WREC 1996

The Design of an Evaporator/Absorber and Thermodynamic Analysis of a Vapor Absorption Chiller Driven by Solar Energy
LA. Bell*, A.J. Al-Daini*, Habib AI-AK**, RG. Abdel-Gayed* and I.,. Duckers* *!khool of Engineering, University of Coventy, priory Street, coventq Cvx SFB, UK. ** King Fahd University of Petrokum 0 Mmerab, Chemical Engineering Deputment, Dbahran 31261, Saudi Anbii

ABSTRACT

system being developed, driven by the heat generated by the solar is at Coventry University. The proposed absorption cooling system energy collection system install comprises an evaporator/absorber cell and a generator/condenser cell. These are housed evacuated glass cylinders to allow the processes involved to be observed. Thecozonents r gerant-absotbent pan used is water and Lithium Bromide since a low temperature heat source can be used to drive the refkigerant from the carrier fluid.. A thermodynamic analys& of the absorption cooling cycle has been performed to study the e&ct of various operating conditions on the thermal petformance. This paper presents the design of the evaporator/absorber cell and the results of the thermodynamic analysis.
Au expefimefltal ahsorptiou coo

KEYWORDS
Absorption refrigeration, Water-Lithium Bromide, Solar energy, Evaporator, Absorber

INTRODUCTION
An absorption refrigeration system for air-conditioning purposes powered by solar heat is extremely attractiveforuseinhotaridareasoftheworld,sincewheasolarenergyishigh~oeedforcoolingis greatest. Solar cooling systems would reduce the electrical energy demand needed for conventional airconditioning systems. The err&onmentsl impact of absoq~tion refrigeration machines is small since CFC ref?igemnts are normally emp!o:~ed 89 mnpwd to cmmtionnd refrigeration ems. However, absorption cooling systems are not without disad es they are bulky, expen&e at? more complex than work driven systems. Therefore, considerable resear- is bemg carried out to develop an e&ient and an vsn3 economically viable coupling between a solar energy ccllecttou system and an absorption cooling unit. Theaimofthepresentresearchistoinvestigate indctailmassandheattmnafermtesinanabso on reiligerator with a view of improving performance parameters such as the evaporation rate ruxn the absorption rate thus optimizin the desi of the unit. This paper 8 the design of an evaporator/absorber vessel and t f e results o!na thermodynamic analysis on t#?- overall performance of an e absorption retIigerator.

DESIGN OF EVAPO~TOIUABSOBBEB

CELL

Figure 1. Shows the schematic of the expeiimental setup. It consists of two glass vessels, a heat exchanger, adistriiorheader,andavacuum pump. The top ass vessel contains water in order to simulate the condition of the coudenser outlet in a absorption r & gcrator. The bottom glass vessel contams theheat 657

WREC 1996 exchanger: to act as the evaporator, the distributor header to drop water droplets on the heat exchanger and a stagnate pool oflithium Bromide-water solution of strong concentration to act as the absorber. s vessels are constructed by using bell vacuum jars of 185 mm internal diameter and 300 mm with endplates made of polycarbonate to ckrse the jars.. The distributor header is made of copper holes drilled in it. The heat exchanger is made of standard 15 mm 150 mm x mm soldered to the co 75 tubing. A water tray is bottom of the hei? cxchange~ to CCilHt e?y r&f* . &q?Iets that 8 not evaporate. All of the o vab!es and tube co~ectofs are seabd by using high vacuum grease.. The operation of the system works as foiiovis:- The tot v-es& b evacuated until it reaches the saturation nressure of the water at a temnerature of about 20 C. The bottom vessel is then evacuated to a low ftture of water of about 5 OC.The throttle valve is opened to &sure corresponding to a saGration tern 1 ow aIlow the water hrn the top vessel to d to the bottom vessel. There is a pressure drop across the throttle valve and this lowers the tenmerature of the water before enterinn the distributor. The distributor is constructed such that the low t * ature water dro lets impinge 0; the heat exe er. The water droplets impin * on the heat exe er evaporate tg us producing a cooling e&c& ha#im g the water c ** % flowing throu rf t e heat exchanger. The water vapor that is produced is absorbed in the Lithium Bromidexatcr ZOitiOQ thus llabtt a iOW pressure to ixhriue evapratioii of water. However, a&r a certain time has elapsed the absorbent solution becomes so weak that absorption no longer takes place, and the pressure and temperature rises to such an extent that no useM cooling can be attamed. when this happens the absorbent solution is then drained and water is boiled off to regenerate the solution to be able to repeat the test run.

