Conference article

In this paper; absorption chillers are modeled as four heat sources: the generator; the evaporator; the condenser; and the absorber and thermoeconomic issues are examined using the available relations. In order to simplify the calculations; all processes are assumed to be reversible. Since heat exchangers are expensive facilities; therefore; reducing the total heat transfer area is taken as the design criterion. In this paper; first the thermoeconomic criterion; taken as the total cost of unit of refrigeration which includes the capital cost and the energy cost; is defined. In the following; the available relationships are used to calculate the maximum value of the thermoeconomic criterion and the maximum refrigeration load. Next; optimal working conditions are specified for absorption chillers and after that; the effect of the thermoeconomic parameter on the maximum thermoeconomic criterion; coefficient of performance and the specific refrigeration load corresponding to the maximum value of the thermoeconomic criterion are investigated.

Thermoeconomic performance; absorption chiller; optimization