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ABSORPTION COOLING SYSTEMS

J.ILANGUMARAN
VAPOUR COMPRESSION CYCLE
Commercial absorption chiller – single effect
Working Principle – Process 1

Solution Pump
A dilute lithium bromide
solution is collected in the
bottom of the absorber shell.
From here, a hermetic solution
pump moves the solution
through a shell and tube heat
exchanger for preheating.
Working Principle – Process 2

Generator
After exiting the heat exchanger, the dilute
solution moves into the upper shell. The
solution surrounds a bundle of tubes which
carries either steam or hot water. The steam
or hot water transfers heat into the pool of
dilute lithium bromide solution. The solution
boils, sending refrigerant vapor upward into
the condenser and leaving behind
concentrated lithium bromide. The
concentrated lithium bromide solution moves
down to the heat exchanger, where it is
cooled by the weak solution being pumped
up to the generator.
Working Principle – Process 3

Condenser
The refrigerant vapor migrates
through mist eliminators to the
condenser tube bundle. The
refrigerant vapor condenses on
the tubes. The heat is removed
by the cooling water which
moves through the inside of the
tubes. As the refrigerant
condenses, it collects in a trough
at the bottom of the condenser.
Working Principle – Process 4

Evaporator
The refrigerant liquid moves from the
condenser in the upper shell down to the
evaporator in the lower shell and is
sprayed over the evaporator tube bundle.
Due to the extreme vacuum of the lower
shell [6 mm Hg (0.8 kPa) absolute
pressure], the refrigerant liquid boils at
approximately 3.9°C, creating the
refrigerant effect. (This vacuum is created
by hygroscopic action - the strong affinity
lithium bromide has for water - in the
Absorber directly below.)
Working Principle – Process 5

Absorber
As the refrigerant vapor migrates to the
absorber from the evaporator, the strong
lithium bromide solution from the
generator is sprayed over the top of the
absorber tube bundle. The strong lithium
bromide solution actually pulls the
refrigerant vapor into solution, creating the
extreme vacuum in the evaporator. The
absorption of the refrigerant vapor into the
lithium bromide solution also generates
heat which is removed by the cooling
water. The now dilute lithium bromide
solution collects in the bottom of the lower
shell, where it flows down to the solution
pump. The chilling cycle is now completed
and the process begins once again.
DOUBLE EFFECT VARS
TRIPLE EFFECT VARS
ABSORPTION SYSTEM MODELS
Steam Based VAM :

Double Effect Steam Fired Machines


Steam pressure : 3.5 kg/sq.cm to 10 kg/sq.cm
Capacity : 40 TR to 1400 TR
Sp.Consumption : 4.5 kg/hr @ 8 kg/sq.cm

Single Effect Steam Fired


Steam pressure : 0.5 kg/sq.cm to 3 kg/sq.cm
Capacity : 70 TR to 1400 TR
Sp.Consumption : 8.5 kg/hr @ 8 kg/sq.cm

Oil /Gas Based VAM :


Fuels : Kerosene,Diesel, LPG,LNG, Natural gas & F.O
Capacity : 30 TR to 770 TR

Hot Water Fired VAM :


Source : Hot Water ( minimum of 85 deg C.)
Capacity : 30 TR to 650 TR
PERFORMANCE

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chiller SITE COP Source to Site Resource COP
factor
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Electric 2.0 – 6 0.16 0.32- 0.96

Absorption 0.5 – 1.2 0.91 0.45 – 1.1


----------------------------------------------------------------------
General

Fruits & Vegetables : 32 & 71 millions MT


Wastage : 20-25 %
The average expected increase in production
of food stuffs is 900 tons for every 1 percent
increase in the number of cold storages
Sl. No Aspect Short-term Medium- Long-term
term

