Simulation of an ammonia–water compression–absorption refrigeration system for water chilling application

A detailed simulation of a 400 kW ammonia–water compression–absorption refrigeration system has been carried out for water chilling application for summer air conditioning. Simulation has been performed for three different configurations of system having 17%, 23%, and 30% relative solution heat exchanger areas. The effect of relative solution heat exchanger area and mass flow rate of weak solution on the COP, cooling capacity and absorber heat load has been studied. The results show that the COP of the system can be increased by maintaining low mass flow rate of weak solution and large relative solution heat exchanger area. Increase in the relative solution heat exchanger area from 10 to 30% resulted in an increase in COP by about 16%. Further increase in relative SHX area revealed that there exists an optimum area at which COP becomes maximum. The performance of this system has been compared with that of a conventional R 22 vapor compression type chiller.