5,735 Sq. Ft.) NW-SE Orientation, NYC Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Month Cooling (330F min) Heating (250F min) Longitudinal data being collected
Load (Tons) Projected Building Thermal Loads Hourly Cooling Load, May-Sep Weekdays 100 80 60 40 20 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Hour of Day
Data Acquisition System Display
Comments on System Operations and Performance The trough collector field commissioning was delayed until August, 2010 due to unforeseen difficulties. The Broad dual energy source chiller was delivered without the capability to run on solar energy and its gas burner simultaneously. Therefore, field repairs delayed partial commissioning until late September, 2010. Full commissioning was delayed until April, 2011. The chiller produced solar cooling throughout 2011. The steam generator is working as designed, and the system has been producing low pressure steam since September, 2010. All system controls are working properly. The data acquisition system has been partially commissioned.
Data Summary for Selected Dates Pump On Solar Solar to Solar Average Total Solar Solar to Solar Other Date Insolation Collected Chiller Cooling Solar Cooling Fraction Steam Warm-up Losses kwh kwh kwh kwh COP kwh % kwh kwh kwh 7/1/11 3716 1438 793 884 1.10 1122 78.8% 243 116 287 7/9/11 3902 2006 423 508 1.14 539 94.2% 1142 128 313 1/20/12 1336 916 0 0 NA NA NA 483 253 180 2/4/12 1241 346 0 0 NA NA NA 113 206 27 4/7/12 3246 1504 0 0 NA NA NA 1269 118 117
Collector Field Operating Data July 9, 2011: Maximum Temperature: 330 0 F Pump-on Insolation: 3902 kwh Solar Energy Collected: 2006 kwh Mean chilled water temperature: 46 0 F Insolation (W/m2) Temperature (0F) Solar Insolation and HTF Temperatures vs Time 1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 0 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Time (hours)
Insolation (W/m2) Temperature (0F) Collector Field Operating Data April 7,2012: Maximum Temperature: 320 0 F Pump-on Insolation: 3246 kwh Solar Energy Collected: 1504 kwh Solar Insolation and HTF Temperatures vs Time 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 0 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Time (hours)
Comparison of Solar-Driven Absorption Chillers SINGLE-EFFECT 0.7 DESIGN COP* * Cooling Output/ Heat Input 190 0 F-210 0 F HOT WATER OR LP STEAM FIRED COLLECTOR ARRAY NEEDS 185 FT 2 HORIZONTAL AREA PER TON SEPARATE BACKUP FUEL- FIRED HEATER INSTALLED COST 40-ton: ~$22,000 PER TON INSTALLED COST 500-ton: ~$14,000 PER TON DOUBLE-EFFECT 1.38 DESIGN COP 330 0 F-350 0 F HEATED FLUID OR FUEL- FIRED (HOT WATER, STEAM, THERMAL OIL, NATURAL GAS, FUEL OIL, BIOFUEL, EXHAUST GAS) COLLECTOR ARRAY NEEDS 100 FT 2 HORIZONTAL AREA PER TON DUAL-FUEL OPTION W/O SEPARATE BACKUP HEATER INSTALLED COST 1320-TON, UTILITY- GRADE TROUGH SYSTEM: ~$4600 PER TON. INSTALLED COST 83-TON, SMALL TROUGH SYSTEM: ~$7500 PER TON.
Solar 2E Absorption vs. Electric Chillers Accounting for the electrical grid energy losses, the adjusted full fuel cycle (FFC) COP for electric A/C units varies from 0.83 to 1.93, with an average of 0.98. A hybrid solar/fuel 2E absorption chiller system can produce an average cooling season solar fraction of at least 60%, so that the net FFC COP is 3.0. (NG COP 1.2/0.4 = 3.0) Solar/fuel 2E absorption chiller systems will consume onethird the average primary source energy used for electric A/C in the US. Solar to cooling conversion efficiency: collector efficiency x design COP. Latest large system design: 72% x 1.35 = 97% Solar PV and centrifugal chiller conversion efficiency: PV AC efficiency x design COP: 12% x 5.6 = 67% Solar thermal ORC engine-generator and centrifugal chiller conversion efficiency: collector efficiency (300 0 F) x enginegenerator cycle efficiency x chiller design COP: 73% x 14% x 5.6 = 57%
Acknowledgements The author would like to thank NYSERDA for the funding to implement the project. It could not have happened otherwise. Thanks in particular go to Greg Pedrick for his positive support throughout the process. Credit is also due to ASES and to the citizens and political leaders that have advocated for renewable energy tax and other incentives.
