~

Applied Thermal Engineering Vol. 16. No. 2, pp. 175--181, 1996

Copyright 1995 Elsevier Science Ltd
(95)00049-6
Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved
1359-4311/96 $9.50 + .00

Pergamon

1359-4311

P E R F O R M A N C E LIMITS OF A B S O R P T I O N CYCLES WITH

E X T E R N A L H E A T - T R A N S F E R IRREVERSIBILITIES
N. E. Wijeysundera
Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering, National University of Singapore,
10 Kent Ridge Crescent. Singapore 0511
(Received 16 ()~ l.t)cr 1994)

AbstractHeat-transl~zr irre~ersibilities are included in lhc analysis of the ideal absorption refrigeration
cycle working with three heat reservoirs Expressions are obtained for the COP at a given cooling capacity
and the COP at the m a x i m u m cooling capacity in terms of four non-dimensional design and operating
variables. The condition for the m a x i m u m cooling capacity depends only on the temperature ratios. The
predictions of the model are compared with data obtained by detailed computer simulation of single-stage
and double-stage absorption refrigeration macfiines. The predicted variation of the m a x i m u m cooling
capacity with reservoir temperatures follows the same linear variation obtained by computer simulation.
The COPs of single-stage and double-stage machines iie between the predicted COP at the m a x i m u m
cooling capacity' and the COP at the given cooling capacity. The COPs of real machines are much closer
to the predicted values than to the COP of the reversible cycle operaling between the same three heat
reservoirs.
Keywords Refrigeration c)cle~, absorption refrigerali~,n, irreversibililies, cycle analysis, finite-time
thermodynamics, entropy generation

~' O M E N ( ' L A T [ _
/
(/I

b
b~
C

COP
(COP).,
(COP)~

&
Qc
Qh
Q,~
q~
qcm
r
s

L
T;
r~
T~
T,,
7"(,
W

RE

constant defined m equation {17)

parameter in equation (9)
constant defined in equation (171
parameter in equation (9)
constant defined in equation t171
coefficient of performance
coefficient of performance at maximum cooling eapaclt~
coefficient of performance of the reversible cycle
heat-transfer conductance a.1 the cold reservoir
heat-transfer conductance ;.tl the hot reservoir
heat-transfer conductance at the heat sink
heat-transfer rate at the cold reservoir
heat-transfer rate at the hot reservoir
heat-transfer rate at the heat sink
non-dimensional cooling capacit}
m a x i m u m value of the non-dimensional cooling capacity.
ratio of conductances
ratio of conductances
temperature of the cold reser'~olr
temperature of the system at the point where heat rio,as fi'om the cold reservoir
temperature of the hot reserxoir
temperature of the system at the point ,ahere heal rio,as from the hot reservoir
temperature of the heat-sink reservoir
temperature of the system at the point ~hcre heal rio'as out to the heat-sink reservoir
work input

Greek symbol,s

temperature ratio defined m equation (8!

temperature ratio defined in equauon (8)
temperature ratio defined in equation (8)

INTRODUCTION

The upper limits of the efficiencies of heat engines are usually obtained by analyzing the
corresponding reversible cycles. However. these cycles produce zero power because of the infinitely