Use of Very Extensive


Storage CA/MA Limited use use of
storage of CA/MA CA/MA
only for Storage Storage
high value
perishable
produce
General
Refrigeration that might otherwise be considered
as a luxury is in fact a necessity for a agriculture
based developing country like ours, where large
parts of our rural area are without the traditional
sources of power.
Building of “Biomass based cold storage
systems” at the food ( Fruits and
Vegetables) production centres using
biomass energy for refrigeration systems
seems to be a feasible solutions due to ever
increase in the cost / non-availability of
electricity for storage applications.
Details of Thermodynamic Analysis on VARS
S.No. Property Values
1. Generator temperature (Tg) 1350C
2. Evaporator Temperature (Te-) -100C
3. Condenser Temperature (Tc) 350C
4. Absorber Temperature (Ta) 350C
5. Generator heat load (Qg) 21 kW
6. Evaporator heat load (Qe) 10.62 kW
7. Condenser heat load (Qc) 11 kW
8. Absorber heat load (Q-a) 19 kW
9. Reflux condenser heat load Qrect 1.9 kW
10. Solution hx heat load (Qshx) 8.7 kW
11. Pump work 0.28 kW
12. COP 0.499
13. Refrigerant mass flow rate 0.01 kg/s
14. Strong solution flow rate 0.04 kg/s
15. Weak solution flow rate 0.03 kg/s
16. Circulation Ratio 4.0
Generator / Rectifier : Details
Area for heat transfer – 4.54m2
Generator
Shell : Height – 1.5m, Diameter – 0.3m
Tube : Length – 1.5m, Diameter 25.4 mm,
No. of tubes – 38.
Furnace
Height – 0.75m, Diameter – 0.4m
Exhaust Shell
Height – 0.3m, Diameter – 0.25m
Generator and Rectifier Details
REFLUX CONDENSER

Heat transfer area: 0.056 m2


Shell and Tube type:
Counter flow arrangement, Single pass shell and tube
side

Component Fluid Material Dimension / Remark

Shell Mixed MS Length – 0.3m


vapor Diameter – 0.01m
Tube Cooling MS Length – 0.3m
water Diameter – 1.25x10-2m
No. of tubes – 5
REFLUX CONDENSER
CONDENSER

Heat transfer area – 0.73 m2


Shell and Tube type – Counter Flow type

Component Fluid Material Dimension / Remark

Shell NH3 MS Length – 1m,


Diameter – 0.02m
Tube Cooling MS Length – 1m,
water Diameter – 2.54x10-2m
No. of tubes – 10
CONDENSER
EVAPORATOR

Area for heat transfer: 0.51m2

Evaporator coil

Length – 13m
Diameter – 12.5x10-3m
EVAPORATOR
ABSORBER
Total heat transfer area : 0.56m2
Vertical Shell and Tube type
Counter flow arrangement, Single pass shell
and tube side
Comp. Fluid Mat. Dimension /
Remark
Shell Weak aqua MS Length – 0.5m,
ammonia solution Diameter – 0.02m
& ammonia ref.
Tube Cooling water MS Length – 0.5m,
Dia. – 2.54x10-2m
No. of tubes – 14
ABSORBER
SOLUTION HEAT EXCHANGER

Heat transfer area :0.55 m2


Tube – In – Tube type heat exchanger

Comp. Fluid Mat. Dimension /


Remark
Inner Weak aqua MS Length – 14m,
Tube ammonia solution Dia. – 12.5 mm

Outer Strong aqua MS Length – 14m,


Tube ammonia solution Dia. – 2.54 mm
SOLUTION HEAT EXCHANGER
Generator / Rectifier

Absorber
Integration of gasifier with Cold Storage
units for its operation in rural areas
DETAILS OF GASIFIER : Mode : Thermal Application ( Down Draft type )
Fuel : Wood chips, Rating : 20 kW thermal, Fuel Loading: Manual ( 10 - 20 hours / d)
Auxiliary power requirement: < 1 HP
Ammonia Absorption Cold Storage Plant Technical Specifications

N PARAMETERS UNIT Value/Specifications


o
1. Refrigeration Load (Max) TR 3.0
KW 10.5
2. Ammonia Evaporation oC -10
Temperature
3. Cold Storage Room oC 0 to 2
Temperature
4 COP -- 0.47
5. Cooling Water oC 30
Temperature
6. Cooling Water Flow rate m3/hr 4.5
7. Cooling Tower heat load KW 32.84
8. Rise in Cooling Water oC 6.27
Temperature
9. Heat Input kW 22.34
Experimental prototype of 3 TR BM -
VACS

CT

A – Blower 1 – Furnace 9 – Solution reservoir


B – Gas generator 2 – Generator 10 – Solution pump
C – Charging door 3 – Rectifier 11 – Solution heat
exchanger
D – Air inlet pipe 4 – Reflux condenser ED – Expansion device
E – Air Manifold 5 – Condenser T – Temperature indicators
F – Water tank 6 – Refrigerant Reservoir P – Pressure transducers
G – Primary air duct 7 – Evaporator L – Level indicator
H – Mixing tube 8 – Absorber F – Flow meter
CT - from/to cooling tower tank GT – Glycol tank PRV – Pressure reducing
valve
G/R

