This paper focuses on the development of a dynamic multi-level model for simulating of a solar cooling system adopting an adsorption chiller. The model integrates detailed simulation of the adsorption cycle (component level) into the transient simulation of the solar cooling system (system level). The chiller investigated was a standard two bed silica gel/water unit. The model was used to ascertain the feasibility of solar-driven adsorption cooling and for optimization purposes. In the base case simulated, the adsorption chiller cooled down the outdoor air to 161 degrees C. The daily average COP of the chiller was 0.18. Consequently, a spectral analysis was performed on these data for identification of the correlation among the variables involved in the solar cooling system in order to study the effects of the input parameters on the outputs. The outcomes were that the COP depends mainly on T-ev > Q(cond) > Q(cool) > Q(heat) and the thermal power delivered to the hot storage unit correlates T-z1 > T-c. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.