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A heat-driven adsorption cooling unit, comprising: —a condenser having an input end and an output end; —an evaporator having an input end and an output end, the input end being connected to the output end of the condenser via an operable valve; and —a series of sorption-desorption generators, each o

A heat-driven adsorption cooling unit, comprising: —a condenser having an input end and an output end; —an evaporator having an input end and an output end, the input end being connected to the output end of the condenser via an operable valve; and —a series of sorption-desorption generators, each of which has input and an output ends for connection to the condenser and evaporator to create a refrigerant flow circuit, and a heat supply for operating each generator at high and low temperatures, the generators being operable to flow refrigerant through the condenser and evaporator to provide a cooling effect at the evaporator; wherein the series of generators comprises two pairs of generators, each pair comprising: —a first generator having an output end connected to the input end of the condenser via a first non-return valve arranged to prevent flow from the condenser to the first generator; and —a second generator having an input end connected to the output end of the evaporator via a second non-return valve arranged to prevent flow from the second generator to the evaporator, and an output end connected to the input end of the first generator via a third non-return valve arranged to prevent flow from the input end of the first generator to the output end of the second generator; each pair of generators being separately operable to drive fluid through the condenser and evaporator to provide a cooling effect.

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1. A heat-driven adsorption cooling unit, comprising: a condenser having an input end and an output end;an evaporator having an input end and an output end, the input end being connected to the output end of the condenser via an operable valve; anda series of sorption-desorption generators, each of

1. A heat-driven adsorption cooling unit, comprising: a condenser having an input end and an output end;an evaporator having an input end and an output end, the input end being connected to the output end of the condenser via an operable valve; anda series of sorption-desorption generators, each of which has an input end and an output end for connection to the condenser and evaporator to create a refrigerant flow circuit, and a heat supply for operating each generator at high and low temperatures, the generators being operable to flow refrigerant through the condenser and evaporator to provide a cooling effect at the evaporator;wherein the series of sorption-desorption generators includes two pairs of generators, each pair including:a first generator having an output end connected to the input end of the condenser via a first non-return valve arranged to prevent flow from the condenser to the first generator; anda second generator having an input end connected to the output end of the evaporator via a second non-return valve arranged to prevent flow from the second generator to the evaporator, and an output end connected to the input end of the first generator via a third non-return valve arranged to prevent flow from the input end of the first generator to the output end of the second generator;each pair of generators being separately operable to drive fluid through the condenser and evaporator to provide a cooling effect. 2. A cooling unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat supply comprises a supply of heat transfer fluid to the generators to control a temperature of the generators. 3. A cooling unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the heat supply comprises a solar heater for heating the heat transfer fluid to a high temperature. 4. A cooling unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the solar heater comprises an evacuated tube solar collector. 5. A cooling unit as claimed in claim 2, further comprising an accumulator for storing hot heat transfer fluid prior to supply to the generators. 6. A cooling unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat supply comprises a radiator for cooling the heat transfer fluid to a low temperature. 7. A cooling unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the radiator is cooled by air at ambient temperature. 8. A cooling unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising pumps for circulating hot or cold heat transfer fluid to the generators. 9. A cooling unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises water. 10. A method of operating a cooling unit comprising: a condenser having an input end and an output end;an evaporator having an input end and an output end, the input end being connected to the output end of the condenser via an operable valve; andtwo pairs of sorption-desorption generators, each pair including a first generator having an output end connected to the input end of the condenser via a first non-return valve arranged to prevent flow from the condenser to the first generator;a second generator having an input end connected to the output end of the evaporator via a second non-return valve arranged to prevent flow from the second generator to the evaporator, and an output end connected to the input end of the first generator via a third non-return valve arranged to prevent flow from the input end of the first generator to the output end of the second generator; anda heat supply for operating each generator at high and low temperatures, the method comprising:operating the valve and the heat supplies to the generators of each pair so as to cycle a temperature in each generator between hot and cold such that refrigerant is driven around the circuit through the condenser and evaporator, the first generator cycling between super-charged, empty and charged states and the second generator correspondingly cycling between sub-empty, charged and empty states. 11. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising, prior to temperature cycling, performing a start-up procedure including: filling the generators, condenser and evaporator with refrigerant at a substantially constant pressure, the generators being held at a low temperature;operating a valve to prevent refrigerant flow from the condenser to the evaporator;heating the second generators of each pair to drive refrigerant into the first generators of each pair such that the first generators become charged and the second generators become empty;cooling the second generators to draw refrigerant from the evaporator to at least partly charge the second generators; andheating one of the second generators to further increase the charge of refrigerant in the first generator to which it is connected. 12. A method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising, in a first step: cooling the empty second generator of a first pair to bring it to a sub-empty state;heating the associated first generator of the first pair to bring it to a super-charged state; andallowing refrigerant to pass from the first generator through the condenser and evaporator to the second generator so as to cause a cooling effect at the evaporator. 13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first step comprises discharging the first generator to an empty state and charging the second generator to a charged state. 14. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising, in a second step: heating the charged second generator of a second pair to discharge refrigerant to the corresponding first generator and bring the second generator to an empty state; andcooling the associated first generator of the second pair to bring it to a charged state. 15. A method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising, in a third step: cooling the empty second generator of the second pair to bring it to a subempty state;heating the corresponding charged first generator to bring it to a supercharged state; andallowing refrigerant to pass from the first generator of the second pair through the condenser and evaporator to the second generator of the second pair so as to cause a cooling effect at the evaporator. 16. A method as claimed in claim 15, comprising discharging the first generator to an empty state and charging the second generator to a charged state. 17. A method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising, in a fourth step: heating the charged second generator of the first pair to discharge refrigerant to the corresponding first generator and bring the second generator to an empty state; andcooling the associated first generator of the first pair to bring it to a charged state. 18. A method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising repeating the first, second, third and fourth steps to provide substantially continuous operation of the cooling unit. 19. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising directing a flow of air over the evaporator such that the air is cooled.