REVIEW ON ABSORPTION TECHNOLOGY WITH EMPHASIS ON SMALL CAPACITY ABSORPTION MACHINES

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to review the past achievements in the field of absorption systems, their potential and possible directions for future development. Various types of absorption systems and research on working fluids are discussed in detail. Among various applications, solar cooling and combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) are identified as two most promising applications for further development of absorption machines. Under the same framework, special attention is given to the small capacity absorption machines and their current status at the market. Although this technology looks promising, it is still in development and many issues are open. With respect to that fact, this paper covers all the relevant aspects for further development of small capacity absorption machines.

Dates

  • Submission Date1970-01-01
  • Revision Date2013-03-22
  • Acceptance Date2013-04-04
  • Online Date2013-04-13

DOI Reference

10.2298/TSCI120319016L

References

  1. Burgett, L. W., Byars, M. D., Shultz, K., Absorption systems: the future, more than a niche?, Proceedings, International Sorption Heat Pump Conference, Munich, Germany, 1999, Vol. 1, pp.13-25
  2. Chen, G., He, Y., The latest progress of absorption refrigeration in China, Proceedings, International Congress of Refrigeration, Bejing, China. Paper No. ICR07-174, 2007
  3. ***, IEA SHC Task 25 - Solar Assisted Air Conditioning of Buildings, www.iea-shc.org/task25/
  4. ***, IEA SHC Task 38 - Solar Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration, www.iea-shc.org/task38/
  5. Herold, K. E., Radermacher, R., Klein, S. A., Absorption chillers and heat pumps, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 1996
  6. Dorgan, C. B., Leight, S. P., Dorgan, C. E., Application Guide for Absorption Cooling/Refrigeration Using Recovered Heat, ASHRAE, Atlanta, USA, 1995
  7. Macriss, R. A., Gutraj, J. M., Zawacki, T. S., Absorption fluids data survey: final report on worldwide data, Report No. ORNL/Sub/84-47989/3, Institute of Gas Technology, Chicago, USA, 1988
  8. Kurosawa, S., Nagaoka, Y., Yoshida, A., Masato, O., Kunugi, Y., Working fluids and transport phenomena in advanced absorption heat pumps: Working fluids survey (Annex 14), Report No. HPP-AN14-1, Japan, 1990
  9. Gluesenkamp, K., Radermacher, R., Hwang, Y., Trends in absorption machines, Proceedings, International Sorption Heat Pump Conference, Padua, Italy, 2011, Vol. 1, pp. 13-23
  10. Salavera, D., Esteve, X., Patil, K. R., Mainar, A. M., Coronas, A., Solubility, heat capacity, and density of lithium bromide + lithium iodide + lithium nitrate + lithium chloride aqueous solutions at several compositions and temperatures, Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data, 49 (2004), 3, pp. 613-619
  11. Bourouis, M., Valles, M., Medrano, M., Coronas, A., Absorption of water vapour in the falling film of water-(LiBr + LiI + LiNO3 + LiCl) in a vertical tube at air-cooling thermal conditions, International Journal of Thermal Sciences, 44 (2005), 5, pp. 491-498
  12. Infante Ferreira, C. A., Thermodynamic and physical property data equations for ammonia-lithium nitrate and ammonia-sodium thiocyanate solutions, Solar Energy, 32 (1984), 2, pp. 231-236
  13. Oronel, C., Vallès, M., Bourouis, M., Coronas, A., Absorption process with ammonia/lithium nitrate in plate heat exchangers for absorption refrigeration systems, Proceedings, International Sorption Heat Pump Conference, Seoul, Korea, 2008
  14. Zamora, M., Bourouis, M., Valles, M., Coronas, A., Development of a small capacity air-cooled ammonia-lithium nitrate absorption chiller-first cooling capacity and COP measurements, Proceedings, International Sorption Heat Pump Conference, Padua, Italy, 2011, Vol. 1, pp. 117-124
