• Energy Research

This paper presents the theoretical analysis of the use of single stage and double absorption heat transformers operating with the water–lithium bromide mixture coupled to a butane and pentane distillation column in a Mexican refinery. A mathematical model of the heat transformers was developed in FORTRAN and integrated as a user model to the Aspen Plus simulation code. Both components coupled to the column were modelled on steady-state conditions. The results show that it is theoretically possible to reduce the energy consumed in the reboiler between 26 and 43% by the use of single stage heat transformer at specific conditions, and between 28 and 33% with double absorption heat transformers for a wide range of operating conditions. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

There is a continuous research effort being carried out worldwide on the development of absorption cooling systems with the objective of increasing their performance, one important area is the search for more efficient heat exchangers and alternative working fluids that can improve the performance of NH3–H2O and H2O–LiBr that are commonly used in commercial absorption refrigeration machines. In this work the study of a plate heat exchangers used as bubble absorbers with NH3–LiNO3 and NH3–NaSCN as alternative working fluids is carried out. A mathematical model was developed in order to analyze the absorption process in a bubble absorber with NH3–H2O, NH3–LiNO3 and NH3–NaSCN as working fluids using a plate heat exchanger at refrigeration conditions and low generator temperatures. The results show that NH3–H2O and NH3–NaSCN working fluids obtained higher absorber thermal loads and absorbed vapor mass values than NH3–LiNO3, the lower values for the latter were caused mainly by the high solution viscosity that decreases the efficiency of the absorption process. On the other hand, NH3–LiNO3 obtained the highest COP value from a single effect absorption refrigeration system simulation, however, NH3–NaSCN obtained a higher COP than NH3–H2O; therefore NH3–NaSCN seems to be a good working fluid to be tested in an absorption machine.

Electricity is fundamental to modern societies and will become even more so as its use expands through different technologies and population growth. Power generation is currently the largest source of carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions globally, but it is also the sector that is leading the transition to net zero emissions through the rapid rise of renewables. The impacts of COVID-19 on the electricity sector led to a reduction in the demand for electricity, while at the same time, the current global energy crisis has placed the security and affordability of electricity at the top of the political agenda in many countries. In this way, the decrease in the demand for electricity, as well as its gradual recovery, makes it necessary to carry out energy planning that considers the adverse effects caused by global events with a high socioeconomic impact. In this article, the Low Emission Analysis Platform (LEAP) 2020 software has been used to determine the distribution of energy sources to 2050 for Mexico. The variables that lead to the possible profiles for 2050 are social, economic, and technological. The results correspond to a possible future based on official data from the National Electric System (SEN) of Mexico. The forecast for 2050 indicates that the electricity sector will have almost double the current installed capacity; however, emissions do not correspond to twice as much: they are practically 50% higher.

Abstract A diffusion absorption cooling system is analyzed to determine the appropriate fluid for the unit, based on the coefficient of performance (COP) and operating conditions, by comparing lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ), sodium thiocyanate (NaSCN) and water (H 2 O) as absorbent substances and by using ammonia (NH 3 ) as the refrigerant. The presence of crystallization in the system is analyzed as a function of the generator and absorber temperatures. Additionally, the effects on the efficiency of the system from adding the inert gas helium (He) or hydrogen (H 2 ) are studied. A mathematical model is developed and compared to experimental studies reported in the literature. At an evaporator temperature of −15 °C, a generator temperature of 120 °C and absorber and condenser temperatures of 40 °C, the results show that the best performance is achieved by the NH 3 –LiNO 3 –He mixture, with a COP of 0.48. This mixture performs 27–46% more efficient than the NH 3 –NaSCN mixture. The NH 3 –H 2 O mixture is 52–69% less efficient than the NH 3 –LiNO 3 mixture. However, when the evaporator runs at 7.5 °C, the NH 3 –H 2 O–He mixture achieves a more efficient COP than does the NH 3 –LiNO 3 –He mixture, and the NH 3 –NaSCN–He and NH 3 –LiNO 3 –He mixtures achieve the same COP when the evaporator is at 10 °C. At temperatures below 7.5 °C, the NH 3 –NaSCN–He mixture achieves a higher COP than does the NH 3 –H 2 O–He mixture. The NH 3 –LiNO 3 mixture shows crystallization at higher temperatures in the generator than does the NH 3 –NaSCN mixture. Moreover, at the same evaporator temperature, the NH 3 –LiNO 3 mixture works at activation temperatures lower than does the NH 3 –NaSCN mixture.

