Thermodynamic simulation of an absorption heat pump-transformer-power cycle operating with the ammonia-water mixture

• Published in: Applied thermal engineering Vol. 182; p. 116174
• Main Authors: Hernández-Magallanes, J.A., Tututi-Avila, Salvador, Cerdán-Pasarán, Andrea, Morales, L.I., Rivera, W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 05.01.2021; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Absorption; Ammonia; Ammonia-water; Energy efficiency; Exergy; Heat and power; Heat pumps; Heat transformers; Lithium; Temperature; Thermodynamic efficiency; Thermodynamics; Transformers; Heat pumps; Heat transformers; Heat and power; Ammonia-water
• ISSN: 1359-4311; 1873-5606
• DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2020.116174

•A novel absorption het-pump-transformer-power cycle with NH3-H2O was modeled.•The results were compared with a similar system operating with NH3-LiNO3.•Thermal efficiencies varied from 0.34 to 0.56 and the maximum exergy efficiency was 0.83.•The maximum net power produced was 150 kW with gross temperature lifts up to 50 °C.•The exergy efficiencies were up to 17.2% higher with NH3-H2O than with NH3-LiNO3. The modeling of an innovative absorption heat pump-transformer-power cycle is presented. The performance of the thermodynamic cycle is first analyzed operating with the ammonia-water mixture, and then the results are compared with the same system but operating with the ammonia-lithium nitrate mixture. Net power, thermal efficiency, exergy efficiency, gross temperature lift and irreversibilities of the entire system are reported as a function of the main system temperatures. The results showed that the thermal efficiencies of the system operating with the ammonia-water mixture varied between 0.34 and 0.56 depending on the absorber and high generator temperatures. The maximum exergy efficiency was 0.83, while the maximum net power produced was 150 kW. The exergy efficiency is up to 17.2% higher with the ammonia-water than with the ammonia-lithium nitrate mixture, but at generator temperatures higher than 160 °C, the exergy efficiency values are higher with the ammonia-lithium nitrate mixture. The gross temperature lifts were in general up to 10 °C higher with the ammonia-water compare to the ammonia-lithium nitrate mixture.