Absorption chillers use heat to drive the refrigeration cycle, they produce chilled water while consuming just a small amount of electricity to run the pumps on the unit. Absorption chillers generally use steam or hot water to drive the lithium bromide refrigeration cycle but can also use other heat sources. With a product of Heinen & Hopman hot (waste) cooling water from the diesel engines, normally disposed of over board, is reused for producing chilled water of 6°C to serve the HVAC installation.

This product has one big advantages: it makes energy savings of 95% possible.

How it works

Absorption cooling relies on a thermochemical “compressor.” Two different fluids are used: a refrigerant and an absorbent. The fluids have high “affinity” for each other, which means one dissolves easily in the other. The refrigerant – usually water – can change phase easily between liquid and vapor and circulates through the system. Heat from a hot water boiler, steam or a waste-heat source drives the process. The high affinity of the refrigerant for the absorbent (lithium bromide) causes the refrigerant to boil at a lower temperature and pressure than it normally would and transfers heat from one place to another.

Application

A special Maritime Absorption Chiller has been designed considering and resolving negative aspects such as the refrigerant’s overflow and mixing caused by ship motions, special welding, structure strength and performance de-rating in view of the ship pitching and rolling. After careful design and research the absorption chillers were tested on a moving bed to simulate the marine conditions.

The Maritime Absorption Chillers of Heinen & Hopman can be steam or hot water fired and seawater cooled with Cu/Ni or Ti absorber and condenser heat exchangers. It can be used to replace a conventional electric chiller (heat source must be 100% of the time available) or in a hybrid version (Electric chiller as back up).

Read more about the sustainable solutions of Heinen & Hopman:

Cooling water from diesel engines used for heating

Heat recovery: Energy saving of up to 50% possible

The world’s first totally oil-free, energy efficient and lightweight compressors

MGO Cooler