An experimental study of heat driven absorption cooling systems

Best Y Brown, R

Abstract

The great need for cooling combined with Mexico's large availability of low
enthalpy energy from non conventional energy resources such as geothermal
energy, solar heat and waste heat from industrial processes, makes it very
attractive to utilize these resources for cooling using heat driven absorption
systems.
The main purpose of the work described in this thesis is to obtain experimental
and theoretical data on heat driven absorption cooling systems for
the design of large scale systems.
Thermodynamic design data have been theoretically derived for heat driven
absorption heat pumps and heat transformers using the working pairs
ammonia-water and ammonia-lithium nitrate for cooling, heating and simultaneous
heating and cooling. The interaction between the operating parameters
has been illustrated graphically.
A computer model of the steady state thermodynamics of a heat driven
ammonia-water system and an ammonia-lithium nitrate system has been developed.
A comparison of both systems is made by assessing the effect of
operating temperatures and heat exchanger effectiveness on the coefficient
of performance for cooling and the heat transfer rates within the system.
An experimental study on the performance of the absorber of an absorption
cooling system operating on water-lithium bromide has been made. The experimental
study of the adiabatic absorber was concerned with the determination
of the effect of the evaporator heat load and the absorber reflux on
the performance of the absorber. An experimental study of the operating characteristics of an experimental.
absorption cooler using water-lithium bromide-lithium iodide and waterlithium
bromide-zinc bromide as ternary systems has been made in order to
achieve higher coefficients of performance and a lower risk of crystallization.
Experimental studies with a small heat driven absorption cooling system
operating on ammonia-water using a falling film generator were made. Low
generator temperatures were achieved which will'enable the use of non
focussing solar collectors as a heat source for the system.
An ammonia-water absorption cooler operating on low enthalpy geothermal
energy was installed and operated at two geothermal fields. The system
was used to cool a small cold storage facility below freezing temperatures.
The experimental and theoretical results on absorption cooling systems
will provide a basis for the design of heat pump systems for industrial
and commercial applications.

Citation

Best Y Brown, R. An experimental study of heat driven absorption cooling systems. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Sep 22, 2011
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 22, 2011
• Award Date: Jan 1, 1990