DOE EERE Research Reports

Thermally Activated Heat Pumps

Thermally Activated (Heat Activated) Absorption Heat Pumps and Absorption Chillers

Absorption heat pumps are thermally activated (heat activated) and use heat, instead of an electrically driven compressor, to produce chilled water for air conditioning and refrigeration. The Department of Energy (DOE) has funded work on the development of:

• double-effect absorption heat pumps,
• triple-effect absorption heat pumps,
• generator absorber heat exchange (GAX) absorption heat pumps, and
• waste heat fired absorption heat pumps.

pump working flluids, and absorption heat pump cycle modeling. Much of the early work was directed toward thermally activated (heat activated) systems that used a natural gas burner to generate the refrigerant vapor. In 2000, research focused more attention on redesign of generators of thermally activated absorption heat pumps for use in waste heat fired systems using recovered heat from engine driven generators in combined cooling, heating and power systems.

Links to Absorption Heat Pump Project Areas: Water-Cooled Chiller and Heat Pump Technologies double-effect water/lithium bromide cycles triple-effect advanced water/lithium bromide cycles mult-stage alternative fluid cycles Air-Cooled Chiller and Heat Pump Technologies single-stage ammonia/water cycles single-stage organic fluid cycles generator/absorber heat exchange (GAX) cycles multi-stage ammonia/water cycles Working Fluids: Properties, Additives, and Alternatives Research Absorption Cycle Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis Technology Performance Evaluations and Progress Overviews Other Publications The Effect of Roll Waves on the Hydrodynamics of Falling Films Observed in Vertical Column Absorbers Performance Test Results of a Lithium Bromide - Water Absorption Heat Pump that Uses Low-Temperature [60°C (140°F)] Waste Heat
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