  15. ***, World's First Triple-Effect Gas Absorption Chiller Commercialized, www.khi.co.jp/english/pressrelease/detail/ba_c3051005-1.html
  16. Infante Ferreira, C. A., Advancement in solar cooling, Proceedings, International Sorption Heat Pump Conference, Padua, Italy, 2011, Vol. 1, pp. 23-46
  17. Kalogirou, S., The potential of solar industrial process heat applications, Applied Energy, 76 (2003), 4, pp. 337-361
  18. Mokhtar, M., Ali, M. T., Bräuniger, S., Afshari, A., Sgouridis, S., Armstrong, P., Chiesa, M., Systematic comprehensive techno-economic assessment of solar cooling technologies using location-specific climate data, Applied Energy, 87 (2010), 12, pp. 3766-3778
  19. Wu, D. W., Wang, R. Z., Combined cooling, heating and power: A review, Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 32 (2006), 5-6, pp. 459-495
  20. Miura, M., Shiraishi, K., Sano, Y., Tsukano, M., Matsuura, S., Ogura, M., Uchikawa, N., Ohta, M., Nakamura, K., Kuroda, S., Hasegawa, H., Heat Pumps in Japan, Report No. HTPC-128, Heat Pump Technology Center of Japan, Tokyo, 1995
  21. Alarcón-Padilla, D. C., García-Rodríguez, L., Blanco-Gálvez, J., Design recommendations for a multi-effect distillation plant connected to a double-effect absorption heat pump: A solar desalination case study, Desalination, 262 (2010), 1-3, pp. 11-14
  22. Hwang, Y., Potential energy benefits of integrated refrigeration system with microturbine and absorption chiller, International Journal of Refrigeration, 27 (2004), 8, pp. 816-829
  23. Monsberger, M., Kim, D. S., Malenkovic, I., Haslinger, G., Claassen, D. P., Herunter, J., Fuel cell powered hybrid absorption refrigeration system for mobile applications, Proceedings, International Sorption Heat Pump Conference, Seoul, Korea, 2008
  24. Vidal, A., Best, R., Rivero, R., Cervantes, J., Analysis of a combined power and refrigeration cycle by the exergy method, Energy, 31 (2006), 15, pp. 3401-3414
  25. Ziegler, F., Recent developments and future prospects of sorption heat pump systems, International Journal of Thermal Sciences, 38 (1999), 3, pp. 191-208
  26. Grossman, G., Solar-powered systems for cooling, dehumidification and air-conditioning, Solar Energy, 72 (2002), 1, pp. 53-62
  27. Ziegler, F., Sorption heat pumping technologies: Comparisons and challenges, International Journal of Refrigeration, 32 (2009), 4, pp. 566-576
  28. Wang, R. Z., Ge, T. S., Chen, C. J., Ma, Q., Xiong, Z. Q., Solar sorption cooling systems for residential applications: Options and guidelines, International Journal of Refrigeration, 32 (2009), 4, pp. 638-660
  29. Onovwiona, H. I., Ugursal, V. I., Residential cogeneration systems: Review of the current technology, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 10 (2006), 5, pp. 389-431
  30. Henning, H.-M., Solar assisted air conditioning of buildings - an overview, Heat transfer and sustainable energy technologies, 27 (2007), 10, pp. 1734-1749
  31. Ge, Y. T., Tassou, S. A., Chaer, I., Suguartha, N., Performance evaluation of a tri-generation system with simulation and experiment, Applied Energy, 86 (2009), 11, pp. 2317-2326
  32. Aprile, M., PolySMART project: The market potential of micro-CHCP. Deliverable D2-5 of WP2., Report No. 019988, 2004
  33. Deng, J., Wang, R. Z., Han, G. Y., A review of thermally activated cooling technologies for combined cooling, heating and power systems, Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 37 (2011), 2, pp. 172-203
  34. Zogg, R. A., Feng, M. Y., Westphalen, D., Guide to developing air-cooled libr absorption for combined heat and power applications, Report No. DOE281, US Department of Energy, 2005
  35. Kim, D. S., Infante Ferreira, C. A., Air-cooled solar absorption air conditioning, Report No. BSE-NEO 0268.02.03.04.0008, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, 2005
  36. Biermann, W., Reimann, R., Air Cooled Absorption Chillers for Solar Cooling Applications, Report No. EG-77-C-03-1587, Carrier Corp, USA, 1978
