MODELING OF AN AMMONIA-WATER FALLING-FILM GENERATOR
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17654/0973576322002Abstract
This study focuses on the performance of a falling-film plate generator involved in ammonia-water absorption machines. The generator comprises an array of parallel vertical grooved plates between which the heat transfer fluid and the ammonia-water desorbing solution circulate alternately. The solution forms falling films along the plates. The vapor generated by desorption flows downward in the center of the channel. A mathematical model is developed to analyze the performance of the generator in co-current and counter-current heating modes. The model is validated using results from the literature. Ammonia mass fraction in the outlet vapor, the mass effectiveness of the generator, and the energy per unit mass of ammonia generated at the exit of an ideal rectifier connected to the generator are used to compare the effects of different parameters such as the heating mode, the length and the number of plates, as well as the temperature and the flow rate of the heat transfer fluid. A reflection on the design and the conditions of use of the generator combining compactness and energy performance concludes the study.
Received: May 30, 2021
Accepted: July 8, 2021
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