Recent Developments in the Design of a New Air-Cooled, Hot-Water-Driven H_2O-LiBr Absorption Chiller

摘要

This paper explains the up-to-date stage of development of an air-cooled H_2O-LiBr absorption chiller. The methodology of development is based on the systematic application of advanced numerical and experimental techniques, taking into consideration economical criteria. In a previous development of a laboratory prototype of this concept of absorption chiller, two levels of mathematical modelling of different degree of detail, implemented for design/prediction purposes, were experimentally validated: (1) modelling of the absorption cycle, based on overall balances of mass and energy in the different elements; (2) modelling of the heat exchangers of the absorption cycle, that take into account the specific heat and mass transfer processes implied by means of semi-empirical models. The same models have been applied for a new pre-industrial prototype.