Henkel Solar Corporation Thomas Henkel thenkel1@nc.rr.com
Field Operation of a Solar Driven Liquid- Desiccant Air Conditioner Jeffrey Miller Andrew Lowenstein World Renewable Energy Forum Denver, CO May 16, 2012 AIL Research www.ailr.com
Acknowledgments. The work presented here was funded out of the U.S. Department of Defense s ESTCP Program and performed under contract to National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Low-flow Liquid Desiccant Technology Desiccants have a high affinity for water vapor Can dry air without first cooling below dewpoint Thermally activated. Sustainable sources of thermal energy are available from solar and cogeneration New generation of liquid-desiccant conditioners and regenerators can meet the needs of HVAC applications 3
New generation of liquid-desiccant components meet the needs of HVAC applications Contact surfaces are no longer adiabatic Desiccant flooding rates have been reduced by a factor of 20 Low-flow Liquid Desiccant Air Conditioner (LDAC) advantages Much lower pressure drops More compact Greater cooling effect (e.g. cfm/ton) More deeply dry process air Higher regeneration COP Zero desiccant carryover 4
Low-Flow LDAC cool, dry ventilation delivered to building Regenerator hot, humid outdoor air Conditioner humidity exhausted to atmosphere Simple Process Three Main Components All Plastic Construction Economizer 5
Advanced liquid desiccant technology will accelerate solar cooling Better COP at lower heat-source temperatures Lower cost for energy storage concentrated desiccant uninsulated plastic storage tank Solves humidity problems (wet climates) Augments evaporative cooling (dry climates) Easier installation than adsorption or absorption chillers 6
Humidity (lb/lbda) A solar LDAC will require a significantly smaller array than a solar absorption chiller 0.030 0.028 0.026 0.024 0.022 0.020 0.018 0.016 0.014 0.012 0.010 0.008 0.006 0.004 ambient 45 tons @ 6,000 cfm supply 0.002 0.000 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 Temperature (F) 7
Humidity (lb/lbda) A chiller must overcool and reheat if it is to supply air at less than 100% rh 0.030 0.028 0.026 0.024 0.022 0.020 0.018 0.016 0.014 0.012 0.010 0.008 0.006 0.004 ambient 13 tons 45 tons supply 0.002 0.000 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 Temperature (F) 8
Humidity (lb/lbda) A LDAC can simultaneously cool and dry the air 0.030 0.028 0.026 0.024 0.022 0.020 0.018 0.016 0.014 0.012 0.010 0.008 0.006 0.004 ambient 31 tons supply 0.002 0.000 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 Temperature (F) 9
3,000 cfm Solar LDAC, Tyndall AFB, FL 10
3,000 cfm Solar LDAC, Tyndall AFB, FL Solar Array Regenerator Unit 11
3,000 cfm Solar LDAC, Tyndall AFB, FL Tyndall AFB Panama City, FL Ductwork from LDAC Desiccant Storage Conditioner Unit 12
3,000 cfm Solar LDAC, Tyndall AFB, FL 13
Relative Humidity Humidity Ratio (lb Water/lb Dry Air) LDAC Outlet Conditions Tyndall Lab - Summer 2011 (April 16 - Sept. 30) 0.024 0.022 70ºF 0.02 0.018 60ºF 40% 40% 0.016 0.014 40% 0.012 50ºF 40% 0.01 40% 40% 20% 20% 40ºF ASHRAE Winter Comfort Zone 40% 20% 40% 20% 40% ASHRAE Summer Comfort Zone Weather Outdoor Measured Outlet Conditioner 40% 20% 20% 40% 20% 40% 20% 40% 20% 40% 20% 40% 20% 20% 20% 20% 20% 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Dry-Bulb Temperature (ºF) 0.008 0.006 0.004 0.002 0 16
Advanced liquid desiccant technology will accelerate solar cooling An integrated absorption/ldac requires smaller array than absorption only Lower cost for energy storage concentrated desiccant uninsulated plastic storage tank Smaller cooling tower than absorption or adsorption chiller Solves humidity problems 17
Recent Progress 6 LDACs installed and operating 5 LDACs on supermarkets in CA and HI Solar LDAC at Tyndall AFB FL 3 additional LDACs running this spring Solar driven LDAC on a supermarket in HI LDAC for pool dehumidification in NJ LDAC with advanced wicking-fin regenerator in NJ Direct-fired, double effect regenerator testing this summer Munters Corp. has acquired thermally-driven, low-flow, liquid desiccant technology 18