176

N.E. Wijeysundera

slow pace of operation. Curzon and Ahlborn [1] introduced external heat-transfer irreversibilities
in the analysis of heat-engine cycles. Such analysis was found to give more realistic upper limits
to the thermal efficiency of power cycles [2]. The analysis of refrigeration cycles on the same basis
has not received much attention. Bejan [3] presented a detailed analysis of refrigeration systems
working between two heat reservoirs which included two types of external heat-transfer irreversibiiities. Absorption refrigeration systems are being developed for application in air-conditioning
systems [4]. The absorption cycle could be used with solar and other sources of thermal input, such
as waste heat. The performance of absorption cycles has been studied extensively in the recent past
using computer simulation [5 7]. Both single-stage and double-stage systems have been simulated
over a range of design and operating conditions.
The coefficients of performance (COPs) of real absorption cycles are found to be much lower
than the COPs of the corresponding reversible cycle operating between the same heat reservoirs [5].
To obtain more realistic limits to the COPs of absorption cycles, Chen and Yan [8] studied three
methods for decomposing the absorption cycle into a reversible power cycle and a reversible
refrigeration cycle. External heat transfer irreversibilities between the heat reservoirs and the
working fluid were included in the analysis presented by Yan and Chen [9]. In a recent paper
Wilkinson [10] obtained limits for the performance of double-effect absorption cycles by decomposing it into a reversed Rankine cycle and a solution engine cycle.
The aim of the present study is to perform a direct analysis of the absorption cycle including
external heat transfer irreversibilities between the working fluid and the heat reservoirs. The COP
of the cycle is obtained as a function of the conductances at the three heat reservoirs and the
reservoir temperatures. The cycle with heat transfer irreversibilities is found to have a maximum
cooling capacity for a given set of conditions. The predictions of this model are compared with
the results obtained by Gommed and Grossman [5] by computer simulation to establish
performance limits for real absorption machines.
2.

ANALYSIS

2.1. Analysis Of the cycle

Commercially available absorption refrigeration machines operate with a combination of
working fluids such as lithium-bromide water. Detailed design analysis of the absorption cycle
requires information on the properties of the working fluids. As in the work of Bejan [3], the
working fluid in the present analysis is assumed to undergo reversible processes. The energy transfer
with the closed system consisting of the working fluid is idealized to occur at three heat reservoirs.
This arrangement is shown schematically in Fig. 1. The heat reservoir at the high temperature
represents the heat supply to the generator of the real machine, while the heat-sink reservoir
represents the heat removal from the condenser and absorber of the real refrigerator. The cold
temperature reservoir represents the refrigeration load.
There are external irreversibilities due to heat transfer across the finite temperature differences
between the heat reservoirs and the working fluid. The finite conductances and the heattransfer rates of the cycle are indicated in Fig. 1. The work input into real absorption machines
is usually small, as it is used mainly to pump liquids. Therefore, in the present analysis, the
work input is neglected. However, the conclusions drawn from the analysis will not be affected if
the work input is taken to be non-zero but assumed to be independent of the three reservoir
temperatures.
Application of the first la~ to the closed system consisting of the working fluid gives
w=0.

Q~+Q -Q,+

(1)

The heat-transfer rates between the heat reservoirs and the working fluid may be expressed in terms
of the conductances and the temperature differences, namely,
Q~ = Kh(T~ - T~),

(2)

QL, = I q ( L .

(3)

T;),

Qo = K o ( T ; - T~).

(4)

Performance limits of absorption cycles

[77

Since the working fluid is assumed to undergo reversible processes, the entropy changes for the
closed system can be expressed as
(Qh T/,}+(Q~ T}

(Q,;,T/,}=0.

(5)

Equations (1)-(5) are used to eliminate the working fluid temperatures, T; and To, and the
heat-transfer rates. Qh and Q{~. to obtain an expression for the cooling capacity, Q:, in terms of
the reservoir temperatures and the conductances. The result may be written as

K,(rh
T(~)
Q~ A\
+
T;
(K~T-Q~)

[K,)Kh{T,- T'h)+ Ko(Q:+ W)]

[I~;,T,,+K,{Th- T ~ ) + Q ~ + W ]

= 0.

(6)

It is convenient to express equation (6) in terms of non-dimensional variables. When the work input
is neglected, equation (6) takes the form

q~
x[r{1 ..... 0) +q~]
+ . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
{~b - q~)
[.s'~+r(l--O)+q~]

r{l-0)
0

0.

(7)

The non-dimensional design and operating variables are defined as

q~ = Q,: {K~ T,,I.

0 = T/~ 1-,,, 4} = L T,,.

s = Ko/g~,

~ - 7], T],.

r = Kh/Kcl

(8)

2.2. COP at a gicen cooling capaci G' q~

The COP of the absorption cycle that has a gi,~en cooling capacity, q~, is obtained by first
expressing 0 in terms of the other variables. Using equation (7), 0 is given by the roots of the
quadratic equation
a~ rO -~ ~ (at h~ + ~.,s:

r~'}t}

rb~ - O,

(9)

where
a~ = q ~

(4}

q,)

, r

s,

h~=~.s+r +q.
The COP is defined b}
COP = Q~ Q, - Q~ [ K h { T , - T; )].

