Simulation and performance analysis of a 4-effect lithium bromide-water absorption chiller

Performance simulation has been conducted for a 4-effect lithium bromide-water chiller, capable of substantial performance improvement over state-of-the-art double-effect cycles. The system investigated includes four condensers and four desorbers coupled together, forming an extension of the conventional double-effect cycle; based on prior analytical studies, a parallel flow system was preferred over series flow, and double-condenser coupling was employed, to further improve performance. A modular computer code for simulation of absorption systems (ABSIM) was used to investigate the performances of the cycle. The simulation was carried out to investigate the influence of some major design parameters. A coefficient of performance around 2.0 (cooling) was calculated at the design point, with a heat supply temperature of 600{degrees}F (315{degrees}C) at the solution outlet from the high temperature desorber. With some optimization of the weak (pumped) solution flowrate and of the solution split among the four desorbers, this COP may be raised above 2.2.