Adsorption cooling
The Illustrated Guide to Renewable Technologies BG 1/2008, By Kevin Pennycook, published by BSRIA in March 2008, states: ‘Adsorption chillers, like absorption chillers, are driven by an external heat source; however they have the advantage that the required input temperature is between 60oC and 95oC. This means that relatively low cost flat-plate solar collectors can be used to provide the heat source to drive the refrigerant process. An adsorption chiller consists of a pressure vessel divided into four chambers. These are the evaporator (lower chamber), the generator/receiver (second and third chambers) and the condenser (top chamber). The generator and receiver are linked by valves which automatically open depending on the pressure differences within the chiller. Adsorption chillers use water as the cooling medium and silica gel as the adsorbent. At low pressures, water vapourises at low temperatures. Silica gel can bond large amounts of water without loss, reversibly (and without increasing in volume), releasing the water again when heat is applied.’
--BSRIA
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Retrofit 25 – What's Stopping Us?
Exhibition Opens at The Building Centre.
Types of work to existing buildings
A simple circular economy wiki breakdown with further links.
A threat to the creativity that makes London special.
How can digital twins boost profitability within construction?
The smart construction dashboard, as-built data and site changes forming an accurate digital twin.
Unlocking surplus public defence land and more to speed up the delivery of housing.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill
An outline of the bill with a mix of reactions on potential impacts from IHBC, CIEEM, CIC, ACE and EIC.
Farnborough College Unveils its Half-house for Sustainable Construction Training.
Spring Statement 2025 with reactions from industry
Confirming previously announced funding, and welfare changes amid adjusted growth forecast.
Scottish Government responds to Grenfell report
As fund for unsafe cladding assessments is launched.
CLC and BSR process map for HRB approvals
One of the initial outputs of their weekly BSR meetings.
Architects Academy at an insulation manufacturing facility
Programme of technical engagement for aspiring designers.
Building Safety Levy technical consultation response
Details of the planned levy now due in 2026.
Great British Energy install solar on school and NHS sites
200 schools and 200 NHS sites to get solar systems, as first project of the newly formed government initiative.
600 million for 60,000 more skilled construction workers
Announced by Treasury ahead of the Spring Statement.
The restoration of the novelist’s birthplace in Eastwood.
Life Critical Fire Safety External Wall System LCFS EWS
Breaking down what is meant by this now often used term.
PAC report on the Remediation of Dangerous Cladding
Recommendations on workforce, transparency, support, insurance, funding, fraud and mismanagement.
New towns, expanded settlements and housing delivery
Modular inquiry asks if new towns and expanded settlements are an effective means of delivering housing.