köldmedieabsorbentparen

A köldmedieabsorber, in the context of absorption refrigeration technology, is a device that absorbs refrigerant vapor into a liquid absorbent, forming a rich solution that is circulated to a generator. It operates as part of a loop that also includes an evaporator, a condenser, and a generator, enabling the cycle to function with minimal electrical energy input beyond pumps and fans.

In operation, refrigerant vapor produced in the evaporator is absorbed by the liquid absorbent in the absorber, lowering the vapor pressure in the system and enabling continuous circulation. The resulting rich solution is pumped to the generator, where heat is applied to desorb the refrigerant from the absorbent. The released refrigerant then returns to the condenser, while the absorbent recycled back to the absorber completes the loop. Common refrigerant–absorbent pairs include ammonia–water and LiBr–water.

Absorbers are often designed as packed columns or multi-plate vessels with integrated heat exchange to transfer heat to a cooling medium, such as water or air, and to promote effective absorption. They are used in conjunction with heat sources that may be waste heat, solar heat, or other low-grade heat supplies.

Advantages of absorption systems include reduced electricity consumption and compatibility with renewable or waste heat sources. Disadvantages include lower overall efficiency compared with vapor-compression systems and potential issues such as crystallization in LiBr systems or ammonia toxicity and corrosion risks, depending on the pair used.

Applications include large-scale industrial cooling, building HVAC systems that utilize waste or solar heat, and district cooling networks. Design considerations focus on material compatibility, heat management, solution concentration, and prevention of crystallization.