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Second Law-Based Thermodynamic Analysis
Second Law-Based Thermodynamic Analysis
Abstract
In this study, the first and the second law of thermodynamics are used to analyze the performance of a single-stage water-lithium
bromide absorption refrigeration system (ARS) when some working parameters are varied. A mathematical model based on the exergy
method is introduced to evaluate the system performance, exergy loss of each component and total exergy loss of all the system
components. Parameters connected with performance of the cycle–circulation ratio (CR), coefficient of performance (COP), Carnot
coefficient of performance (COPc), exergetic efficiency (x) and efficiency ratio (t)–are calculated from the thermodynamic properties of
the working fluids at various operating conditions. Using the developed model, the effect of main system temperatures on the
performance parameters of the system, irreversibilities in the thermal process and non-dimensional exergy loss of each component are
analyzed in detail. The results show that the performance of the ARS increases with increasing generator and evaporator temperatures,
but decreases with increasing condenser and absorber temperatures. Exergy losses in the expansion valves, pump and heat exchangers,
especially refrigerant heat exchanger, are small compared to other components. The highest exergy loss occurs in the generator regardless
of operating conditions, which therefore makes the generator the most important component of the cycle.
r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
0360-5442/$ - see front matter r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.energy.2006.09.003
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1506 M. Kilic, O. Kaynakli / Energy 32 (2007) 1505–1512
Q_ A ¼ m
_ 6 h6 þ m
_ 12 h12 m
_ 7 h7 , (2)
Q_ C ¼ m
_ 1 h1 m
_ 2 h2 , (3)
Q_ E ¼ m
_ 5 h5 m
_ 4 h4 , (4) Fig. 1. The schematic illustration of the single-stage ARS.
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M. Kilic, O. Kaynakli / Energy 32 (2007) 1505–1512 1507
The first two terms are the sum of the exergy input and loss of each component is written as follows:
output rates of the flow, respectively. The third term is the
_ is DE_ j
exergy of heat, which is positive if it is into system. W cj ¼ . (21)
the mechanical DE_ t
work
transfer to or from the system, and
the last term E_ D is exergy destroyed due to the internal By using Eq. (21), the significance of each component’s
irreversibilities. When the kinetic and potential energies are contribution into the total exergy loss of the system can be
neglected, specific exergy (e) can be evaluated as found.
e ¼ ðh h0 Þ T 0 ðs s0 Þ. (9) Parameters used to measure the performance of refrig-
erators such as coefficient of performance (COP), circula-
The exergy flow to the control region is always greater tion ratio (CR), exergetic efficiency (x) and efficiency ratio
than that from the control region. The difference between (t) can be expressed as [2,8]
the two, the rate of loss of exergy, is called the
irreversibility rate I_ . The irreversibility rate is calculated Q_ E
COP ¼ , (22)
from the Gouy–Stodola relation, which states that the Q_ G þ W _P
irreversibility rate of a process is the product of the entropy
generation rate for all systems participating in the process _7
m
CR ¼ , (23)
and the temperature of the environment. Exergy is defined _1
m
as the maximum work potential of a matter or of a form of
energy in relation to its environment. This work potential Q_ E 1 T 0 =T E
x¼ , (24)
can be obtained by means of reversible processes. However, Q_ G 1 T 0 =T G þ W _P
in reality there are only irreversible processes. The
irreversibility rate in a process can be calculated as follows: COP
X t¼ . (25)
X COPc
I_ ¼ T 0 S_ gen ¼ T 0 m_ o so m _
_ i si Q=T . (10)
The Carnot coefficient of performance (COPc) is the
The principle exergy losses in a process leading to these maximum possible coefficient of performance of the ARS.
