Absorption Chillers
Industrial absorption chillers use high temperature heat as their main energy source. Unlike compression cycle systems, industrial absorption chillers use a very small amount of electricity because only the pumps require electrical power to operate. The investment cost of an industrial absorption chiller is higher than compressor systems therefore they are mostly used by large installations. When there is an abundance of heat or there is a minimum of electricity available industrial absorption chillers can be used for both heating and cooling simultaneously.
Using water as the refrigerant and a solution of lithium bromide (LiBr) as the absorbent, industrial absorption chillers prove to be extremely efficient. This the result of using the process cooling water from the absorber and the condenser.
Industrial Absorption Chillers Benefits and Trade-Offs
Systems involving industrial absorption chillers range from the simplest one-stage system (one absorber and one generator) to the use of multistage absorbers or generators. Using multistage industrial absorption chillers increases the system performance but also increases the investment cost. Using lithium bromide in 60-65% concentrations in an industrial absorption chiller can be potentially very corrosive to stainless steel and copper, the higher the temperature the more risk of corrosion. However, by adding corrosion inhibitors the copper-brazed CBE technology can withstand corrosion provided no air enters the system and the temperature stays below 110C.
Chiller Manufacturers
Chiller manufacturers are redesigning and refining their chiller packages for more reliability, ease of use and energy efficiency. Environmental friendliness has also become a priority for chiller manufacturers as the struggle to create equipment with low noise and reduced vibration. Major chiller manufacturers are finding that it is more efficient to make improvements to their chiller lines by tweaking through system concepts rather than technology.
Integrating variable-speed drives, factory-mounted controls and simplifying the overall chiller design and construction is what chiller manufacturers are working to achieve. Industrial absorption chillers have a low c0-efficience of performance but you can also substantially reduce your overall operating costs if you incorporate low-grade waste steam to energize your industrial absorption chillers.