Absorption
Ammonia-water (NH₃-H₂O) and lithium bromide (H₂O-LiBr) absorption thermodynamic cycles, and Type I and Type II absorption heat pumps.
How it works: AbsorptionEquipment family
Absorption chillers
Chillers that produce chilled water from heat instead of electricity: hot water, steam, gas or exhaust gas, from 17.6 kW to over 8 MW.
- Cooling capacity
- 17,6 – 8.122 kW
- Heating capacity
- 21 – 105 kW
- Ranges
- 11
- Manufacturers
- Yazaki, Thermax, and Robur
Technology
What are absorption chillers?
An absorption chiller (also called an absorption machine) produces chilled water for air conditioning or processes from a heat source: hot water, steam, exhaust gas or the direct firing of natural gas or LPG. In absorption cooling, the cycle replaces the electric compressor, so electricity consumption is minimal and the available waste or renewable heat is turned into cooling capacity.
Absorsistem distributes Yazaki and Thermax lithium bromide and water (LiBr-H2O) absorption chillers, and Robur GA ACF gas-fired ammonia-water (NH3-H2O) chillers. Single-effect ranges use hot water or low-pressure steam, with a COP of 0.7 to 0.8. Double-effect ranges run on higher-pressure steam, gas or exhaust gas, with a COP of 1.3 to 1.5.
Cogeneration
The principles of cogeneration and its basic technologies, micro-generation and trigeneration explained.
How it works: CogenerationRanges
absorption chillers ranges
11 ranges from Yazaki, Thermax, and Robur. Nominal data from the manufacturer's technical data sheets.
Yazaki
Yazaki WFC-SC
Hot water-driven single-effect absorption chillers
- Cooling capacity
- 17.6 – 176 kW
- Energy
- Hot water
- Efficiency
- COP: 0.7
Thermax
Thermax TAC L1
Hot water-driven single-effect absorption chillers
- Cooling capacity
- 157 – 1,000 kW
- Energy
- Hot water
- Efficiency
- COP: 0.7 to 0.8
Thermax
Thermax TAC L5
Hot water-driven single-effect absorption chillers
- Cooling capacity
- 714 – 5,764 kW
- Energy
- Hot water
- Efficiency
- COP: 0.7 to 0.8
Thermax
Thermax TAC S1
Steam-driven single-effect absorption chillers
- Cooling capacity
- 404 – 7,385 kW
- Energy
- Steam
- Efficiency
- COP: 0.7 to 0.8
Thermax
Thermax TAC S2
Steam-driven double-effect absorption chillers
- Cooling capacity
- 400 – 7,410 kW
- Energy
- Steam
- Efficiency
- COP: 1.3 to 1.5
Thermax
Thermax TAC G2
Gas-fired double-effect absorption chillers
- Cooling capacity
- 401 – 4,969 kW
- Energy
- Natural gas or LPG
- Efficiency
- COP: 1.3 to 1.5
Thermax
Thermax TAC E2
Exhaust gas-driven double-effect absorption chillers
- Cooling capacity
- 432 – 8,115 kW
- Energy
- Exhaust gas
- Efficiency
- COP: 1.3 to 1.5
Thermax
Thermax TAC E7
Multi-energy absorption chillers driven by exhaust gas and hot water
- Cooling capacity
- 422 – 8,122 kW
- Energy
- Exhaust gas and hot water
- Efficiency
- COP: 1.01 to 1.15
Robur
Robur GA ACF
Gas-fired absorption chillers
- Cooling capacity
- 17.7 – 88.5 kW
- Energy
- Natural gas or LPG
- Efficiency
- GUE 71%
Robur
Robur GA ACF HR
Gas-fired absorption chillers
- Cooling capacity
- 17.7 – 88.5 kW
- Heating capacity
- 21 – 105 kW
- Energy
- Natural gas or LPG
- Efficiency
- GUE 155%
Robur
Robur GA ACF special versions
Gas-fired absorption chillers
- Cooling capacity
- 17.7 – 88.5 kW
- Energy
- Natural gas or LPG
- Efficiency
- GUE 71%
Comparison
absorption chillers comparison
Nominal values from the manufacturer's technical data sheets.
| Range | Manufacturer | Cooling capacity | Heating capacity | Energy | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yazaki WFC-SC | Yazaki | 17.6 – 176 kW | — | Hot water | COP: 0.7 |
| Thermax TAC L1 | Thermax | 157 – 1,000 kW | — | Hot water | COP: 0.7 to 0.8 |
| Thermax TAC L5 | Thermax | 714 – 5,764 kW | — | Hot water | COP: 0.7 to 0.8 |
| Thermax TAC S1 | Thermax | 404 – 7,385 kW | — | Steam | COP: 0.7 to 0.8 |
| Thermax TAC S2 | Thermax | 400 – 7,410 kW | — | Steam | COP: 1.3 to 1.5 |
| Thermax TAC G2 | Thermax | 401 – 4,969 kW | — | Natural gas or LPG | COP: 1.3 to 1.5 |
| Thermax TAC E2 | Thermax | 432 – 8,115 kW | — | Exhaust gas | COP: 1.3 to 1.5 |
| Thermax TAC E7 | Thermax | 422 – 8,122 kW | — | Exhaust gas and hot water | COP: 1.01 to 1.15 |
| Robur GA ACF | Robur | 17.7 – 88.5 kW | — | Natural gas or LPG | GUE 71% |
| Robur GA ACF HR | Robur | 17.7 – 88.5 kW | 21 – 105 kW | Natural gas or LPG | GUE 155% |
| Robur GA ACF special versions | Robur | 17.7 – 88.5 kW | — | Natural gas or LPG | GUE 71% |
The rating conditions for each capacity are given on the range's page.
Selection criteria
When to choose absorption chillers
- Installations with waste heat available: hot water from cogeneration, process steam or engine exhaust gas
- Cogeneration and trigeneration plants that need cooling as well as electricity and heat
- Cooling with solar thermal energy or biomass boilers
- Buildings and industries with limited electrical capacity, or capacity that is hard to increase
- Processes that need low-temperature chilled water: special versions of the Robur GA ACF reach −10 ºC
Projects
Projects with absorption chillers
University of Almería
Solar HVAC system with an absorption chiller in the CIESOL building at the University of Almería
Alba Technology Park
ST4 district heating & cooling with Thermax absorption chillers at Alba Technology Park, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona
Bodegas Miguel Torres
Cooling with a biomass steam boiler and a Thermax absorption chiller at Bodegas Miguel Torres
Downloads
Catalogues and data sheets
Which range suits your project?
Tell us the capacity, the services you need and the energy available. We'll recommend the configuration and send you a proposal.