Dynamic simulation of a single-effect ammonia–water absorption chiller

A lumped-parameter dynamic simulation of a single-effect ammonia–water absorption chiller is performed. Modeling is based on the continuity of species constituting the ammonia–water mixture and the conservation of energy for each component of the absorption chiller. Ordinary differential equations governing the response of each component and the algebraic equations describing the constitutive relation are solved in parallel by numerical integration. The model has been applied to a commercially available 10.5 kW absorption chiller to study the transients of temperature, pressure, concentration, and void fraction of each component during the start-up operation. The time constant of the absorption chiller is also investigated. The parameters considered are the bulk concentration of the ammonia–water solution, the mass of the solution filled, and the volumes of key components of the absorption chiller. In addition, the reduction of the time constant by a stepwise turn-up and turn-down of the flue gas flow rate during the primary stage of start-up period is demonstrated.