Among the topics covered by the partners along the project, can be found: Biomass, thermal and photovoltaic solar energy, wind power, geothermal resources management etc. In CARTIF we have been mainly working on the biomass and solar cooling, topics. For this communication, we are going to focus on solar cooling, describing exclusively those actions done for the diffusion of solar cooling applications.

Cooling with solar energy is an especially attractive idea if we take into account: that the cooling loads coincide with the maximum irradiance; that these utilities can use the residual thermal energy of other processes, thus increasing efficiency; and that, by combining solar heating and cooling at different times of year, the use factor and performance of the utilities can be improved.

1.4. Specialization Training Course

The objective of the course was training on the concepts necessary to design and setting up thermal water heating installations in general and solar water cooling installations more specifically. It was given information about different typologies of facilities, as well as about the various components of a thermal solar system.

The target people in this course were design and installation engineers, technicians and professionals that were interested in this kind of technologies and in particular those who wanted to know something else about applications of solar cooling.

The course was very useful for the participants. Some of them have asked for more information about this technology and are still in contact with us for any other activity related to solar cooling that we should prepare.

The course was divided in two parts, one of them more general related to solar thermal systems, and a second one more specific centred in solar cooling.

De schedule of the course was:

Topic 1: Design and calculation of installations.

This topic was used as introduction for the course, showing different configurations usually adopted for thermal solar installations: Sanitary Water Heat (SWH), Radiant floor and swimming pool, and different combinations of those two. For the dimension process, three different methodologies were shown: usability method, based on the concept of critical radiation, f — chart method, for the dimension of swimming pools and finally, for radiant floor, the Degree-Day method. It was also explained the calculation of pumps, pipes and expansion vessels. At the end of this topic the students should have the skill to calculate installations as well as to apply the usability method to calculate solar cooling installations.

Topic 2: Heat Transfer applied to thermal solar energy.

The solar energy applications are based on the transformation of the solar radiation onto heat, and its posterior transmission to a fluid. Taking this into account, it was considered necessary to describe the basic mechanisms of heat exchange, to understand how the principal elements work: solar collectors and heat exchangers.

Topic 3: Fundaments on cooling.

Solar cooling consists of the production of cold using hot. In this lesson was made an introduction technological and historical of the cold production, being valid too as introduction to the solar chillers operation. There were shown resemblances and differences with respect to the conventional systems. Finally, was explained the psychometric diagram and the calculation of the impulsion temperature for an air thermal conditioner.

Topic 4: Elements of solar installations.

On this topic were described some characteristics of the solar thermal installations. Among other things were described the different kind of collectors, the tanks, heat exchangers, pumps, pipes, insulation, and other elements used on the installations.

Topic 5: Solar cooling concepts.

On this journey were briefly shown different ways to produce solar cold as well as the parameters used to characterize the installations and the most typical configurations.

Topic 6: Adsorption chillers.

We began whit the description of the adsorption process, to show next the more habitual adsorbent substances. Finally are described the adsorption chillers, either with discontinuous cycle, or with recuperation or with phase change.

Topic 7: Absorption chillers.

In this lesson were described the different absorption technologies and the more frequent couples of substances. It was shown too how the working conditions affect to the performance or the power, in order to interpret their interaction with the solar installations.

Topic 8: Desiccant cooling systems.

On this topic, are commented the advantages of the desiccant systems, as well as the elements that form them, either solids or liquids. They are described the different configurations and how they behave against changes on the temperature of the regenerator.

Topic 9: Dimensioning of solar cooling installations.

On this last topic, were described different programs available for the calculation of solar cooling installations: SACE [2], TRNSYS [3] and SolAc [4].

The course lessons were celebrated in a lecture room rented on the Engineers University (ETSII) of Valladolid — Spain (5th-9th of May). There were 17 attendants and the total length was 20 hours.