As　a　technology　of　the　green　energy　utilization,　solar　adsorption　cooling　is　a　promising　way　to　make　use　of　the　solar　energy　in　the　future.　Aiming　to　the　efficiency　improvement　of　such　kind　system,　the　performance　of　the　solar　adsorption　cooling　system　that　employed　the　silica　gel-water　as　the　working　pair　was　evaluated　experimentally.　With　a　mono-axial　solar　collector　of　tracking　parabolic　trough　to　provide　the　heat　supply　to　the　adsorption　bed,　the　effect　of　the　adsorption　time　on　the　system　performance　was　mainly　addressed　in　the　study.　The　experimental　results　revealed　that　the　performance　of　the　system　reached　the　maximum　as　the　adsorption　time　was　45　min.　Correspondingly,　the　coefficient　of　performance　of　the　system　reached　0.258.　In　addition,　a　comparison　of　the　optimal　performance　of　the　silica　gel　system　to　the　SAPO-34　zeolite　system　was　conducted.　It　was　revealed　that　both　the　cooling　capacity　and　the　performance　coefficient　of　the　silica　gel　system　depended　more　strongly　on　the　adsorption　time　than　those　of　the　SAPO-34　zeolite　system　did.　At　the　optimal　adsorption　time,　the　coefficient　of　performance　of　the　silica　gel　system　was　1.93　times　as　that　of　the　SAPO-34　zeolite　system.　In　general,　the　silica　gel-water　pair　has　shown　better　performance　as　compared　to　the　SAPO-34　zeolite-water　pair　as　used　in　the　solar　adsorption　cooling　system.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd