WasserAmmoniakSystem

WasserAmmoniakSystem, or water–ammonia system, refers to the binary mixture of water and ammonia used as the working fluid in absorption refrigeration and heat-pump systems. Ammonia’s strong affinity for water allows a continuous range of solution compositions, enabling the absorption and release of ammonia through changes in temperature and pressure.

In operation, an absorber dissolves ammonia from the evaporator into the circulating water-rich solution. A generator then heats the strong ammonia–water solution to desorb ammonia vapor, which is condensed and then evaporated to provide cooling. The weak solution returning to the absorber completes the cycle. The system generally operates at temperatures and pressures compatible with low- to moderate-grade heat sources, such as waste heat or solar thermal energy.

Applications include industrial cooling, air conditioning for large buildings, and remote or off-grid cooling where electricity supply is limited. The WasserAmmoniakSystem offers advantages such as the use of non-ozone-depleting refrigerants and the potential use of low-grade heat, but it also presents challenges: ammonia is toxic and caustic, requiring corrosion-resistant materials and careful enclosure design, and the cycle can exhibit a lower coefficient of performance than compression systems under certain operating conditions.

Key components typically include the evaporator, absorber, generator (desorber), condenser, solution pump, and associated heat exchangers. As a mature technology, the WasserAmmoniakSystem remains an area of ongoing optimization in materials, control strategies, and integration with waste heat or renewable energy sources.