CFD simulation approved by an experimental validation of the diffusion absorption refrigeration system evaporator

Abstract

The evaporation process has a considerable impact on the operation of a diffusion absorption refrigeration system (DAR). However, there have been few studies that have focused on this specific issue. In this paper, a numerical investigation of the evaporator region in a DAR system was conducted using CONVERGE CFD software and the RANS approach. The aim of this study is to validate an accurate CFD model by analysing the flow behaviour and thermal parameters within the evaporator. The computational results show high agreement with the experimental data, with slight deviations often remaining under 3 %. The current study additionally investigated the effect of ammonia presence at the hydrogen inlet, specifically at 5 % and 10 % ratios. The results demonstrate that the average deviation is less than 1 % when using 5 % ammonia. This study sheds light on the evaporation process, which is important for enhancing the design and operational efficiency of DAR systems. For this purpose, the validated numerical model will be of great use.