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Performance trends and heat transfer considerations in an ammonia–water resorption cycle
Author(s) -
Mongey B.,
Hewitt N. J.,
McMullan J. T.,
Henderson P. C.,
Molyneaux G. A.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
international journal of energy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.808
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1099-114X
pISSN - 0363-907X
DOI - 10.1002/1099-114x(200101)25:1<41::aid-er697>3.0.co;2-5
Subject(s) - working fluid , ammonia , chemistry , thermodynamics , heat transfer , fluid dynamics , heat exchanger , mechanics , materials science , biochemistry , physics
An experimental test facility was constructed to examine the potential of ammonia–water mixtures as the working fluid in high‐temperature heat pumps. The nature of the working fluid necessitates an alternative design to the conventional vapour compression cycle. The addition of a solution circuit in parallel with the compressor leads to the resorption cycle. The composition of the working fluid can be altered by varying the flow ratio between the compression and solution pump circuits. Changes in the composition of the circulating fluid are accompanied by changes in the dryness fraction at the end of the heat transfer process in the desorber. Higher rates of heat transfer from the source to the working fluid were measured at higher concentrations of ammonia in the circulating fluid, though this was accompanied by lower overall flow rates of the circulating fluid. A 70/30 ammonia/water mass concentration is thought to be the optimum composition of the working fluid due to a combination of temperature glide and circulation ratio. Significant differences were observed in the overall heat transfer coefficient achieved in the two heat exchangers, which may restrict the range of likely applications. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.