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Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning: Unit - 3

The document discusses vapor absorption refrigeration systems (VARS). It provides 3 key points: 1) VARS uses heat as an input rather than electricity like vapor compression systems. They are useful when excess heat is available from sources like waste heat or solar energy. 2) In a VARS, a refrigerant like ammonia is absorbed into a solution like water in the absorber. Heat is then applied in the generator to release the refrigerant vapor. 3) Practical VARS systems include additional components like an analyzer and rectifier to improve the system and prevent water from entering the condenser, as well as heat exchangers to further improve efficiency.

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SAATVIK JAIN
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135 views30 pages

Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning: Unit - 3

The document discusses vapor absorption refrigeration systems (VARS). It provides 3 key points: 1) VARS uses heat as an input rather than electricity like vapor compression systems. They are useful when excess heat is available from sources like waste heat or solar energy. 2) In a VARS, a refrigerant like ammonia is absorbed into a solution like water in the absorber. Heat is then applied in the generator to release the refrigerant vapor. 3) Practical VARS systems include additional components like an analyzer and rectifier to improve the system and prevent water from entering the condenser, as well as heat exchangers to further improve efficiency.

Uploaded by

SAATVIK JAIN
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Refrigeration and

Air-Conditioning

Unit – 3

Part-1:Vapour Absorption Refrigeration System

Dr. Sandeep Chhabra, ME Deptt.


Vapour Absorption Refrigeration System (VARS)

• Before the development of the vapor compression system of


refrigeration, vapor absorption cycle was very widely used.
• The vapor compression system replaced vapor absorption system
because it has high coefficient of performance (COP).
• The vapor absorption system requires very less amount of electricity
but large amount of heat; hence it can be used very effectively in
industries where very large stocks of excessive steam are available.
• In such cases there is not only effective utilization of steam, but also
lots of savings in electricity costs.
• Of late the vapor absorption systems are being employed by a
number of industries to save on their electric bills.
• However, the vapor absorption system is useful only where large
scale refrigeration in excess of at least 20 tons is required.
Vapour Absorption Refrigeration System (VARS)
• Unlike vapour compression refrigeration systems, the required
input to Vapour 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.
• 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. Since conventional absorption systems use
natural refrigerants such as water or ammonia they are
environment friendly.
Vapour Absorption Refrigeration System (VARS)
Vapour Absorption Refrigeration System (VARS)
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.
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.
Vapour Absorption Refrigeration System (VARS)
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.
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.
Vapour Absorption Refrigeration System (VARS)
Various Processes of Vapor Absorption Cycle
The various processes of the vapor absorption cycle are similar to the
one in vapor compression cycle, only the method of compression of
the refrigerant is different. In vapor absorption system ammonia is
used as the refrigerant, which has very high affinity to dissolve in
water. Here are various processes of vapor absorption cycle:
1) Absorption of the refrigerant: There is no traditional compressor,
instead there is absorber. The absorber consists of water, called as
absorbent, in which the refrigerant, ammonia, dissolves. This Strong
solution of water and ammonia is then pumped to the generator
2) Generation of Ammonia vapor in Generator: Here strong solution
is heated thus high temperature and pressure ammonia vapor occurs.
Ammonia leaves the generator. Weak solution (water + very less
amount of ammonia) comes back to absorber through expansion
valve.
2) Condensation: High pressure and temperature ammonia vapor
then enters condenser where it is cooled by water and condensation
Various Processes of Vapor Absorption Cycle….contd.

3) Expansion: Thereafter the expansion of refrigerant occurs in


throttling valve due to which the temperature and pressure of the
ammonia refrigerant reduces drastically and suddenly.
4) Evaporation: Finally the refrigerant enters the evaporator where it
produces the cooling effect. It leaves the evaporator in vapor state
and then enters absorber, where it is absorbed by absorbent, water
and compressed by the pump. This process repeats again and cycle
continues.
Vapour Absorption Refrigeration System (VARS)
PRACTICAL VAPOUR ABSORPTION SYSTEM
PRACTICAL VAPOUR ABSORPTION SYSTEM….contd.
To improve the above simple system, especially to prevent water going along with ammonia
vapours into condensor, to get more economy of heat, certain changes are made.
Analyser and Rectifier are added to reduce the passage of water into condenser.

Analyzer
Analyser is usually an arrangement of trays and may be an integral part of the generator
itself. Here, both the strong solutions from absorber and aqua from rectifier are dropped
and allowed to flow on the trays and then get exposed and cooled. This partial cooling
condenses water vapour and only ammonia vapour leaves at the top

Rectifier
Rectifier is a double pipe, shell and coil or shell and tube type of vapour cooler. It is usually
water cooled. Cooling is just sufficient to remove all the water and leave only ammonia
vapours in the condenser. Temp is almost 100 – 120ºC.

Heat Exchangers
One heat exchanger is located between absorber and generator, and serves to cool the
weak aqua by heating the strong aqua. Double pipe system is used in small system, while
shell and tube is used in large system. This will reduce the amount of heat added in the
generator and decrease the amount of heat rejected in the absorber. The sizes of the
generator and absorber will also be reduced.
PRACTICAL VAPOUR ABSORPTION SYSTEM….contd.

Another heat exchanger is provided between Condenser and Evaporator. This is also
called as Liquid Sub-cooler. It exchanges heat between high temperature liquid ammonia
refrigerant coming out from the Condenser and low temperature ammonia vapour
refrigerant coming out from Evaporator. Thus liquid refrigerant is sub-cooled and
increases refrigeration effect in Evaporator.
Desirable Characteristics of Refrigerant-Absorbent Pair
1) Low viscosity to minimize pump work
(2) Low freezing point
(3) Good chemical and thermal stability. Also, the two main thermodynamic
requirements.

Solubility requirement
The refrigerant should have more than Raoult’s law solubility in the absorbent so that a
strong solution, highly rich in the refrigerant, is formed in the absorber by the absorption
of the refrigerent vapour.
PROPERTIES OF REFRIGERANT – ABSORBENT COMBINATION

Introduction
1. Refrigerant should be much more volatile than absorbent.
2. Refrigerant properties must provide moderate +ve pressures same as VC
3. Both should be chemically stable at all operating conditions same as VC
4. They should not form solid phase in the operating conditions same as VC
5. Absorbent should have strong affinity for refrigerant.
6. Both should not cause corrosion in the range of conditions same as VC
7. Should not be toxic and inflammable.
8. Low viscosity to promote heat and mass transfer.
9. Refrigerant should have high latent heat to reduce mass flow same as VC rate.
10. Both must be completely miscible in liquid and vapour phases and no range of
concentration values where a heterogeneous mixture would exist.
COP of Vapour Absorption Refrigeration System
Let

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