Thermally-Activated Machines

Refrigeration Cycle Descriptions

Absorption Chiller Refrigeration Cycle

The basic cooling cycle is the same for the

absorption and electric chillers. Both
systems use a low-temperature liquid
refrigerant that absorbs heat from the water
to be cooled and converts to a vapor phase
(in the evaporator section). The refrigerant
vapors are then compressed to a higher
pressure (by a compressor or a generator),
converted back into a liquid by rejecting
heat to the external surroundings (in the
condenser section), and then expanded to a
low- pressure mixture of liquid and vapor
(in the expander section) that goes back to
the evaporator section and the cycle is
repeated.

The basic difference between the electric chillers and absorption chillers is that an
electric chiller uses an electric motor for operating a compressor used for raising the
pressure of refrigerant vapors and an absorption chiller uses heat for compressing
refrigerant vapors to a high-pressure. The rejected heat from the power-generation
equipment (e.g. turbines, microturbines, and engines) may be used with an absorption
chiller to provide the cooling in a CHP system.

The basic absorption cycle employs two fluids, the absorbate or refrigerant, and the
absorbent. The most commonly fluids are water as the refrigerant and lithium bromide
as the absorbent. These fluids are
separated and recombined in the absorption
cycle. In the absorption cycle the low-
pressure refrigerant vapor is absorbed into
the absorbent releasing a large amount of
heat. The liquid refrigerant/absorbent
solution is pumped to a high-operating
pressure generator using significantly less
electricity than that for compressing the
refrigerant for an electric chiller. Heat is
added at the high-pressure generator from
a gas burner, steam, hot water or hot
gases. The added heat causes the
refrigerant to desorb from the absorbent
and vaporize. The vapors flow to a
condenser, where heat is rejected and
condense to a high-pressure liquid. The liquid is then throttled though an expansion
valve to the lower pressure in the evaporator where it evaporates by absorbing heat and
provides useful cooling. The remaining liquid absorbent, in the generator passes through
a valve, where its pressure is reduced, and then is recombined with the low-pressure
refrigerant vapors returning from the evaporator so the cycle can be repeated.

Absorption chillers are used to generate cold water (44°F) that is circulated to air
handlers in the distribution system for air conditioning.

"Indirect-fired" absorption chillers use steam, hot water or hot gases steam from a
boiler, turbine or engine generator, or fuel cell as their primary power input. Theses
chillers can be well suited for integration into a CHP system for buildings by utilizing the
rejected heat from the electric generation process, thereby providing high operating
efficiencies through use of otherwise wasted energy.

"Direct-fired" systems contain natural gas burners; rejected heat from these chillers can
be used to regenerate desiccant dehumidifiers or provide hot water.

Commercially absorption chillers can be single-effect or multiple-effect. The above

schematic refers to a single-effect absorption chiller. Multiple-effect absorption chillers
are more efficient and discussed below.

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Multiple-Effect Absorption Chillers

In a single-effect absorption chiller, the heat

released during the chemical process of
absorbing refrigerant vapor into the liquid
stream, rich in absorbent, is rejected to the
environment. In a multiple-effect absorption
chiller, some of this energy is used as the
driving force to generate more refrigerant
vapor. The more vapor generated per unit
of heat or fuel input, the greater the cooling
capacity and the higher the overall
operating efficiency.

A double-effect chiller uses two generators

paired with a single condenser, absorber,
and evaporator. It requires a higher
temperature heat input to operate and
therefore they are limited in the type of
electrical generation equipment they can be paired with when used in a CHP System.

Triple-effect chillers can achieve even higher efficiencies than the double-effect chillers.
These chillers require still higher elevated operating temperatures that can limit choices
in materials and refrigerant/absorbent pairs. Triple-effect chillers are under development
by manufacturers working in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy.
Animation of a Direct-Fired Double-Effect Absorpton Chiller
(Courtesy of InterEnergy Software)

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Desiccant Dehumidification Cycle for Solid Desiccants

A typical approach to using solid desiccants for dehumidifying air streams is by

impregnating them into a light-weight honeycomb or corrugated matrix that is formed
into a wheel. The desiccant-coated wheel is rotated through a "supply" or "process" air
stream. The "active" section of the wheel removes moisture from the air and the dried
air is routed to the building. By drying the air provided to a chiller, air-conditioning
efficiencies are increased because a desiccant removes the moisture from the air more
efficiently than a chiller or a direct-expansion (DX) evaporator does.

The other section of the wheel rotates through a "reactivation" or "regeneration" air
stream that dries the desiccant out and carries the moisture out of the building. The
desiccant can be reactivated with air that is either hotter or drier than the process air.

"Passive" desiccant wheels that are used in total energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) and
enthalpy exchangers use dry building exhaust air for regeneration. These simple
enthalpy wheels are generally less expensive but also less effective than active desiccant
units.

The "active" desiccant wheel can dry the supply air continuously, to any desired
humidity level, in all weather, regardless of the moisture content of building exhaust air.
They are regenerated with hot air from a burner or other heat source (such as rejected
heat from a power generation equipment in a CHP system). This allows them to be used
independently of or in combination with building exhaust air and thus, allows more
operational/control flexibility. Enthalpy wheels or heat pipes can be added to transfer
energy from the supply side to the exhaust side, reducing energy requirements and
boosting efficiency.

The ability of a desiccant dehumidifier to use the heat rejected from a turbine,
microturbine, or engine-generator makes "active" desiccant systems well suited for
integration into a CHP system for buildings providing dependable, low maintenance
dehumidification performance at high operating efficiencies.

Animation of a typical Solid Desiccant Dehumidification Cycle.

(Courtesy of InterEnergy Software)

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Desiccant Dehumidification Cycle for Liquid Desiccants

In a typical liquid desiccant system, shown below, the desiccant is distributed in one
chamber (conditioner), using spray nozzles, where it contacts the passing process air
stream to be dehumidified. Lithium chloride solution is the most common liquid
desiccant used commercially. As the desiccant absorbs the moisture from the process
air, heat is released. A cooling coil in the chamber (or chilled liquid desiccant itself)
removes the heat of sorption, creating simultaneous desiccant dehumidification and
aftercooling, providing latent and sensible cooling.
  
(Courtesy of Munters Corporation)

The moisture laden desiccant from the conditioning chamber is then pumped to the
other chamber (regenerator), where heat is applied, using a heating coil. In the
regenerator, heat drives off the water from the desiccant into an exhaust air stream.
Heat to drive off the water could come from many sources, including exhaust gas
streams from power generation and absorption cooling systems. The desiccant is now
ready to be re-used in the conditioning chamber. It is pumped from the regeneration
chamber, to be redistributed in the conditioning/dehumidification chamber.

An interchanger is often used to cool the warmer desiccant leaving the regenerator by
exchanging heat with the cooler desiccant from the conditioner. Additional process air
sensible cooling may be required to provide process control or comfortable space dry
bulb temperatures.

One regenerator can handle desiccant from several conditioning chambers. Varying the
concentration of desiccant in the solution controls humidity in the processed air.

Liquid desiccant systems not only control humidity in process air, but also scrub the air
of particulates, killing bacteria and viruses.