3.vapor Absorption Refrigeration System
3.vapor Absorption Refrigeration System
3.vapor Absorption Refrigeration System
REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS
1
Vapor Absorption Refrigeration System
• Vapour Absorption Refrigeration Systems (VARS)
belong to the class of vapour cycles similar to
vapour compression refrigeration systems.
• However, unlike vapour compression refrigeration
systems, the required input to absorption
systems is in the form of heat.
• Hence these systems are also called as heat
operated or thermal energy driven systems.
• Since conventional absorption systems use liquids
for absorption of refrigerant, these are also
sometimes called as wet absorption systems.
Continued…
• Similar to vapour compression refrigeration systems,
vapour absorption refrigeration systems have also been
commercialized and are widely used in various
refrigeration and air conditioning applications.
• Since these systems run on low-grade thermal energy,
they are preferred when low-grade energy such as
waste heat or solar energy is available.
• Conventional absorption systems are environment
friendly since they use natural refrigerants such as
water or ammonia
VARS Cycle
Continued…
• Figure (a) and (b) show a continuous output vapour compression
refrigeration system and a continuous output vapour absorption
refrigeration system.
• As shown in the figure in a continuous absorption system, low
temperature and low pressure refrigerant with low quality enters
the evaporator and vaporizes by producing useful refrigeration Qe.
• From the evaporator, the low temperature, low pressure refrigerant
vapour enters the absorber where it comes in contact with a
solution that is weak in refrigerant.
• The weak solution absorbs the refrigerant and becomes strong in
refrigerant. The heat of absorption is rejected to the external heat
sink at To.
• The solution that is now rich in refrigerant is pumped to high
pressure using a solution pump and fed to the generator.
Continued…
• In the generator heat at high temperature Tg is supplied, as
a result refrigerant vapour is generated at high pressure.
• This high pressure vapour is then condensed in the
condenser by rejecting heat of condensation to the
external heat sink at To.
• The condensed refrigerant liquid is then throttled in the
expansion device and is then fed to the evaporator to
complete the refrigerant cycle.
• On the solution side, the hot, high-pressure solution that is
weak in refrigerant is throttled to the absorber pressure in
the solution expansion valve and fed to the absorber where
it comes in contact with the refrigerant vapour from
evaporator.
Continued…
• Thus continuous refrigeration is produced at evaporator,
while heat at high temperature is continuously supplied to
the generator.
• Heat rejection to the external heat sink takes place at
absorber and condenser.
• A small amount of mechanical energy is required to run the
solution pump.
• If we neglect pressure drops, then the absorption system
operates between the condenser and evaporator pressures.
• Pressure in absorber is same as the pressure in evaporator
and pressure in generator is same as the pressure in
condenser.
Continued…
• It can be seen from Figure above, that as far as the
condenser, expansion valve and evaporators are
concerned both compression and absorption systems
are identical.
• However, the difference lies in the way the refrigerant
is compressed to condenser pressure.
• In vapour compression refrigeration systems the
vapour is compressed mechanically using the
compressor, where as in absorption system the vapour
is converted into a liquid and then the liquid is pumped
to condenser pressure using the solution pump.
Continued…
• Since for the same pressure difference, work input
required to pump a liquid (solution) is much less than
the work required for compressing a vapour due to
very small specific volume of liquid (v), the mechanical
energy required to operate vapour absorption
refrigeration system is much less than that required to
operate a compression system.