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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Central cooling: absorptive chillers

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5230732· OSTI ID:5230732

This technology evaluation covers commercially available single-effect, lithium-bromide absorption chillers ranging in nominal cooling capacities of 3 to 1,660 tons and double-effect lithium-bromide chillers from 385 to 1,060 tons. The nominal COP measured at operating conditions of 12 psig input steam for the single-effect machine, 85/sup 0/ entering condenser water, and 44/sup 0/F exiting chilled-water, ranges from 0.6 to 0.65. The nominal COP for the double-effect machine varies from 1.0 to 1.15 with 144 psig entering steam. Data are provided to estimate absorption-chiller performance at off-nominal operating conditions. The part-load performance curves along with cost estimating functions help the system design engineer select absorption equipment for a particular application based on life-cycle costs. Several suggestions are offered which may be useful for interfacing an absorption chiller with the remaining Integrated Community Energy System. The ammonia-water absorption chillers are not considered to be readily available technology for ICES application; therefore, performance and cost data on them are not included in this evaluation.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn. (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-31109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
5230732
Report Number(s):
ANL/CES/TE-77-8
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English