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| Refrigerated by sunlight | |
| The principles of using solar power to provide refrigeration are behind the MEDISCO project (Mediterranean food and agro-industry applications of solar cooling technologies) that is currently running experimental plants in Tunisia and Morocco. Scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg are demonstrating the feasibility of using solar energy to keep perishable foodstuffs fresh, such as milk, wine and fruit using solar energy. The technology is highly relevant to the whole of the Mediterranean basin and other areas of the world with abundant solar energy especially where there is a shortage of water or unreliable sources of energy. In this environmentally friendly system, refrigeration will be available whenever the sun shines and therefore at periods of peak demand. It should be suitable for maintaining cold-stores for horticultural and floricultural produce. Solar energy is reflected onto an absorber heating water to a temperature of 200°C. The extreme high temperature water drives an absorption refrigeration machine that uses a water-glycol mixture. The refrigerated mixture is collected in cold accumulators and pumped through a heat exchanger of one or other design, adapted to the products or area to be kept cool. Demonstration plants been installed in cooperation with universities, energy agencies and European companies. The project is funded by the European Commission and the Politecnico University of Milan is one of the lead partners. “AlphaGalileo” See: www.medisco.org/files/static/upload/it.pdf For further information contact tomas.nunez@ise.fraunhofer.de http://www.fraunhofer.de/en/press/research-news/2010/05/cooling-sunlight.jsp or the Politecnico di Milano: www.polimi.it |
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