Simulation and optimisation of silica gel-water adsorption chiller for enhancing the performance of cooling system

Authors

  • Abdulkarim Baba Rabiu Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1536-3528
  • Olalekan Tajudeen Popoola Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
  • Garba Babajide Mubdiu Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
  • Atilola Ibrahim Sheu Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
  • Hassan Kobe Ibrahim Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24191/jaeds.v6i2.185

Keywords:

Adsorption Cooling, MATLAB, Sustainability, Optimisation, Coefficient of Performance, Specific Cooling Capacity

Abstract

The adsorption cooling system (ACS) using silica gel-water as working-fluid pair is gaining more traction as a substitute for vapor compression system (VCS) due to its environmental friendliness and low energy cost. This paper focuses on improving the efficiency of cooling processes by utilizing silica gel-water adsorption system. The MATLAB-based simulation models integrated with brute force techniques and empirical lumped analytical simulation were adopted in enhancing the operations. Three operational models (A, B, and C) were utilized, with models A and B validating the experimental setup. Model A simulates a laboratory version of a two-bed chiller which uses the Tóth equation for equilibrium uptake and the Clausius-Clapeyron relations for the pressure dynamics. Model B investigates the performance of a two-bed type adsorption chiller with different adsorbents properties. Both models were aligned with experimental outcomes, with Coefficient of Performance (COP) 0.43 and 0.55, specific cooling capacity (SCC) 74.0 and 69.7 W/kg, specific cooling power (SCP) 19.5 and 10.2 W/kg, across hot water (70 to 80°C) and chilled water (-4 to 20°C). The Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) was between 2.47 to 4.19%, while the Mean Absolute Error (MAE) was between 0.014 to 0.022. Model C enables predictive analysis via user-defined inputs (adsorbent mass, flow rates and temperatures), employing parallel processing for parametric sweeps and transient phase-switching dynamics. Results highlight the system's adaptability to low-grade heat (70 to 80°C, typical of solar thermal or industrial waste heat) and at subzero temperatures, emphasizing its potential for diverse applications. The computational rigor of the framework is validated through thermodynamic and kinetic accuracy, demonstrating silica gel-water adsorption viability in reducing electricity demand and greenhouse emissions. The findings are beneficial to designers of ACS system using silica gel-water as a working-fluid pair, thus contributing to sustainable solutions, which are aligned with global decarbonization goals.

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Author Biographies

Abdulkarim Baba Rabiu, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

Dr Rabiu is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria. His area of specialization is thermo-fluid option with over 15 years of experiences in teaching and researching on refrigeration and air-conditioning systems, energy material optimization and development, heat and mass transfer, and engineering material development and characterization. He is married with kids.

Olalekan Tajudeen Popoola, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

Dr Popoola is a senior lecturer at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria. He has almost two decades of experience in teaching thermo-fluid courses at the Department. He has also supervised series of projects in refrigeration and air-conditioning, heat and mass transfer, engineering mathematics and graphics, and fluid mechanics. he is happily married with kids.

Garba Babajide Mubdiu, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

Mr Garba is a graduate engineer of thermo-fluid engineering.

Atilola Ibrahim Sheu, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

Mr Atilola is a graduate student of Mechanical Engineering.

Hassan Kobe Ibrahim, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

Dr Kobe is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria. His area of specialization is in design option. He has years of experience in teaching, researching and community services.

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Published

2026-10-12

How to Cite

Rabiu, A. B., Popoola, O. T., Mubdiu, G. B., Sheu, A. I., & Ibrahim, H. K. (2026). Simulation and optimisation of silica gel-water adsorption chiller for enhancing the performance of cooling system. Journal of Applied Engineering Design and Simulation, 6(2), 111-129. https://doi.org/10.24191/jaeds.v6i2.185

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 2 (2026): JAEDS 6(2)

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Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Abdulkarim Baba Rabiu, Olalekan Tajudeen Popoola, Garba Babajide Mubdiu, Atilola Ibrahim Sheu, Hassan Kobe Ibrahim

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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