losses are due to dissipation (friction), heat transfer under COPc is defined as follows:
temperature difference and unrestricted expansion. For
TG TA TE
each individual component of ARS, the exergy loss rate COPc ¼ . (26)
TG TC TE
equation is written as follows:
For a single-stage absorption refrigeration cycle, the
DE_ G ¼ m_ 9 e9 m _ 1 e1 þ Q_ G 1 T 0 =T G ,
_ 10 e10 m (11) theoretical calculations of the CR and the COP have been
performed with the known values of TG, TA, TC, TE and by
DE_ A ¼ m
_ 6 e6 þ m _ 7 e7 Q_ A 1 T 0 =T A ,
_ 12 e12 m (12) assuming the following conditions: (1) The systems are
simulated under steady state conditions. (2) The pressure in
DE_ C ¼ m _ 2 e2 Q_ C 1 T 0 =T C ,
_ 1 e1 m (13) the generator, condenser, evaporator and absorber are
equal to the vapor pressure of the working fluids. (3) The
DE_ E ¼ m _ 5 e5 þ Q_ E 1 T 0 =T E ,
_ 4 e4 m (14) pressure drops in all the heat exchangers and the pipelines
are negligible. (4) The solutions leaving the generator and
DE_ P ¼ m _ P,
_ 7 ð e7 e8 Þ þ W (15) absorber are in thermodynamic equilibrium at their
respective temperature and concentration as in the
DE_ SHE ¼ m
_ 8 ð e8 e9 Þ þ m
_ 10 ðe10 e11 Þ, (16)
generator and absorber. (5) The expansion process in the
DE_ RHE ¼ m
_ 2 ð e2 e3 Þ þ m
_ 5 ðe5 e6 Þ, (17) expansion device is at constant enthalpy.
The CR, COP, x, t values and concentrations of the
DE_ SEV ¼ m
_ 11 ðe11 e12 Þ, (18) solution in the absorber and generator have been
calculated for water-lithium bromide ARS for the follow-
DE_ REV ¼ m
_ 3 ðe3 e4 Þ. (19) ing ranges of temperatures: in the evaporator at 4 and 8 1C,
in the condenser at 35 and 40 1C, absorber temperature has
The total exergy loss rate of the absorption refrigeration
been assumed: TC+5 and at the generator from 80 to
cycle is the sum of the exergy loss rate in each component,
105 1C with 5 1C increments.
therefore
In this analysis, the properties of water/steam are
X
N obtained from the correlations provided by ASHRAE
DE_ t ¼ DE_ j , (20) [13]. The properties of lithium bromide solution, except for
j¼1
density and entropy, are obtained from the correlations
where N is the number of components in the ARS. The found in Talbi and Agnew [5] and Mostafavi and Agnew
ratio of the exergy loss rate in each component to the total [14]. The density and entropy of the H2O/LiBr solution is
exergy loss rate of the system is defined as non-dimensional obtained from the works of Kaita [15] and Chua et al. [16],
exergy loss of the component. The non-dimensional exergy respectively.
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3. Results and discussion loss rate occurred in the absorber (approximately 1.5 kW).
Since exergy loss rates in the pump and expansion valves
The simulation results of the first law analysis of the are very small, their effects on the total exergy loss rate are
ARS such as heat capacity of components and some inconsiderable. The non-dimensional exergy loss values of
performance parameters are presented in Table 1. In the each component are also seen in Table 2. The exergy losses
simulation, the parameters are taken as TE ¼ 5 1C, of the generator and absorber are important fractions of
TC ¼ 35 1C, TA ¼ TC+5 1C, TG ¼ 90 1C, eSHE ¼ eRHE ¼ the total exergy loss in the system. The sum of non-
0.70 and ZP ¼ 0.95. The load in the condenser is slightly dimensional exergy losses of these two components is
higher than that in the evaporator. This is primarily due to 80.7%, which is remarkably a high value. Variation of the
superheating the inlet vapor in the condenser. The pump exergy loss of the components for various operating
work is quiet small as compared to the heat transfer rates temperatures is comprehensively examined below.
associated with the other components. Table 1 also shows Fig. 2 presents that the variation of the coefficient of
that the highest heat load occurs in the generator performance and circulation ratio, at different condenser
(approximately 13 kW) and the heat transfer rate of the and evaporator temperatures, versus generator tempera-
refrigerant heat exchanger is lower than that of the solution tures. As it can be seen from the figure, the COP increases
heat exchanger due to mass flow rate and temperature when the generator and evaporator temperatures increase.
