Steam absorption into films of aqueous solution of lithium bromide and lithium iodide mixture falling over a column of horizontal pipes

Abstract

AbstractTo improve absorption chiller performance, an aqueous solution of lithium bromide and lithium iodide mixture at the ratio of 1:0.7 was proposed for an absorbing medium since it has a higher solution limit than conventional lithium bromide solution. But the component lithium iodide solution has a higher equilibrium pressure than the lithium bromide solution. To investigate the absorption performance of the mixture liquid, experiments were carried out using a horizontal pipe column. Experimental range of the mass concentration was 62–66% for the mixture solution and 62–63% for the lithium bromide solution. The absorption rate of lithium bromide solution at 62% and 63% is almost equal to the mixture solution at 63% and 64%, respectively. Compared at the same concentrations, the mixture solution is inferior to the lithium bromide solution; at the maximum concentration, the mixture solution has about 20 to 50% higher absorption rates than the lithium bromide solution. Surface temperature of the falling films was measured by thermal video and used to determine the heat transfer coefficient and mass transfer coefficient, which becomes larger for the mixture solution than for the lithium bromide solution. This is due to the decreased viscosity of the mixture solution. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res, 37(7): 431–444, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/htj.20213