What is it about?
This research focuses on improving systems that recycle waste heat from industrial processes. The study models how different types of absorption heat transformers—devices that upgrade low-temperature waste heat into more useful higher-temperature heat—perform when using a new fluid mixture called water–Carrol. Carrol is a combination of lithium bromide and ethylene glycol that dissolves better than the traditional lithium bromide–water solution, allowing the system to operate at higher temperatures without crystallizing. The authors developed mathematical models for three configurations: single-stage, two-stage, and double-absorption heat transformers. They compared how efficiently each type converted waste heat into usable heat and how much temperature increase (or “lift”) each could produce.
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Why is it important?
Many industries lose large amounts of energy as waste heat, which could be recovered and reused to save fuel and reduce emissions. Traditional heat recovery systems have technical limits due to fluid crystallization and corrosion at high temperatures. The new water–Carrol mixture provides better solubility and thermal stability, making it a promising alternative. The results help engineers design more reliable and efficient heat recovery systems that can reach higher temperatures—expanding the potential for renewable and industrial energy reuse.
Perspectives
From a technical standpoint, this study presents a comprehensive thermodynamic model comparing single-stage, two-stage, and double-absorption heat transformers using the water–Carrol mixture. The modeling shows that single-stage systems have higher efficiency (coefficients of performance), while advanced configurations achieve greater temperature lifts—up to 105 °C under certain conditions. These results confirm the potential of the Carrol mixture to overcome the crystallization limits of conventional fluids, offering new design options for high-temperature heat recovery. This paper strengthens the theoretical foundation for optimizing absorption heat transformer technologies and extends their applicability to more demanding industrial environments.
Professor Rosenberg J Romero
Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Morelos
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Modelling of single-stage and advanced absorption heat transformers operating with the water/carrol mixture, Applied Thermal Engineering, November 1997, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/s1359-4311(96)00090-7.
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