The integration of theoretical insights and current findings in the articles included in this Special Issue holds the potential to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world challenges in enhancing physical–chemical processes [...]

The heat transfer in double pipe heat exchangers is very poor. This complicates its application in absorption cooling systems, however, the implementation of simple passive techniques should help to increase the heat and mass transfer mainly in the absorber. This paper carried out a simulation and its experimental comparison of a NH3-H2O bubble absorption process using a double tube heat exchanger with a helical screw static mixer in both central and annular sides. The experimental results showed that the absorption heat load per area is 31.61% higher with the helical screw mixer than the smooth tube. The theoretical and experimental comparison showed that the absorption heat load difference values were 28.0 and 21.9% for smooth tube and the helical mixer, respectively. These difference values were caused by the calculation of the log mean temperature difference in equilibrium conditions to avoid the overlap of solution temperatures. Therefore, the theoretical and experimental results should be improved when the absorption heat is included in the heat transfer equation or avoiding the operation condition when output is lower than input solution temperature.

Thermal energy recovery systems have different candidates to mitigate CO2 emissions as recommended by the UN in its list of SDGs. One of these promising systems is thermal absorption transformers, which generally use lithium-water bromide as the working fluid. A Double Stage Heat Transformer (DSHT) is a thermal machine that allows the recovery of thermal energy at a higher temperature than it is supplied through the effect of steam absorption in a concentrated solution of lithium bromide. There are very precise thermodynamic models which allow us to calculate all the possible operating conditions of the DSHT. To perform the control of these systems, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is proposed with two computational techniques—Fuzzy Logic (FL) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN)—to calculate in real-time the set of variables that maximize the product’s Gross Temperature Lift (GTL) and Coefficient of Performance (COP) in a DSHT. The values for Coefficient of Determination (R2), Mean Square Error Root (MRSE), and Mean Error Bias (MBE) for the two types of computational techniques were analyzed and compared with the purpose of identifying which of them may be more accurate to calculate the operating conditions (temperatures, pressures, concentration and flows) with the highest COP for an interval of the value of the temperature absorption entered by the user. The result of the analysis of the evaluated techniques concluded that the control strategy of a DSHT in real-time will be based on the precise calculation of the refrigerant flow in the second evaporator with a Neural Network of 30 neurons, 300 weights and 40 bias, as it is more accurate than the Fuzzy Logic technique. The goodness-of-fit for two computational techniques was evaluated as having an R2 higher than 0.98 for the provided data. Future AI controllers must be based on evaporator flow values with evaporator power at 3.9−04 kg/KJ.

Abstract This paper presents the generator temperatures to achieve the highest efficiency in different solar diffusion absorption cooling systems. Ammonia-lithium nitrate (NH 3 –LiNO 3 ) and sodium ammonia-thiocyanate (NH 3 –NaSCN) were examined as the working mixtures, and the flat-plate collector (FPC), the flat-plate collector improved (FPCI), the evacuated-tube collector (ETC) and the compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) were the thermal energy sources. The study was conducted with a simulation in steady-state conditions. The effects of the generator temperature on the global efficiency of each solar cooling system were studied. The results show that the FPC and the FPCI cannot activate the cooling system at evaporator temperatures below 0 °C and the ambient temperature is at 40 °C. At evaporator temperatures above 5 °C with an ambient temperature of 30 °C, all solar collector technologies activated different working mixtures. The optimum coupling temperatures were between 70 and 150 °C. The ETC/NH 3 –LiNO 3 was between 5 and 54% relatively better than other technologies.

Abstract A mathematical model for ammonia–water bubble absorbers was developed and compared with experimental data using a plate heat exchanger. The analysis was performed carrying out a sensitive study of selected operation parameters on the absorber thermal load and mass absorption flux. Regarding the experimental data, the values obtained for the solution heat transfer were in the range 0.51–1.21 kW m−2 K−1 and those of the mass absorption flux in the range 2.5–5.0 × 10−3 kg m−2 s−1. The comparison between experimental and simulation results was acceptable being the maximum difference of 11.1% and 28.4% for the absorber thermal load and the mass absorption flux, respectively.