An experimental integrated absorption heat pump effluent purification system. Part I: operating on water lithium bromide solutions

The merits of single stage absorption heat pumps coupled to simple distilla tion for effluent treatment are discussed. An experimental integrated absor ption heat pump effluent purification system (IAHPEPS) was built and operat ed with water-lithium bromide as a working mixture. This unit has been used to raise the temperature and hence, the vapour pressure of the impure wate r contained in one vessel, to the point where pure water vapour will distil from impure effluent solution (tap water or brine) and condense in a secon d vessel used to collect pure water. Pure effluent production rates of betw een 0.5 and 4.3 kg h(-1) were obtained. The actual coefficient of performan ce (COPA) and the heat pump effectiveness varied from 1.1 to 1.4 and 0.58 t o 0.72, respectively. The results from the small scale system indicate the likely results from industrial scale units which could be operated with low quality heat such as waste heat, solar or geothermal resources, (C) 1998 E lsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.