Study of a solvent extraction type of absorption heat pump

The coefficient of performance for the cooling cycle COPc and for the heati ng cycle COPh of a traditional absorption heat pump (AHP), defined as COPc = \ Q(E)/(Q(G) + W)\ and COPh = \(Q(A) + Q(C))/(Q(G) + W)\, usually has a v alue less than 0.80 for a cooling system and less than 1.80 for a heating s ystem. This paper proposes a new type of absorption heat pump that employs a second liquid to extract the refrigerant from the dilute absorbent soluti on in the absorber (EXAHP system). The proposed system achieves COPc and CO Ph values that exceed those values in a tradition absorption heat pump. The calculated COPc and COPh values reach as high as 1.6 and 2.3, respectively which are approximately 100% and 50% higher than those of the conventional systems. Using LiBr/H2O/acetophenone as an example, this paper presents th e concept design and operation analysis of the proposed plant. (C) 2000 Els evier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.