(lO)

This may be expressed in the non-dimensional tbrm

COP=q,

[r(1--0l].

(!1)

The values obtained for 0 from equation {9) are substituted in equation (11) to evaluate the COP
at a given cooling capacity, q..

RESERVOrR

Th

I HIfHTEMPERATURE
RESERVOIR

l W .... -,

RESERVOIR

Fig. 1. Schematic diagram of the absorption cycle with external heat-transfer irreversibilities.

178

N. E Wueysundera

The COP attains the reversible (Carnot) limit when the external heat-transfer irreversibilities
are zero. The cooling capacity, q~, also becomes zero at this limit. The maximum COP is obtained
by using equations (1) and (5) with Th = T~, E ) = T~ and T~= T~. The result is [COP]~=
T~(Th-

To)/[Th(T o -

T~)].

This may be expressed in the non-dimensional form

(13)

[COP],. = 0 ( 1 - ~ )/(~ - 0 )2.3. Maximum cooling capacity

It is interesting to examine the variation of the cooling capacity, q~, with the temperature ratio,
0, which is a measure of the heat-transfer irreversibility at the heat source. Equation (7) shows that
for a given set of parameters, the cooling capacity, q~, becomes zero when 0 = 1 and
0 = ( r +sc~)/(r + s ) (<1). When 0 = 1, the cycle approaches the reversible limit, while for the
second value of 0 there is direct heat transfer between the hot reservoir and the heat sink. Between
the above two values of O, q~ reaches a maximum.
The maximum cooling capacity is obtained by differentiating equation (7) and using the
condition
dq~ dO = 0.

(14)

which gives the lbllowing relation:

T~; T [ 1 - ( T ,

(15)

Th)~:=:~ ':

The condition given by equation (15) is the same as that obtained by Curzon and Ahlborn [1] for
the maximum power output for an internally reversible Carnot heat engine.
An expression for the maximum cooling capacity is obtained by substituting the condition
To/T~, = :~-~ in equation (7). The result is the positive root of the equation

(c+l)q~,~+ih+hc
c =r

+s.

h =r

cO - a Z ) q ~ m + O ( a = - c b ) = O ,
+~s.

a =r

(16)
(17)

+s\,/~.

An examination of equation (16) shows that for a given set of conductance ratios, r and s, and
temperature ratios, :~ and 0, there is one physically meaningful root which makes qcm > 0. This
relation may be expressed in the form
q~,,, =

(a2+cO-h-hc)
2(1+~)

[ta'~+cO - h - h e ) ~- 4 0 ( 1 + c ) ( a ' - - b c ) ] 5
2(1+c)

(18)

2.4. COP at the' maxmmm cooling capacity

The COP of the cycle at the maximum cooling capacity is also a useful performance characteristic
of the cycle. It is given by
(COP)m = Q~Qh = Q~/[Kh(Th

T'h)].

(19)

Using equations (1)44) and (15), the following non-dimensional expression is obtained:
(COP)m = q~m( 1 + s x :~ r )/[s x :t - :~ ) - -

qcm]"

(20)

In the next section, the preceding expressions are used to explore the performance of the absorption
cycle over a range of values of the design and operating variables.
3. R E S U L T S A N D D I S C U S S I O N
The analysis developed in the preceding section was applied to a practical water-lithium bromide
absorption cooling system to estimate its performance limits. The data for this purpose were
obtained from the recent paper by G o m m e d and Grossman [5]. They reported results from a
detailed computer simulation of single-stage and double-stage systems. The results for the
single-stage system have been compared with experimental data and found to be in good agreement.

Performance limits of absorption cycles

179

Tc= 72'E

120

100

Th = 93.3C

80

,--, 60
._J

E~ ~0
20

8
O

el,

1.2

O.l~

1.6

2.0

2./,

COP
Fig

2 Variatkm

<~1 COP with cooling capaci D (onditions: K h = 8.48kW/K,

K , = 23.9~kW K. 7 ~ - 7 . 2 C. 1;,=29.4 C, T h - 9 3 . 3 C .