  37. Kurosawa, S., Nagaoka, Y., Kannoh, S., Takemoto, S., Sugimoto, S., Oouchi, T., Hatada, T., Kunugi, Y., Kawamura, H., Kohno, K., Machizawa, K. Double effect air cooled absorption refrigerating machine, Patent No. US4841744, 1989
  38. De Vuono, A. C., Hanna, W. T., Osborne, R. L., Ball, D. A., Development of a Double-effect Air-Conditioner Heater (DEACH), Report No. PB-92-222975/XAB, Battelle and Gas Research Institute, USA, 1992
  39. Tongu, S., Makino, Y., Ohnishi, K., Nakatsugawa, S., Practical operating of small-sized air-cooled double-effect absorption chiller-heater by using lithium bromide and aqueous, Proceedings, The International Absorption Heat Pump Conference, New Orleans, USA, 1994, Vol. 1, pp. 125-132
  40. Iizuka, H., Nagamatsuya, K., Takahashi, K., Kuroda, J. Absorbent solution for use with absorption refrigeration apparatus, Patent No. US5108638, 1992
  41. Li, Z. F., Sumathy, K., Experimental studies on a solar powered air conditioning system with partitioned hot water storage tank, Solar Energy, 71 (2001), 5, pp. 285-297
  42. ***, YAZAKI Environment and Energy Equipment Operations (EEEO) milestones, www.yazaki-airconditioning.com/en/airconditioning/history.html
  43. Sözen, A., AltIparmak, D., Usta, H., Development and testing of a prototype of absorption heat pump system operated by solar energy, Applied Thermal Engineering, 22 (2002), 16, pp. 1847-1859
  44. Argiriou, A. A., Balaras, C. A., Kontoyiannidis, S., Michel, E., Numerical simulation and performance assessment of a low capacity solar assisted absorption heat pump coupled with a sub-floor system, Solar Energy, 79 (2005), 3, pp. 290-301
  45. Jakob, U., Eicker, U., Schneider, D., Taki, A. H., Cook, M. J., Simulation and experimental investigation into diffusion absorption cooling machines for air-conditioning applications, Applied Thermal Engineering, 28 (2008), 10, pp. 1138-1150
  46. Zetzsche, M., Koller, T., Brendel, T., Müller-Steinhagen, H., Solar cooling with an ammonia/water absorption chiller, Proceedings, The second international conference of solar air-conditioning, Tarragona, Spain, 2007, Vol. 1, pp. 536-541
  47. Moser, H., Rieberer, R., Small-capacity ammonia/water absorption heat pump for heating and cooling-used for solar cooling applications, Proceedings, The second international conference of solar air-conditioning, Tarragona, Spain, 2007, Vol. 1, pp. 56-61
  48. Castro, J., Oliva, A., Pérez-Segarra, C. D., Cadafalch, J., Evaluation of a small capacity, hot water driven, air-cooled H2O-LiBr absorption machine, HVAC and R Research, 13 (2007), 1, pp. 59-75
  49. Eicker, U., Low energy cooling for sustainable buildings, John Wiley & Sons, 2009
  50. Kim, D. S., Infante Ferreira, C. A., Air-cooled LiBr-water absorption chillers for solar air conditioning in extremely hot weathers, Energy Conversion and Management, 50 (2009), 4, pp. 1018-1025
  51. ***, SolarFrost: The Icebook, www.solarfrost.com/en/icebook.html
  52. Bourouis, M., Coronas, A., Valles, M., Zamora, M. Enfriadora de agua por absorción tipo aire-agua o agua-agua de amoniaco y nitratio de litio, Patent No. PCT/ES2010/070608, 2009
  53. Uppal, A. H., Norton, B., Probert, S. D., A low-cost solar-energy stimulated absorption refrigerator for vaccine storage, Applied Energy, 25 (1986), 3, pp. 167-174
  54. Bansal, N. K., Blumenberg, J., Kavasch, H. J., Roettinger, T., Performance testing and evaluation of solid absorption solar cooling unit, Solar Energy, 61 (1997), 2, pp. 127-140
  55. Erickson, D. C., Waste-heat-powered icemaker for isolated fishing villages, Proceedings, ASHRAE Annual Meeting, Chicago, USA, 1995, Vol. 1, pp. 1185-1188
  56. Pilatowsky, I., Rivera, W., Romero, J. R., Performance evaluation of a monomethylamine-water solar absorption refrigeration system for milk cooling purposes, Applied Thermal Engineering, 24 (2004), 7, pp. 1103-1115
