Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.13044/j.sdewes.d7.0290
Parametric Study of a Single Effect Lithium Bromide-Water Absorption Chiller Powered by a Renewable Heat Source
Muhammad Tawalbeh
orcid.org/0000-0001-5767-4733
; Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering Department, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Tareq Salameh
; Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering Department, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Mona Albawab
; Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering Department, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Amani Al-Othman
orcid.org/0000-0002-2578-9824
; Department of Chemical Engineering, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Mamdouh El Haj Assad
; Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering Department, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Abdul H. Alami
orcid.org/0000-0001-9986-4324
; Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering Department, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Abstract
This work investigates the performance of a single-effect absorption chiller utilizing an aqueous lithium bromide solution as the working fluid and driven by hot fluid rejected from either a geothermal power plant or the outlet of a thermal solar collector. This relatively low enthalpy return fluid, which will otherwise be reinjected back into the
earth, will be utilized as the thermal energy source of the chiller. Although such chillers are considered low-grade energy refrigeration cycles, the one proposed here has an advantage in terms of economy and efficiency. A parametric analysis is performed using Engineering Equation Solver software and is used to highlight the effect of the heat
exchanger size on the coefficient of performance of the chiller. The analysis proved that the proposed device can operate with excellent cooling capacity, reaching 16 kW, and a relatively high coefficient of performance (~ 0.7) while being driven by the low-grade energy. The heat source temperature, solution heat exchanger effectiveness and the size of the absorber were shown to be key parameters for the design and operation of absorption chillers. Moreover, increasing the heat source mass flow rate has a significant impact on both cooling capacity and coefficient of performance at low values (< 10 kg/s)
and unnoticeable impact at higher values (> 10 kg/s).
Keywords
Absorption chiller; Lithium bromide-water; Renewable thermal energy; Parametric study; Refrigeration system; Coefficient of performance.
Hrčak ID:
238737
URI
Publication date:
30.9.2020.
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