K~= l [ . 9 3 k W / K ,

Therefore, the conductances and temperatures used in the present computation are the same as
those used by Gommed and Grossman [5] in their computer simulation.
Figure 2 shows the variation of the COP with cooling capacity for a fixed set of reservoir
temperatures and conductances. As evident from equations (9) and (11) the COP has two values
for a given cooling capacity. On the rising side. OA, of the curve, the heat input, Qh, at the
heat-source reservoir decreases progressively, starting from its maximum value at O. At O the
cooling capacity is zero because there is direct heat transfer from the high temperature reservoir
to the heat-sink reservoir with Qh = Q0. Therefore the practically relevant part of the curve is from
the point A, where the cooling capacity is a maximum, to the point B, where the COP has the
maximum value. At B the COP reaches its reversible (Carnot) limit, [COP]c, which is given by
equation (13). As expected, the cooling capacity becomes zero at B.
The maximum cooling capacity given by equation (18) depends on the reservoir temperatures
and the conductances. In Fig. 3 the computed maximum cooling capacity is compared with the
200
L Mox.coolingcopncity
180

.....

J (Eq.18L
-~

160

Tc= Z2'C

~ Sirnulotedcoolingcopoc~y

J iRef 5L T~=72C

,.~/

1/,0

~- 12o

./

,,%%./

/'h,"

<z

/,
I00

~%#,,,,,"

/
t ~

"x~'.,

~c.>"

,
/

,y%y

,0

../ / , ,///y /Y- 2"J,

t~O,
20

//

OL~.~

1,0

50

60

70

RO

gO

I00

II0

120

TEMPERATURE,Th

PC

Fig. 3. C o m p a r i s o n of m a x i m u m cooling capacity with simulated results from ref. [5]: K h = 8.48 kW,'K,
& = 11.93 k W K , K 0 = 23.98 k W K .

180

E Wijeysundera

l.O

1.2

ID

/
,,

08

0.6
A
B
C
O

OJ,
02

COPat m~x. Oc [Eq.20]

COP: Single-stage [Ref.5]
COP : Ooubte-stQge [Ref.5]
COP ol 0 [Eq. ll]

E COP : Carnot limit

50

60

70

8D

100

go

110

120

130

140

TEMPERATURE,Tn/C
Fig. 4. C o m p a r i s o n o f C O P with s i m u l a t e d results Irom rcf. [5]: K h = 8.48 k W ' K ,
Ku = - 3 9 8 k W
K I
., C, 7 . = 2 9 . 4 C.

K c = 11.93 k W / K ,

cooling capacity reported in ref. [5] for two sets o1 conditions. As expected, the maximum cooling
capacity is larger than the cooling capacity of the real machine. The predicted variation shows the
same trend as for the real machine, both with respect to Th and T0. It seems that equation (18)
may be used to estimate the upper limit of the cooling capacity of a real machine with given
conductances.
A comparison of the variation of the COP with 7], and ~ is shown in Figs 4 and 5. In the
practically important range of temperatures, there is good trend-wise agreement between the
predicted COP and the COP obtained by computer simulation of the real machine. In Figs 4 and
5, curve A gives the variation of the COP at the maximum cooling capacity, which is given by
equation (20). This COP is lower than that of the real single-stage machine given by curve B. This
seems to indicate that the externally irreversible machine operating at its maximum cooling capacity
will have larger irreversibilities than the real machine under the given conditions.
The curve C in the above figures gives the variation of the COP of a double-stage machine
obtained by computer simulation [5]. The double-stage machine also operated between the same
three heat reservoirs and had the same conductances as the single-stage machine. The only

IB

1.6

IG

f
f
f

1.2

f
//

/
B

0.8

COP at max. Oc [Eq. 20]

B COP:Single-stage [Re[ 51

04

C COP :Double-stage[Re[5]
D COP at gc [Eqll]
E COP Carno limit

oI
0

0.6

.i

5o

;o

90

~oo

1~o

1~0

~3o

TEMPERATURE.Th/C
Fig. 5. C o m p a r i s o n o f C O P with s i m u l a t e d results f r o m ref. [5]: K h = 8.48 k W / K , K c = 11.93 k W / K ,
K,~ = 23.98 k W K. T = ~ 2 C, T~,= 23.9 C .