Lithium Bromide

Tovacuumpump

Fig. 1. Schematic of experimental aparatus of evaporator/absorbercell.

INSTRUMENTATION ON THE SYSTEM Type k thermocouples insulted in a stainless steel sheath are used to measure temperatures inside the glass vessels. Pressure transducers are used to measure the vacuum obtained in the vessels. A turbine flowmeter is used to measure the flow rate of water through the heat exchanger and type k thermocouples are used to measure the temperatures at inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger. All of these transducers are connected to a computerized data aquisition system. Density measurement smadebyadensitymeterareusedto evaluate the connations of the Lithium Bromide .and water solution be&e and &er each test run.

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ormance of the system was determined by applying mass and ener balances for The thermodynamic each componenttEf cycle as shown in Figure 2. Seversl assumptions were made to simpB the anat+, of two important ones were that the working fluids were assumed to be at equilibrium at the specified points and temperatures of the working fluids leaving the generator and absorber are equal to the generator and absorber temperatures respectively. The performance of the refrigeration cycle is expressed as the Coethcient Of Performance (COP) defmed as being the ratio of the cooling capacity to that of the energy input to drive the system.

Evaporator

Absorber

Fig 2. Absorption Cooling Cycle

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Figure 3 shows the variation of COP with generator temperature (Tgen) for two condenser temperatures of e of 100 C or more, there is no ef&ct 40 C and 50 OC. The figure shows that for a generator t on the system COP (condenser temperature in the rangeenYramro C). s o 40-50 Figure 4 shows the variation of COP with evaporator temperature (Tev) for two generator temperatures of 95 C and 105 C. The figure shows that for an evaporator temperature of 10 C or more, there is no effect on the system COP (generator temperature in .the range sf9S-105 C). s Figure 5 Shows the variation of CGP with absorber temperature (Tab) at two generator temperatures of 95 C and 105 C. The figure shows that for an absorber temperature of 42 C or less, there is no effect on the system COP (generator temperature in the range of 95-10s C). s Figure 6. shows the variation of COP with generator temperature at low absorber and condenser temperatures of 32 C. The figure shows that for a generator temperature of 68 OC or more , a satisfactory COP is obtained.

CONCLUSION
The results of the thermodynamic analysis indicate that there are optimum values of generator temperature that give the maximum COP for each set. of operating conditions. That by o athrg the vapor COP at a absorption refrigerator at low condenser and absorber temperatures yields a satr Eory generator temperature as low as 68 C.

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WREC 1996
I_-_-_-_-__-

-0-COPatTc.,m=40DC +-COP at Twa = 50 DC

Tev Tab

=5OC = 40 OC

+COP +-COP

.t Ten

= 95 OC

Tam=5O C Tab = 40 OC

.t Tgcn = 105 OC

95

105

115

Cl

10

12

14

16

Generator

Temperature iC>

Evaporator

Temperature

(C)

Fig.3. Variation of COP with generator temperature.

i--COP -e-COP 0.8 Y .t Tgen = 95 C a+ Tgsn = 105 qz Tev = 5 C Tcm=40C

Fig. 4. Variation of COP with evaporator temperature.

Tw = 5 C Tab = 32C Tcon -31 OC

0.4

J 30 50

~sorb~Tem~ra&$C)

Fig. 5. Variation of COP with absorber temperature.

Fig. 6. Variation of COP with generator temperature at low absorber and condenser temperatures.

REFERENCES
1. M. A. R. Eisa and F. A. Holland. A Study of the operating parameters in a water-lithium absorption cooler.. Energy Re~z~rch Vol. 10, p13?-144,!984. 2. M. A. R. Eisa, P. Diggoq and F. A Hoiiand. di%%rencesinabsorberandxmderlaert c&er.. Energy Convers. Mgmt Voj 27 pm;y9;, Experimemai studies to de&m@ the perfbrman= bromide

fhe &ect of

Of a water-hthmm bromide

3. C. Y. Jeng, Y. Y. Yo, Y.K. Chuah and F. H. Chu. A simple analysis on the performance of absorption heat pump system. IEEE 1989 V3 pp2111-2116. 4. S. Alizadeh, F. Baher and F. Geola. Design and optimisation of an absorption &iigeration system operated by solar energy. Solar Energy Vol22, p149-154,1979. 5. M. A. Hammad and M. S. Audi. Performance of a solar LiBr-water absorption refrigeration system. Renewable Energy, Vo12 ~275282,198O. 6. ASHRAE 1981 handbook of&ndemtals , chapter 17.

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