Abstract
To improve the low-temperature waste heat recovery and its utilization, we proceeded with the development of a low-temperature-driven absorption chiller adopting a double-lift absorption cooling cycle. In the previous reports, we developed a proof-of-concept prototype and it delivered chilled water with 7 °C when it was driven by 60 °C heat source hot water inlet and 30 °C cooling water. We also confirmed the reliability of this result from the heat balance of the experimental data, according to the AHRI standard. However, the cooling heat quantity (QEw) was approximately 12% lower compared to the calculation. This report discusses a potential cause of the performance decrease by comparing QEw with the heat discharge from the condenser (QCw). The ratio of QEw to QCw is approximately 20% lower than the calculation, so we assumed that there is an internal heat loss due to the structure of the prototype, considering its external heat balance was less than 2.0%. Therefore, we assimilated this internal heat loss as a part of the cycle simulation program and computed the chilled water temperature characteristics of the prototype. The simulation results show good agreement with the experimental results by considering the internal heat loss between the low-pressure absorber and the evaporator. This paper is based on results obtained from the Future Pioneering Program "Research and Development Project for Innovative Thermal Management Materials and Technologies"(JPNP15007) commissioned by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
