DEVELOPMENT OF A FIXED-BED ABSORPTION REFRIGERATOR WITH HIGH-POWER DENSITY FOR THE USE OF LOW-GRADE HEAT-SOURCES

The low efficiency and the high cost of sorption systems with small or medium cooling capacity have until now impeded their widespread appli cation except in recreational vehicles. The comparison of the most ent icing sorption systems shows that both-a simple concept and low drivin g temperatures-can be realised with ammoniated salts. The development of a new, highly efficient, heat exchanger facilitates the attainment of an average cooling power of up to 200 W-ref.capacity per litre(reac tion vessel) in a quasi-continuous process. High power density and goo d dynamic behaviour characterise the system and make it an attractive ecological and economical alternative. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd a nd IIR. All rights reserved.