DOE OSTI2019
A thermally activated absorption heat pump suitable for use in naval expeditionary Environmental Control Units, as well as residential space-conditioning, is developed. Waste heat characteristic of the exhaust stream from a diesel engine GenSet is used to drive an absorption cycle to provide cooling. The heat source is coupled to the heat pump using an intermediate fluid loop for flexible deployment. With minor modifications, the heat pump could also provide heating at high coefficients of performance, resulting in versatile functionality. This technology capitalizes on heat and mass transfer enhancement possible in microscale passages to provide a compact architecture for the components and the overall system. The working fluid pair with zero Global Warming Potential is contained within this assembly, reducing fluid inventories significantly over conventional systems. Quiet, reliable, long-life operation due to the absence of a compressor and the use of few moving parts are further critical distinguishing advantages. Modularity in cooling capacity has been demonstrated through scaling-up of component geometry and internal features and dimensions. The core technology was initially demonstrated with a proof-of-concept microscale absorption chiller measuring 200 × 200 × 34 mm and weighing 7 kg that delivered 300 W of cooling in laboratory tests. In the previous BEETIT project, the team made significant advances over the proof-of-concept. System and component designs with > 10× scale-up in capacity were developed, in a packaged unit capable of standalone operation with a semi-autonomous control system. A cooling capacity of 3.5 kW with a COP > 0.5 at an ambient temperature of 35°C was demonstrated for this natural gas-fired unit. Significant cost reductions in fabrication were achieved using low-cost brazing instead of diffusion bonding. In companion projects funded by the Southern Company and the Georgia Research Alliance, stamping and fluid forming techniques were investigated to fabricate microscale features instead of photochemical etching, thereby leading to significant cost reductions. In a follow-on effort funded by ARPA-E and NAVFAC, a 2.7 kW cooling unit was developed to provide cooling at a severe ambient condition of 51.7°C. The unit was driven directly by diesel engine exhaust heat. Innovative finned heat and mass exchangers for the ambient-coupled condenser and absorber were developed. In the present effort, a standalone, packaged and controllable 10.5 kW cooling capacity absorption chiller is developed. This demonstrates a 30× scale up from the proof-of-concept, thus validating the scalability of microchannel heat exchangers for absorption heat pumps. Autonomous operation algorithms demonstrated enhanced dynamic performance. The knowledge from previous projects was leveraged to develop novel component designs that further helped in miniaturizing the heat exchangers. All coupling fluids are hydronically coupled to aid flexible field deployment. The prototype unit provides design cooling capacity at high ambient temperature conditions of 44°C at COP > 0.6.
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