Numerical optimization of a multistage sorption compressor

Sorption compressors are driven by thermal cycles and have no moving parts, excluding some passive check valves. Such compressors are suitable for powering Joule-Thomson (JT) cryocoolers and can provide reliable and vibration free active cooling system with a potential for high reliability and long operating life. The thermal cycle consists of cooling and heating a sorbent material which is installed in a sorption cell, where the heating is obtained by an inner electric heater and cooling is obtained by the surrounding via the sorption cell envelope. The investigation and optimization of the sorption cells were conducted in previous work, at steady state conditions, by a one-dimensional heat and mass transfer numerical model. The current paper presents a dynamic numerical model of sorption compressors which consist of several sorption cells. The numerical model allows one to three compression stages, with any number of sorption cells at each stage. The model enables the investigation of dimensional parameters and operational parameters, and provides the low and high pressures, pressure fluctuations, and compressor’s efficiency. The current investigation focuses on a three-stage compressor for nitrogen, with low and high pressures of 0.2 and 8 MPa, respectively, and a mass flow rate of about 11 mg/s.