  57. Abrahamsson, K., Gidner, A., Jernqvist, Å., Design and experimental performance evaluation of an absorption heat transformer with self-circulation, Heat Recovery Systems and CHP, 15 (1995), 3, pp. 257-272
  58. Escobar, R. F., Juárez, D., Siqueiros, J., Irles, C., Hernández, J. A., On-line COP estimation for waste energy recovery heat transformer by water purification process, Desalination, 222 (2008), 1-3, pp. 666-672
  59. Velazquez, V. M., Hernández, J. A., Juárez, D., Siqueirosa, J., Mussati, S. F., On-line LiBr+H2O estimation for the performance of a water purification process integrated to an absorption heat transformer, Desalination and Water Treatment, 5 (2009), 1-3, pp. 12-18
  60. Bourouis, M., Valles, M., Medrano, M., Coronas, A., Performance of air-cooled absorption air-conditioning systems working with water-(LiBr + LiI + LiNO3 + LiCl), Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering, 219 (2005), 2, pp. 205-212
  61. Lorton, R., Gilchrist, K., Green, R. J., Development and operation of a high performance 10 kw absorption chiller, International Journal of Refrigeration, 23 (2000), 8, pp. 572-576
  62. Srikhirin, P., Aphornratana, S., Chungpaibulpatana, S., A review of absorption refrigeration technologies, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 5 (2001), 4, pp. 343-372
  63. Fan, Y., Luo, L., Souyri, B., Review of solar sorption refrigeration technologies: Development and applications, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 11 (2007), 8, pp. 1758-1775
  64. Wang, X., Chua, H. T., Absorption cooling: A review of lithium bromide-water chiller technologies, Recent Patents on Mechanical Engineering, 2 (2009), 3, pp. 193-213
  65. Mugnier, D., Solar cooling economics, iea-shc-task38.org/documents/workshops/iea-workshop-aarhus-2010/11-SolarCoolingEconomic-Workshop-Aarhus-Mugnier.pdf/view
  66. Sparber, W., Napolitano, A., Mugnier, D., Le Denne, A., Preisler, A., Motta, M., List of existing solar heating and cooling installations, www.iea-shc-task38.org
  67. ***, PolySMART information brochure: Combined Heating, Cooling and Power Generation in the Small Capacity Range, www.polysmart.org/cms/upload/publications/PolySMART_brochure_09-08-19_final_web.pdf
  68. Moya Arevalo, M., Sistemas avanzados de microtrigeneracion con microturbinas de gas y enfriadoras por absorcion con disipacion por aire, Ph. D. thesis, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain, 2011
  69. Khatri, K. K., Sharma, D., Soni, S. L., Tanwar, D., Experimental investigation of CI engine operated Micro-Trigeneration system, Applied Thermal Engineering, 30 (2010), 11-12, pp. 1505-1509
  70. Yin, H., Qu, M., Archer, D. H., Model based experimental performance analysis of a microscale LiBr-H2O steam-driven double-effect absorption chiller, Applied Thermal Engineering, 30 (2010), 13, pp. 1741-1750
  71. Preisler, A., Rococo project final report: Reduction of costs of solar cooling systems, Report No. TREN/05/FP6EN/S07.54855/020094, Arsenal Research, Austria, 2008
  72. Dickinson, J. K., Hess, R. O., Seaton, J., van Lambalgen, H., Burnham, A. L., Cost and performance analysis of a solar thermal cooling project, ASME Conference Proceedings, 2010 (2010), 43956, pp. 217-223
  73. Sugiartha, N., Tassou, S. A., Chaer, I., Marriott, D., Trigeneration in food retail: An energetic, economic and environmental evaluation for a supermarket application, Applied Thermal Engineering, 29 (2009), 13, pp. 2624-2632
  74. Worek, W. M., Ludovisi, D., Meckler, M., Enhancement of a double-effect absorption cooling system using a vapor recompression absorber, Energy, 28 (2003), 12, pp. 1151-1163
  75. Cansino, J. M., Pablo-Romero, M. D. P., Román, R., Yñiguez, R., Promoting renewable energy sources for heating and cooling in EU-27 countries, Energy Policy, 39 (2011), 6, pp. 3803-3812
Volume 17, Issue 3, Pages739 -762