What is it about?
This study evaluates a new type of heat recovery system that increases the temperature of waste heat, making it more useful for industrial or renewable energy applications. The device, called a single-stage absorption heat transformer, was tested using a new fluid mixture known as water/Carrol™, made of lithium bromide and ethylene glycol. Traditional systems use a water/lithium bromide solution, which can crystallize and corrode at high temperatures. The researchers built and tested the new system in the lab, measuring how well it could raise the temperature and how efficiently it operated. The results showed that the new mixture achieved a larger temperature increase—up to 52°C—and operated safely at higher concentrations, suggesting it could replace the traditional fluid in similar applications.
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Why is it important?
Industries and renewable systems often generate waste heat that is too low in temperature to reuse efficiently. Finding ways to upgrade that heat reduces energy waste and lowers costs. The water/Carrol™ mixture offers several advantages: it dissolves more effectively, avoids crystallization, and achieves greater temperature lifts than conventional fluids. This makes it a promising option for heat recovery, solar energy, and industrial processes that need higher-temperature heat without extra fuel consumption.
Perspectives
From a technical point of view, this paper presents one of the first experimental evaluations of an absorption heat transformer using the water/Carrol™ mixture. In my laboratory, we analyzed thermodynamic behavior, flow ratios, temperature lifts, and performance coefficients. Results showed gross temperature lifts close to 52°C and coefficients of performance between 0.1 and 0.2, limited mainly by experimental heat losses. Despite these losses, the Carrol mixture’s high solubility and stability at elevated temperatures make it a superior alternative to water/lithium-bromide. This study contributes valuable experimental data and supports the broader application of improved working fluids in renewable and industrial heat recovery systems.
Professor Rosenberg J Romero
Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Morelos
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Experimental evaluation of a single-stage heat transformer operating with the water/Carrol™ mixture, Energy, April 1999, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/s0360-5442(98)00097-8.
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