Title: Exergetic performance of eco friendly absorption heat transformer for seawater desalination

Authors: S. Sekar, R. Saravanan

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, R.M.K. Engineering College, Chennai 601 206, India. ' Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Anna University, Chennai 600 025, India

Abstract: Vapour Absorption Heat Transformers (VAHT) have shown good potential for upgrading waste heat to useful temperature levels. VAHT can be effectively coupled with Multi Effect Desalination (MED) systems for water purification. In this study an exergetic analysis is carried out for VAHT integrated with MED. A simulation model has been developed to evaluate the exergetic efficiency, exergy losses in the components and exergy balance of the system. The effects of operating parameters such as heat source temperature, sink temperature, effectiveness of solution heat exchanger are evaluated on the performance of the system. Exergy efficiency varies from 11.14% to 35.35% depending upon the temperatures of heat source and sink. It is found that the highest exergy loss is in the condenser of VAHT, followed by second effect of MED.

Keywords: VAHT; vapour absorption heat transformers; MED; multi-effect desalination; exergetic efficiency; component exergy losses; exergy loss; seawater desalination; waste heat; simulation; modelling; heat exchangers.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2011.037214

International Journal of Exergy, 2011 Vol.8 No.1, pp.51 - 67

Received: 14 Dec 2009
Accepted: 22 May 2010
Published online: 30 Nov 2010 *

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