RC C

BM
RS

LI

SS

B
SP

BMVARS – Without Insulation


BMVARS – with Insulation


C

G/R
RR

SR

F SHX
Biomass gasifier integrated absorption cold storage system

RC C

BM G/R
A RR

DLS

SR

F EP
SHX
Instrument Panel, Cooling towers etc.
Operation Mode
Experimental Results

• Biomass flow rate : 10 – 15 kg/h


• Weak Solution flow rate : 0.01 – 0.03 kg/s
• Sink temperature : 26-34oC
• Evaporator temperature : 5 to – 15oC
• Cooling water flow rate : 0.3 – 0.5 kg/s
• CR, Heat Load, Cooling capacity,
• COP (thermodynamic, actual, Real)
Temperature History
160

140

120
C)

100
o
Temperature (

80

60

40

20

-20
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
Tim e (m in)

GENERATOR TEMPERATURE CONDENSER TEMPERATURE


ABSORBER TEMPERATURE EVAPORATER TEMPERATURE
WEAK SOLUTION INLET TEMPERATURE WEAK SOLUTION OUTLET TEMPERATURE
STRONG SOLUTION INLET TEMPERATURE STRONG SOLUTION OUTLET TEMPERATURE
CHILL WATER TEMPERATURE

Biomass consumption : 10 ± 2 kg/h, mws : 0.30 kg/s, mch : 0.244 kg/s, mcw: 0.40 kg/s)
Heat load Vs Sink temperature
20
Biomass Consumption :: 10 ± 2 kg / h
mcw : 0.402 kg / s
mws : 0.03 kg / s
15
mch : 0.244 kg / s
Heat Load (kW)

10

Gen.load Abs.load Con.load Eva.load


0
20 25 30 35 40
Sink Temperature(o C)
COP Vs Sink temperature

0.7

0.6

0.5
COP

0.4

0.3

0.2
Thermodynamic Actual Real
0.1
20 25 30 35 40
Sink Temperature ( o C )
Performance of BMVARS
0.7
Biomass consumption : : 10 ± 2 kg / h
mcw : 0.402 kg/s
0.6
mws : 0.03 kg/s
mch : 0.244 kg/s
0.5

0.4
COP

0.3

0.2

0.1
Actual Thermodynamic Real
0
0 5 10 15 20 25
Experimental Run
COP / Economics and Comparisons

0.7 20

18
0.6
16
0.5 14

Cost/ TR (Rs)
12
0.4
COP

10
0.3
8

0.2 6
COP real COP thermodynamic
4
0.1 COP actual COST BMVACS
2
COST VCRS
0 0
8 10 12 14 16 18
Biomass Consumption (kg/h)
Uncertainty in the measurement
Maximum
Measured/Estimated parameter Unit uncertainty
percent (%)

Temperature OC 1.53
Pressure bar 0.8
Solution flow rate kg/s 0.00388
Mass flow rate of water in absorber, kg/s 0.006
evaporator & condenser
Actual heat input to the generator kW 2.71
Actual heat input to the evaporator kW 0.68
Actual heat obtained the absorber kW 2.73
Actual COP - 6.65
Actual Second Law Efficiency - 8.18
Actual Circulation Ratio - 0.945
APPLICATIONS
Example
In a thermal power plant uses 100 TR mechanical chillers
air-conditioning applications with COP of 3.5 used for
8000 h of operation/year. The cost of Electricity is
4 Rs/kWh. If the plant is replaced by WH – VARS

Annual Savings in Energy cost :


354 kW / 3.5 x 8000 h / year x 4 Rs / kWh =
Rs 32, 36, 571/-
Investment required :

For the Chiller : Rs 28 00 000/-


For Waste heat recovery unit. 20 00 000/-

Simple Pay back period ~ 1.8 Years


OPERATING COST ANALYSIS
W/C SCREW DESF VARS
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steam Cost Nil Rs 753.75
(Rs 0.67/kg) (250 x 4.5 x 0.67)
Electricity cost @ Rs 5 /kWh

Equipment alone Rs 875.00 Rs 25.00


(250 x 0.7 x 5) (5 x 5)
Condenser water Rs 27.50 Rs 37.50
Pump (5.5 x 5) (7.5 x 5)
Cooling tower Rs 18.50 Rs 27.50
Motor (3.7 x 5) (5.5 x 5)
Makeup water Rs 150 Rs 225
(@ Rs 600/12000ltr)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Total cost / h Rs 10.71.00 Rs 1068.75
Advantages
- Energy Saving Options
- Inlet Air cooling
- Trigeneration Concepts
- Cogeneration – Heating & Cooling
- Demand Side Management
- Environmentally safe working fluids
- Clean Development Mechanism

LIMITATION
- Cost and Low COP

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