A single-effect water-lithium bromide absorption chiller has been designed and tested for low-grade waste-heat utilization. The nominal capacity of the chiller is 90 tons, and it is to be driven by water heated by both the exhaust stream and jacket water of a 615-kW natural gas reciprocating engine. Lab performance of the stand-alone chiller has matched expectations. The test data were in reasonable agreement with model predictions and are presented in this paper. The success of this cost-optimized design further substantiates the promise of thermally activated cooling equipment integrated with distributed power generation sources to meet building energy needs holistically, with a single energy-efficient and environmentally friendly package.

Units: I-P