Electric vs. HVAC Absorption Chillers

 Electric vs. HVAC Absorption Chillers

The choice of chillers in any HVAC system involves numerous elements that should be carefully taken into account.

For end consumers, these elements concurrently offer a variety of benefits and drawbacks.

HVAC experts take into account all of these elements while keeping in mind all of the resources available at their business when choosing water chillers.

Electric chiller versus absorption chiller

Comparison between Electric (Compression) Chillers and Absorption Chillers

With the goal of assisting you in selecting the kind of chillers for your HVAC system, a comparison between an absorption chiller and an electric chiller is offered below. 

1.    Absorption chillers compete poorly with electric chillers since their COP (coefficient of performance) ranges only from 0.54 to 1.1. (rotary compressor chillers). In contrast, electric chillers have COP values between 1.0 and 8.0.

 2.    HVAC chillers that use absorption take up about 50% more space than identical electric chillers do (vapor compression chillers).

 3.    Additionally, mechanical equipment rooms must be 6–10 feet taller than rooms holding electric chillers due to the height of absorption chillers. Finally, the floor must be as level as possible because the liquid solution is kept in long, shallow trays inside an absorption chiller.

 4.    Absorption chillers weigh as least twice as much as equivalent electric chillers in HVAC systems (vapor compression chiller).

 5.    Absorption chillers are occasionally transported in multiple sections due to their larger size, necessitating on-site welding for final assembly.

 6.    With complementary electric chillers or compression chillers, this is not the case.

 7.    The majority of electric water chillers leave the manufacturer already charged with refrigerant.

 8.    While absorption HVAC chillers require field installation of the refrigerant and absorbent (including additives).

 9.    In comparison to compression chillers, absorption chillers are quieter and generally vibration-free (unless they are direct-fired) (electric drive chillers). More than anything else, HVAC system noise and vibrations are annoying.

10.    The condenser water temperature needs to be regulated above 75-808F due to the lithium bromide in the chiller's ability to crystallise if it gets too cold. Electric chillers don't have a crystallisation issue (vapor compression chillers). If you have installed compression chillers, ignore crystallisation and keep cool.

11.    If prolonged power outages are more frequently anticipated, absorption water chillers may occasionally need an emergency power source. The chiller starts to cool without any heat or power, and the lithium bromide solution could crystallise. However, because absorption chillers use so little electricity, a tiny, specific backup generator can be used for this.

12.    The amount of heat to be rejected in the condenser by water cooling or air cooling media is also important to HVAC systems. Lithium bromide chillers have a condenser that rejects heat at a rate that is 20–50% higher than that of a comparable electric chiller, necessitating larger cooling towers, condenser water pumps, and condenser water flow rates.

 13.    And last, the cost of a comparable indirect-fired absorption water chiller will be at least 50% higher than that of an electric-drive chiller. An electric machine will cost about half as much as a direct-fired absorption chiller, plus there are additional expenses for combustion air and venting (stack).

14.    Lithium bromide or absorption water chillers use natural refrigerants like water in place of CFC or HCFC refrigerants, which have a high potential to contribute to global warming.

15.    Absorption chillers are likely the best option if you want to lower your electric demand but have a lot of waste heat or direct fire accessible.

16.    But obviously, when choosing HVAC water chillers, all of the aforementioned criteria must be taken into account.

Click here to fb profile:

Click here to visit website:

You have to wait 10 seconds.