Experiments on a Regenerator with Thermosyphon for Absorption Heat Pumps

기포 펌프를 적용한 흡수식 열펌프용 고온 재생기의 작동 특성 실험

Experiments were carried out to study the operation characteristics of a regenerator with a thermo-syphon pump and a surface-flame burner for a lithium bromide (LiBr)-water absorption heat pump. A cylindrical-shape metal-fiber burner and commercial grade propane were used. The emission of carbon monoxide and nitric oxide was measured by a combustion gas analyzer. Ther regeneration rate of water vapor as a refrigerant was measured. It could be as a reference value showing the performance of the regenerator. The circulation rate of the LiBr-water solution was also measured from both the tanks for the weak-and the strong-solution. Using a refractometer, the LiBr concetration in the solution was calculated from the measured refractory index of the solution. Temperature of the solution and the condensed water was recorded at several points in the experimental apparatus with thermocouples, using a personal computer. This data collecting system for measuring temperature was calibrated with a set of standard thermometers. The generating rate of water vapor as refrigerant increased linearly with heat supplied. It was about 4.0g/s with the heat supplied at a rate of 16,500kcal/h. The circulation rate of LiBr solution also increases with the heat supplied. The difference in LiBr concentrations between the weak and the strong solution was in the range of 1 to 5% when the concentration of the strong solution was about 60%. It was dependent upon both the heat supplied and the circulation rate of the solution. The initial concentration and the level of the LiBr solution in the regenerator were measured and recorded before experiments. The effect of them on the generating rate of water vapor and the circulation rate of the solution was also studied. The generating rate of water vapor was not strongly dependent upon both the level of the LiBr solution and the initial LiBr concentration. However, the concentration difference of the solution increases with the initial level of the LiBr solution.