difference between the fluids. The system experiences better cooling COP with a higher
Table 2 shows the simulation results of the second law evaporator temperature, since more cooling capacity can
analysis of the ARS. The generator has the highest exergy be produced from the evaporator under this operating
loss rate (approximately 2 kW), and the next largest exergy condition. In general, to obtain high COP values it is
necessary to operate the cycle at low values of the
circulation ratio, which implies high values of TG and TE
Table 1 and low values of TC and TA. It should be noted that the
Heat transfer rates of components and performance parameters of the COP initially exhibits significant increase with an increas-
system ing generator temperature, and then the slope of the COP
Components Heat transfer rates (kW) curves becomes almost flat. In other words, increasing the
generator temperature higher than a certain value does not
Generator (QG) 12.985 provide much improvement for the COP. When TG
Condenser (QC) 10.483
decreases, a rapid increase in CR is observed. The
Evaporator (QE) 10.000
Absorber (QA) 12.502 importance of the CR should be noted as it represents
Pump (WP) 0.00012 the required pumping energy. Furthermore, at the working
Solution heat exchanger (QSHE) 2.254 conditions of TC ¼ 35 1C, TE ¼ 8 1C and TC ¼ 35 1C,
Refrigerant heat exchanger (QRHE) 0.165
Performance parameters of the ARS
Coefficient of performance (COP) 0.770
Circulation ratio (CR) 9.578
Exergetic efficiency (x) 0.309
Efficiency ratio (t) 0.603
Table 2
Exergy loss rates of the components
TE ¼ 4 1C with TG493 1C, and at TC ¼ 40 1C, TE ¼ 8 1C higher generator temperature means more external input
with TG4101 1C, the solution is prone to crystallization. exergy supplied to the system, even though the latter can
Fig. 3 shows variations of the exergetic efficiency (x) and drive more water vapor from water–lithium bromide
the efficiency ratio (t) with the generator temperature at the solution to create cooling. It also generates more exergy
same conditions. Whereas, values of these parameters losses in the generator, condenser and absorber as their
(x and t) are dissimilar, their inclinations are similar. So, average temperatures rise up. This contributes negatively
both the exergetic efficiency and the efficiency ratio to the exergetic efficiency of the system. However, rising
decrease with an increase in the generator temperature generator temperature generally increases the COP, in spite
for the case of TC ¼ 35 1C and TE ¼ 8 1C, and both of the decline due to the resulting decrease in the exergetic
parameters increase up to generator temperature of 90 1C efficiency. Since this negative effect of increasing the
and then decrease for the case of TC ¼ 40 1C and generator temperature is more dominant on the exergetic
TE ¼ 8 1C. As the efficiencies of the first and second laws efficiency of the system, it decreases with increasing
are examined in general, it is seen that x increases up to a generator temperature, while the COP stays almost
generator temperature of 90 1C. Furthermore, COP value constant. This negative result on the exergetic efficiency
also increases up to this temperature (see Fig. 2). At the and the COP trades off the beneficial effect of a high heat
higher generator temperatures, while COP remains ap- source temperature.
proximately stable, x decreases gradually. The reason for Fig. 4 shows the ratio of the exergy loss in the generator
this is that the increase in the generator temperature to the total exergy loss of the system (non-dimensional
negatively influences the x value as seen from Eq. (24). It exergy loss of the generator) as a function of the generator
can be seen from Fig. 3 that the system experiences better temperature. The non-dimensional exergy loss of the
efficiency ratio at high condenser temperature and low generator decreases remarkably as the condenser tempera-
evaporator temperatures within some generator tempera- ture increases, but rises with an increasing evaporator
ture ranges. Unlike the efficiency ratio, the system has temperature. On the other hand, non-dimensional exergy
better exergetic efficiencies when operating with a low loss of the generator continuously decreases when the
condenser temperature and the high evaporator tempera- generator temperature increases. The exergy loss of the
ture within some generator temperature ranges. Within its generator is an important fraction of the total exergy loss
own generator temperature range, the exergetic efficiency in the system, basically due to the temperature difference
of the system initially increases and declines continuously between the heat source and the working fluid. Therefore,
as the generator temperature increases. This is because a in order to decrease the total exergy loss of the system, the
Fig. 3. Variation of x and t with generator temperature at different Fig. 4. Variation of non-dimensional exergy loss of the generator with
condenser and evaporator temperatures (TA ¼ TC+5 1C, eSHE ¼ generator temperature at different condenser and evaporator temperatures
eRHE ¼ 0.70, ZP ¼ 0.95). (TA ¼ TC+5 1C, eSHE ¼ eRHE ¼ 0.70, ZP ¼ 0.95).
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1510 M. Kilic, O. Kaynakli / Energy 32 (2007) 1505–1512
Fig. 8. Variation of non-dimensional exergy loss of the solution heat Fig. 10. Variation of non-dimensional exergy loss of the pump with
exchanger with generator temperature at different condenser and generator temperature at different condenser and evaporator temperatures
evaporator temperatures (TA ¼ TC+5 1C, eSHE ¼ eRHE ¼ 0.70, ZP ¼ 0.95). (TA ¼ TC+5 1C, eSHE ¼ eRHE ¼ 0.70, ZP ¼ 0.95).
References