Absorption chillers

Abstract

An absorption chiller system is provided. The system includes an evaporator, an absorber, a divider, a recirculating loop, and a primary heater. The evaporator includes a first working fluid inlet and a first working fluid outlet. The absorber includes a second working fluid inlet and a second working fluid outlet. The divider has opposing first and second sides, wherein the first side is in fluid communication with the evaporator and the second side is in fluid communication with the absorber. The recirculating loop connects the first working fluid outlet back to the evaporator, and the primary heater is disposed in thermal communication with the recirculating loop.

1 . A system comprising:
 an evaporator comprising a first working fluid inlet and a first working fluid outlet;   an absorber comprising a second working fluid inlet and a second working fluid outlet;   a divider having opposing first and second sides, wherein the first side is in fluid communication with the evaporator and the second side is in fluid communication with the absorber;   a recirculating loop connecting the first working fluid outlet to the evaporator; and   a primary heater disposed in thermal communication with the recirculating loop.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the divider comprises a membrane. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the membrane comprises a substantially hydrophobic material. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the membrane comprises a plurality of holes having an average diameter in a range from about 100 nm to about 500 nm. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the recirculating loop connects the first working fluid outlet to the first working fluid inlet. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the recirculating loop connects the first working fluid outlet to the evaporator at a point downstream of the first working fluid inlet. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a secondary heater disposed in thermal communication with the evaporator. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the primary heater and the secondary heater are heat exchangers in fluid communication with a heat-source. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the heat exchangers are connected to the heat-source in a parallel fluid communication. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the heat exchangers are connected to the heat-source in successive fluid communication. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the primary heater and the secondary heaters are heat exchangers in fluid communication with different heat-sources. 
     
     
         12 . A system, comprising:
 an evaporator comprising a first working fluid inlet and a first working fluid outlet;   an absorber comprising a second working fluid inlet and a second working fluid outlet;   a hydrophobic membrane based divider having opposing first and second sides, wherein the first side is in fluid communication with the evaporator and the second side is in fluid communication with the absorber;   a recirculating loop connecting the first working fluid outlet to the evaporator;   a primary heater disposed in thermal communication with the recirculating loop; and   a secondary heater disposed in thermal communication with the evaporator.   
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 evaporating at least a part of a first working fluid in an evaporator;   passing at least a part of the first working fluid vapor through a divider to an absorber comprising a second working fluid;   exiting at least a part of the first working fluid through a first working fluid outlet of the evaporator;   heating at least a part of the first working fluid after departing from the first working fluid outlet; and   recirculating at least a part of the heated first working fluid back to the evaporator.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the heated first working fluid is recirculated to a first working fluid inlet of the evaporator. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the heated first working fluid is recirculated to the evaporator at a point downstream of a first working fluid inlet. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first working fluid comprises water. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising heating the first working fluid inside the evaporator. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising combining the first working fluid vapor with a second working fluid in the absorber. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising cooling at least a part of the second working fluid in the absorber. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the second working fluid comprises a lithium bromide solution.