Evaluation of Transient Behavior of a Single-Effect Absorption Chiller

The overall system efficiency of a microturbine generator system, and hence the economic viability, are greatly enhanced through co-generation. The utilization of the exhaust energy for heating needs is well understood and has been extensively implemented. Potentially more desirable but having found far less implementation is the integration of microturbines with absorption chillers to generate cold water. Long recognized as a tremendous opportunity in HVAC systems, the integration of a microturbine with an absorption chiller is complicated by the relatively low quality and quantity of heat available from the traditionally recuperated microturbine system. This paper address the design process and the issues encountered in developing a 160 ton absorption chiller system integrated with an array of eight, 60-kW Capstone microturbines. The designed system is not a pre-packaged turbine/chiller system but rather a system that integrates a mix of existing and new microturbines with a commercial gas-to-liquid heat exchanger and a commercial single effect Li-Br absorption chiller. The goal of the effort is demonstrate a cost effective retrofit installation of an absorption chiller with existing microturbines to effectively provide base load chilling for the building’s HVAC needs.

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Dynamic experimental analysis of a LiBr/H2O single effect absorption chiller with nominal capacity of 35 kW of cooling

Acta Scientiarum Technology ◽

10.4025/actascitechnol.v41i1.35173 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

pp. 35173 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Alvaro Antonio Ochoa Villa ◽

José Carlos Charamba Dutra ◽

Jorge Recarte Henríquez Henríquez ◽

Carlos Antonio Cabral do Santos ◽

José Ângelo Peixoto da Costa

Keyword(s):

Thermal Load ◽

Heat Dissipation ◽

Cold Water ◽

Operating Conditions ◽

Hot Water ◽

Experimental Methodology ◽

Absorption Chiller ◽

Water Heater ◽

Nominal Capacity ◽

Single Effect

This work aims to transient performance of chiller single effect absorption refrigeration using the LiBr/H2O pair with nominal capacity of 35 kW. The goal of this study is to verify the absorption chiller when subjected to thermal loads and it transiently responsive as a function of the temperatures of the chilled, hot and cold water of the system. An experimental methodology was established in a micro-CHP laboratory to simulate the dynamic operating conditions of the system considering the thermal load (chilled water), the activation source (hot water) and the heat dissipation circuit (cold water). The thermal load was simulated from a set of electrical resistors installed in a water heater and the activation of the chiller from recovery gas a microturbine 30 kW and through a compact heat exchanger, where water is heated and stored in a hot buffer tank. The absorption chiller heat dissipation system consists of the pump and cooling tower. The system responded appropriately to the thermal load imposed providing COP values in the transient regime of 0.55 to 0.70 the temperature conditions tested.

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