Photovoltaic-driven compression cooling systems

World faces a cooling crisis since cooling applications, according to the international energy agency, will account for 30% of global energy consumption by 2050. Hence, applying solar energy in cooling devices is an interesting technique for reducing energy consumption and therefore the global warming effect. This chapter presents photovoltaic (PV)-driven vapor compression refrigeration (VCR) systems. First, the solar cooling technologies are reviewed, introducing PV-VCR systems and their recent investigations. Afterward, for modeling purposes, the two main parts of the systems (e.g., PV and VCR) are analyzed and an example for each section is provided. Furthermore, a detailed review on the correlations for predicting PV cell temperature and compressor modeling is performed. In addition, a comprehensive review of refrigerants for the VCR system is conducted to take into account the importance of using low global warming potential and ozone depletion potential. Next, these systems' performance is studied during the day since their functionality is highly dependent on environmental conditions. Despite advantages, some challenges still exist in using PV-VCR systems, like PV panel efficiency drop because of the increased surface temperature during the day. In terms of performance enhancement, advanced techniques such as enhanced VCR and photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collectors are studied by illustrating an example in a PVT-ejector-VCR system. In the end, some solutions are suggested for future studies by recognizing the research gaps and the existing challenges.