Absorption

Refrigeration
System
ME141- Refrigeration Systems

Engr. Emmanuelle R. Biglete

School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
 Definition
Absorption Refrigeration System : Another form of refrigeration system which is
economically attractive when a source of inexpensive thermal energy at a temperature
of 100 to 200°C is available. It is an example of a heat-driven system.

• Examples of inexpensive thermal energy sources: geothermal energy, solar

energy, and waste heat from cogeneration or process steam plants, and even
natural gas when it is available at a relatively low price.
• Involves two working fluids: (a)primary refrigerant and (b)liquid absorbent (transport
medium)

Types Refrigerant Transport Medium

NH3-water ammonia water
Water-LiBr Water Lithium bromide
Water-LiCl Water Lithium Chloride
Vapor-Compression Cycle vs
Absorption Cycle
 Principle of Operation
Major Advantage:
A liquid is
compressed
instead of a vapor

Weak NH3
solution

Strong NH3
solution
 Principle of Operation (Thermal Compressor)

• Any refrigeration cycle will operate

with the condenser, expansion valve
and evaporator if the low-pressure
vapor from the evaporator can be
transformed into high-pressure vapor
and delivered to the condenser.
• In absorption cycle, the system starts
with the absorption of low-pressure
vapor in a suitable absorbing liquid.
• The low-pressure vapor is converted
into liquid during the absorption
process (similar to condensation); so
that heat is rejected during the
process.
• The liquid pressure is increased by a
pump and the vapor is released from
the absorbing liquid by heat addition.
 Principle of Operation
• Low-pressure vapor from the evaporator is absorbed by the liquid solution in the
absorber.
• If this absorption process were executed adiabatically, the temperature of the solution
would rise and eventually the absorption of vapor would cease.
• To perpetuate the absorption process, the absorber is cooled by water or air that
ultimately rejects this heat to the atmosphere.
• The pump receives low-pressure liquid from the absorber, elevates the pressure of
the liquid, and delivers the liquid to the generator.
• In the generator, heat from a high temperature source drives off the vapor that had
been absorbed by the solution.
• The liquid returns to the absorber through a throttling valve whose purpose is to
provide a pressure drop to maintain the pressure difference between the generator
and absorber.
• High-temperature heat enters the generator while low-temperature heat from the
substance being refrigerated enters the evaporator.
• Heat is rejected from the cycle at the absorber and condenser temperatures such that
the heat can be rejected to atmosphere.
 Coefficient of Performance

()*+,-)+./,01 (./)
!"#$%& =
(./) 0* ℎ)./ .33,/,01 ./ -)1)+./0+ + 50+6 ,178/ /0 7897

• The COP of an absorption cycle is lower compared to a vapor-compression

cycle.
• This comparatively lower value of the COP for an absorption cycle should
not be taken as prejudicial to the system because their respective COPs are
defined differently.
• For vapor-compression cycle, the COP is the ratio of refrigeration rate to
work of compressor; and this form of energy which is work is usually more
expensive than the energy in the form of heat.
Coefficient of Performance of the Ideal
Absorption Cycle

Heat-operated refrigeration cycle as a power

cycle and refrigeration cycle:
• consists of power cycle that develops work
needed to elevate pressure from evaporator
to condenser in the refrigeration cycle
• the power cycle receives heat Qg at an
absolute temperature Ts, produces work W,
delivers it to the refrigeration cycle, and
rejects energy in the form of heat Qa at
temperature Ta
• the refrigeration cycle receives the work W
and with it pumps heat at the refrigerating
temperature Tr to temperature Ta where
quantity of heat Qc is rejected
Coefficient of Performance of the Ideal
Absorption Cycle

For Power Cycle: Example:

What is the COP of an ideal heat-operated
Qg Ts
= ® (1) refrigeration system that has a source
W Ts - Ta temperature of heat at 105°C, a refrigerating
For Refrigeration Cycle: temperature of 5°C and an ambient
temperature of 27°C?
QE Tr
= ® (2)
W Ta - Tr
COP =
( 5 + 273)(105 - 27 ) = 2.6
QE (105 + 273)( 27 - 5)
COPabs =
Qg
Dividing (2) by (1): As Ts increases, COP increases
Tr (Ts - Ta ) As Tr increases, COP increases
COPabs =
Ts (Ta - Tr ) As Ta increases, COP decreases
 Temperature-pressure-concentration
Properties of LiBr-water Solution
• Lithium Bromide is a solid salt crystal.
• In the presence of water vapor, it will absorb the vapor and become a liquid
solution.
• The liquid solution exerts water vapor pressure that is a function of the
solution temperature and the concentration of the solution.
 Temperature-pressure-concentration
Properties of LiBr-water Solution
• Each liquid would exert a water vapor pressure
• At equilibrium, the water vapor pressures exerted by the two liquids would be equal.
• Example: If temperature of pure water is 40°C, its vapor pressure is 7.38 kPa. This
same vapor pressure would be developed by a LiBr solution at a temperature of 80°C
and a concentration of 59% LiBr on a mass basis.
• Many other combinations of the temperature and concentrations of the solution also
provide a vapor pressure of 7.38 kPa.
• Figure 17-5 shows temperature-pressure concentration diagram of saturated LiBr-
water solutions (saturated condition is where the solution is in equilibrium with the
water vapor)
Temperature-pressure-concentration
Properties of LiBr-water Solution
 Enthalpy of LiBr solutions

• In the generator and

absorber, LiBr-water
solutions exist for which the
enthalpy is a function of
temperature and
concentration of the solution.
• Figure 17.8 (p. 335) presents
enthalpy of LiBr-water
solutions. The data are
applicable to saturated or
subcooled solutions and are
based on a zero enthalpy of
liquid water at 0°C and zero
enthalpy of solid LiBr at
25°C.
 Sample Problem 1
Compute the rate flow of refrigerant (water) through the condenser and evaporator
in the cycle shown below if the pump delivers 0.6 kg/s and the following
temperatures prevail: generator, 100°C; condenser, 40°C; evaporator, 10°C; and
absorber, 30°C.

m! 1 = 0.6 kg
s
m! 3 = m! 4 = m! 5 = mass flow rate of refrigerant water
 System Analysis
Two different pressures exist in the system:
•High pressure: at condenser and generator
•Low pressure: at absorber and evaporator
PC = pressure in the condenser and generator
= Psat at Tc or vapor pressure corresponding to Tc
PE = pressure in the evaporator and absorber
= Psat at TE or vapor pressure corresponding to TE
Let: x2 = concentration of LiBr solution leaving the generator
x1 = concentration of LiBr solution leaving the absorber
Determination of Concentration
 Solution

From Fig.17-5:
x2 = x at vapor temp.of 40°C (TC ) and solution temp.of 100°C (Tg ) = 66.4%by mass
x1 = x at vapor temp.of 10°C (TE ) and solution temp.of 30°C (Ta ) = 50%by mass

Calculation of mass flow rates:

Mass balance at generator:
m! 1 = m! 2 + m! 3
LiBr balance: m! 1 0.6
= @ 4,
m! 1 x1 = m! 2 x2 !
m3 0.148
0.6(0.5) = m! 2 (0.664) which means that approximately
4 kg of solution is pumped for
m! 2 = 0.452 kg
s each kg of rerigerant water vapor
m! 3 = m! 1 - m! 2 = 0.6 - 0.452 = 0.148 kg developed
s
 Solution

With the data from the first problem, calculate Qg, Qa, QC, QE, and the COP.

From Fig.17-8:(enthalpies of LiBr-water solutions)

h1 = h @ (Ta = 30°C ) & ( x1 = 50% ) = -168 kJ
kg
h2 = h @ (Tg = 100°C ) & ( x2 = 66.4% ) = -52 kJ
kg

