What is it about?
A clever cooling system that taps into the gentle warmth of the Earth itself, specifically from geothermal wells nestled in the Las Tres Vírgenes volcanic area in Baja California Sur, México. This innovative setup, known as a half-effect absorption cooling system, utilizes a specialized mixture of ammonia and lithium nitrate to convert low-temperature geothermal heat—ranging from 56 to 70 °C—into impressively cold air, which can reach as low as −16 °C.
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Why is it important?
his innovative setup, called a half-effect absorption cooling system, uses a special ammonia and lithium nitrate mix to turn low-temperature geothermal heat—between 56 and 70 °C—into impressively chilly air, reaching as low as −16 °C. By carefully studying this system through the lens of thermodynamics, researchers found it delivers decent efficiency, with performance scores ranging from 0.10 to 0.36 and energy utilization rates between 15% and 40%, depending on how hot or cold the system’s components are set. It’s a promising, eco-friendly way to bring cooling to places with geothermal resources, showing how we can work smarter with nature’s energy.
Perspectives
Research highlights the immense potential of half-effect absorption systems to harness low-temperature heat sources effectively. This study dives into detailed thermodynamic and numerical heat transfer analyses to showcase the practicality of a half-effect absorption cooling system powered by a low-enthalpy geothermal source. We explored two scenarios: one pushing the limits with a low thermal level below 65 °C, and another leveraging a medium-temperature heat source above 70 °C, demonstrating the system's versatility across different geothermal conditions
Professor Rosenberg J Romero
Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Morelos
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Thermodynamic Analysis of a Half-Effect Absorption Cooling System Powered by a Low-Enthalpy Geothermal Source, Applied Sciences, March 2019, MDPI AG,
DOI: 10.3390/app9061220.
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