VAPOUR ABSORPTION
REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS
Prof. sumit kumar
Assistant Professor,
NIETM, Nagpur
CONTENTS
• Introduction
• Simple Vapour Absorption System
• Practical Vapour Absorption System
• C.O.P of Ideal Vapour Absorption System
• Properties of Ideal Refrigerant and Absorbent
• Properties of Ideal Refrigerant-Absorbent combination
• Advantages of Absorption system over Compression system
• Domestic Electrolux Refrigerator
• Principle & Working of Domestic Electrolux refrigerator
• Advantages & Disadvantages of Domestic Electrolux Refrigerator
• References
INTRODUCTION
• It is a heat operated system.
• It is quite similar to Vapour Compression systems. Condensation and
evaporation takes place at two different pressure levels to achieve refrigeration.
• The main motive is to raise the temperature of the refrigerant from evaporator
pressure to condenser pressure.
• Here refrigerant is dissolved in inert liquid in absorber and pumped to
condenser.
• After raising pressure of refrigerant it is separated from solution by heating.
• After condensation in condenser, refrigerant is throttled by expansion valve
and
then it evaporates in evaporator providing the refrigeration effect.
SIMPLE VAPOUR ABSORPTION SYSTEM
• Ammonia vapour from evaporator is
absorbed by water in absorber.
Condensation heat released is absorbed by
cooling water.
• After being pumped to generator, heat is
supplied which gives ammonia vapour.
Weak sol. sent back to absorber.
• High pressure vapour is condensed to
high
pressure liquid ammonia in condenser.
• Liquid ammonia is throttled by expansion
valve, and then it evaporates absorbing heat
from evaporator.
Simple Vapour Absorption System
PRACTICAL VAPOUR ABSORPTION
SYSTEM
Practical Vapour Absorption System
COEFFICIENT OF PERFORMANCE
OF IDEAL ABSORPTION
SYSTEM
C.O.P OF IDEAL ABSORPTION
SYSTEM (CONTINUED)
Various energy transfers in VARS
C.O.P OF IDEAL ABSORPTION
SYSTEM (CONTINUED)
PROPERTIES OF IDEAL REFRIGERANT
& ABSORBENT
Properties of ideal refrigerant : Properties of ideal absorbent :
• It should boil b/w 2˚-10 ˚C and condense at 40 • Greater affinity for refrigerant.
˚C or above. (pressure around atmospheric) • Heat released during absorption of
• Large latent heat of vaporization. refrigerant should be minimum.
• High critical temperature. • High boiling point.
• Low specific heat. • Low specific heat.
• Stability in complete cycle. • Chemical stability.
PROPERTIES OF IDEAL REFRIGERANT-
ABSORBENT COMBINATION
• Refrigerant should have high affinity for absorber at low temperatures & less affinity
at high temperatures.
• Mixture should have low specific heat and viscosity.
• It should be non-corrosive.
• Large difference in normal boiling points of refrigerant and absorbent.
Commonly used combinations in
air- conditioning applications :
• Ammonia-water
• Lithium-bromide water
ADVANTAGES OF ABSORPTION SYSTEM
OVER COMPRESSION SYSTEM
• No moving part except pump-motor, which is comparatively smaller than
compressor system.
• Quiet in operation, low maintenance cost.
• Can work only with thermal energy as an input.
• Can be built for huge working capacities. (even for above 1000 TR)
• Can be operated at designed C.O.P’s or even at part loads by varying generator
temperature.
• Space and Auto. control requirements favour absorption system.
DOMESTIC ELECTROLUX
REFRIGERATOR
• Developed from an invention by “Carl
Munters” & “Baltzer Von Platen”.
• Also known as “Three-fluid
absorption
system” and “Munter’s Platen
System”.
• Three fluids used are ammonia, hydrogen
and water.
Domestic Electrolux Refrigerator
PRINCIPLE & WORKING OF
ELECTROLUX REFRIGERATOR
Working cycle of Electrolux Refrigerator
POINTS WORTH NOTING ROLE OF HYDROGEN
(FOR ELECTROLUX REF.)
• Complete cycle is carried out • Helps in maintaining uniform total pressure
entirely by flow of gravity of throughout the system.
refrigerant. • Permits the refrigerant to evaporate at low
• With this type of machine, efficiency is temperature in evaporator, corresponding to
not important since the energy input its partial pressure.
is very small.
• Due to low C.O.P, it cannot be used
for industrial purposes.
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
(ELECTROLUX REF.) (ELECTROLUX REF.)
• No pump/compressor required. • More complicated in construction
• No mechanical troubles, low and working.
maintenance. • Low C.O.P.
• No lubrication required, no wear-tear. • If spoiled once, cannot be repaired
• Completely leak proof. and has to be replaced fully.
• Noiseless.
• Easy control, only by heat input.
REFERENCES
• Er. R.K. Rajput.Vapour Absorption Refrigeration Systems. Feb 03, 2014, “A textbook of
Refrigeration & Air-conditioning-2013”.
• Prof. M. Ramgopal. Various energy transfers in VARS (image). Feb 02, 2014, from
http://nptel.ac.in/courses/Webcourse-contents/IIT%20Kharagpur/Ref
• Prof. R. C. Arora. Domestic Electrolux Refrigerator (image). Feb 02, 2014,
from
http://nptel.ac.in/courses/Webcourse- contents/IIT%20Kharagpur/Ref%20and
%20Air%20Cond/pdf
