Study of technical and economic assessment of solar-assisted and thermoelectric air-conditioning technologies

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Year : 2026 | Volume : 4 | 02 | Page :
By

Nagendra Singh,

Sanjeev Kumar Verma,

Manish Dixit,

  1. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Engineering and Technology, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Swami Vivekanand Campus, Khandari, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India
  2. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Central Instrumentation Facility Research and Development Cell, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India
  3. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Engineering and Technology, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Swami Vivekanand Campus, Khandari, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

This study presents an integrated technical and economic assessment of solar-assisted absorption and thermoelectric air-conditioning technologies for residential cooling applications. A comprehensive methodology combining mathematical modelling, experimental characterization of thermoelectric modules, numerical simulation, and economic optimization was developed to evaluate the performance of both cooling systems. The solar-assisted system employs single-effect LiBr–H₂O absorption chillers operating under water-cooled and air-cooled configurations, simulated using TRNSYS and Engineering Equation Solver (EES), while the thermoelectric air-conditioning system was analysed using experimentally determined module characteristics. The proposed economic optimization is based on the Economic Total Cooling Capacity (ETCC), which simultaneously considers cooling performance, investment cost, and operating cost. The results indicate that the optimum water-cooled solar absorption system requires an 18 m² evacuated-tube collector field and a 1.26 m³ thermal storage tank, providing approximately 55% of the annual cooling energy demand, whereas the air-cooled configuration requires a 16 m² collector area and a 0.98 m³ storage tank with nearly 45% solar energy contribution. For the thermoelectric system, the optimized operating conditions improve the balance between cooling capacity and lifecycle cost, demonstrating that maximum economic performance is achieved below the maximum cooling capacity and that the system can be overloaded by approximately 32% under reference conditions without significant economic penalty. The novelty of this work lies in the development of a unified technical-economic framework integrating solar-assisted absorption cooling and thermoelectric air-conditioning with experimental validation and ETCC-based optimization. The proposed methodology provides practical design guidelines for developing energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and economically viable residential air-conditioning systems while reducing electricity consumption and dependence on conventional refrigerants.

Keywords: Single effect chiller; Evacuated tube collectors; Solar air-conditioning; Economic viability; Thermoelectric cooler; Economic analysis; Thermal resistance

How to cite this article: Nagendra Singh, Sanjeev Kumar Verma, Manish Dixit. Study of technical and economic assessment of solar-assisted and thermoelectric air-conditioning technologies. International Journal of Energy and Thermal Applications. 2026; 04(02):-.
How to cite this URL: Nagendra Singh, Sanjeev Kumar Verma, Manish Dixit. Study of technical and economic assessment of solar-assisted and thermoelectric air-conditioning technologies. International Journal of Energy and Thermal Applications. 2026; 04(02):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/ijeta/article=2026/view=255472

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Ahead of Print Subscription Original Research
Volume 04
02
Received 10/06/2026
Accepted 06/07/2026
Published 23/07/2026
Publication Time 43 Days

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