From steam table:

h3 = hg @ (Tg = 100°C ) = 2676 kJ
kg
h4 = h f @ (TC = 40°C ) = 167.5 kJ
kg
h5 = hg @ (TE = 10°C ) = 2520 kJ
kg
Solution
 Energy Balances
Energy balance @ generator:
Qg + m! 1h1 = m! 3h3 + m! 2 h2
Qg = m! 3h3 + m! 2 h2 - m! 1h1
=0.148 ( 2676 ) + 0.452 ( -52 ) - 0.6 ( -168 ) = 473.3 kW
Energy balance @ absorber: Energy balance @ evaporator:
Qa + m! 1h1 = m! 2 h2 + m! 5 h5 ; m! 5 = m! 3 QE = m! 5 h5 - m! 4 h4 ; m! 5 = m! 4 = m! 3
Qa = m! 2 h2 + m! 3h5 - m! 1h1 QE = m! 3 ( h5 - h4 )
=0.452 ( -52 ) + 0.148 ( 2520 ) - 0.6 ( -168 ) = 450.3 kW =0.148 ( 2520 - 167.5 ) = 348.2 kW
Energy balance @ condenser:
QC = m! 3h3 - m! 4 h4 ; m! 4 = m! 3 QE 348.2
COP = = = 0.736
QC = m! 3 ( h3 - h4 ) Qg 473.3
=0.148 ( 2676 - 167.5 ) = 371.2 kW
Absorption Cycle with Heat Exchanger
 Sample Problem 2
The simple cycle operating at the temperatures shown in the preceding problem is
modified by the insertion of heat exchanger as shown below, such that the temperature
at point 2 is 52°C. The mass flow rate of the solution pumped is 0.6 kg/s. What are the
rates of energy transfer at each of the components and the COPabs of this cycle?

m! 1 = 0.6 kg
s
m! 5 = m! 6 = m! 7 = mass flow rate of refrigerant water
 Solution
Certain quantities are unchanged from previous problem: Also, the LiBr concentrations are the same:
m! 1 = m! 2 = 0.6 kg x1 = x2 = 50% (by mass)
s
x3 = x4 = 66.4% (by mass)
m! 3 = m! 4 = 0.452 kg
s
m! 5 = m! 6 = m! 7 = 0.148 kg Heat transfer rates at condenser
s
Certain enthalpies also and evaporator remain unchanged:
remain unchanged: QC = 371.2 kW
h1 = -168 kJ QE = 348.2 kW
kg
h3 = -52 kJ At point 2, T2 = 52°C and x2 = x1 = 50%
kg
h5 = 2676 kJ From Fig.17-8:(enthalpies of LiBr-water solutions)
kg
h2 = h @ 52°C and 50% = -120 kJ
h6 = 167.5 kJ kg
kg
h7 = 2520 kJ
kg
Sample Problem 2
 Solution

Energy balance @ heat exchanger:

m! 1h1 + m! 3h3 = m! 2 h2 + m! 4 h4
but, m! 1 = m! 2 and m! 3 = m! 4
m! 1h2 - m! 1h1 = m! 3h3 - m! 3h4
m! 1 ( h2 - h1 ) = m! 3 ( h3 - h4 )
m! 1 0.6
h4 = h3 - ( h2 - h1 ) = -52 - éë -120 - ( -168 ) ùû @ -116 kJ
kg
m! 3 0.452

Rate of Heat Transfer @ heat exchanger:

Qhx = m! 1 ( h2 - h1 ) or m! 3 ( h3 - h4 )
= 0.6 éë -120 - ( -168 ) ùû = 28.8 kW
 Solution
At point 4, @ h4 = -116 kJ and x4 = x3 = 66.4%,
kg
From Fig.17-8:(enthalpies of LiBr-water solutions)
T4 = 64°C

Energy balance @ generator:

Qg + m! 2 h2 = m! 3h3 + m! 5 h5
Heat transfer rate @ generator:
Qg = m! 3h3 + m! 5 h5 - m! 2 h2
= 0.452 ( -52 ) + 0.148 ( 2676 ) - 0.6 ( -120 )
= 444.5 kW
 Solution
Energy balance @ absorber:
Qa + m! 1h1 = m! 4 h4 + m! 7 h7
but, m! 4 = m! 3 and m! 7 = m! 5
Heat transfer rate @ absorber:
Qa = m! 3h4 + m! 5 h7 - m! 1h1
= 0.452 ( -116 ) + 0.148 ( 2520 ) - 0.6 ( -168 )
= 421.3 kW

QE 348.2
COPabs = = = 0.783 There is an improvement
Qg 444.5
compared to 0.736 for the
system without heat
exchanger