Perfl)rmance limits of absorption cycles

[81

difference was that the double-stage machine had a second condenser, which supplied energy to
a second generator. Since this energy transfer occurs internally, it is reasonable to c o m p a r e the C O P
o f double-stage machines with the C O P o f the three-heat-reservoir cycle shown in Fig. 1.
Curve D in Figs 4 and 5 gives the C O P of the externally irreversible cycle predicted by equation
(1 1) at the corresponding cooling capacities shown in Fig. 3 for the different temperatures. This
C O P is the highest that can be expected from an externally irreversible cycle producing the given
cooling capacity. It is interesting that the double-stage machine with its lower internal irreversibilities has a C O P closer to, but lower than, the externally irreversible cycle.
However, the C O P of the single-stage machine with its larger internal irreversibilities is closer
to the C O P at the externally irreversible cycle operating at the m a x i m u m cooling capacity. The C O P
variation of the ideal reversible (Carnot) cycle operating between the same heat reservoirs is shown
by curve E in Figs 4 and 5. These values are much larger than the C O P o f the corresponding real
machine. Also, the variation o f the C O P is different from that of the real machine.
It is seen that the C O P s o f both single-stage and double-stage machines fall within the C O P at
m a x i m u m cooling capacity [equation (20)] and the C O P at the given cooling capacity [equation
(11)]. These values can therefore be used as estimates of the limits performance o f real absorption
machines with given conductances operating at given temperature levels. Similarly, equation (18)
may be used to estimate the m a x i m u m cooling capacity of real machines.
4. C O N C L t : S I O N S
Closed form expressions were obtained for the C O P at a given cooling capacity, the C O P at the
m a x i m u m cooling capacity and the m a x i m u m cooling capacity o f the absorption cycle with external
heat-transfer irreversibilities. The performance limits predicted by the above expressions were
c o m p a r e d with the performance o f single-stage and double-stage machines obtained by detailed
computer simulation. The predicted variation of the C O P and the m a x i m u m cooling capacity
closely follow the corresponding trends for real machines. The COPs o f real machines fall within
the limits given by the present model. These limits are more realistic than the reversible (Carnot)
limit for the ideal absorption cycle.
REFERENCES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

F. L. Curzon and B. Ahlborn. Elficienc} of a Carnol engine at maximum power output. Am. J. Phys. 43, 22 24 (1975).
A. Bejan~ Advanced Engineering Thermodynamics. Wiley. New York (1988).
A. Bejan, Theory of heat transfer-irreversible refrigeration plants. Int. J. Heat Mass Tram;/er 32, 1631 1638 (1989).
William H. Wilkinson, Absorption cooling: a viable option for today and tomorrow. A S H R A E J. 36(2), 41 44 (1994).
K. Gommed and G. Grossman. Performance analysis of staged absorption heat pumps: water lithium bromide systems.
A S H R A E Trans. 96(1). 1590 1598 (1990).
G. Grossman, K. Gommed and D. Gadoth, A computer model l\)r simulation of absorption systems in flexible and
modular form, A S H R A E Trans. 93(2). 2389 2428 (1987).
M. O. Mc Linden and S. A. Klein, Steady state modeling ~Habsorption heal pumps with a comparison to experiments.
A S H R A E Trans. 91(2B), 1793 1807 (1985).
J. Chen and Z. Yan, Equivalent combined systems fur three-heat-source heat pumps. J. Chem. Phys. 90(9), 4951M.955
(1989).
Z. Yah and J. Chert, An optimal endoreversible three-heal-source refrigerator. J. Appl. Phys. 65(1), I~. (1989).
H. W. Wilkinson. What are the performance limits fi)r double-effect absorption cycles? A S H R A E Trans. 93(2),
2429-2439 (I987).