Absorption Heat Pumping- Have You Tried It?

Abstract

The concept of a thermal powered absorption heat pump is not a new or revolutionary idea. It has been successfully demonstrated in the lab and prototypes have been installed in the field. Units have been successfully applied in a number of industrial and commercial installations. Even more has been written about absorption heat pumping and many presentations have been made at energy symposiums and technical seminars. In fact, there have been more written and spoken words about absorption heat pumping than actual field installations. If absorption heat pumping is so great, then why haven’t more end users elected to take advantage of the benefits of absorption heat pumping? In this paper we will look at various types of absorption heat pumping and the associated economics and performance characteristics. We will also discuss some possible reasons why the absorption heat pumping concept, which looks great on paper, has yet to find a sustained niche in the industrial marketplace. And lastly, we will discuss some possible steps that could be taken by all parties to make absorption heat pumping a truly visible and viable alternative for conserving energy and reducing energy costs.