Analysis of an air cooled ammonia–water vertical tubular absorber

This paper presents a detailed analysis of an ammonia–water vertical tubular absorber cooled by air. The absorption process takes place co-currently upward inside the tubes. The tubes are externally finned with continuous plate fins and the tube rows are arranged staggered in the direction of the air flow. The air is forced over the tube bank and circulates between the plain fins in cross flow with the ammonia–water mixture. The analysis has been carried out by means of a mathematical model developed on the basis of mass and energy balances and heat and mass transfer equations. The model takes into account separately the churn, slug and bubbly flow patterns experimentally forecasted in this type of absorption processes inside vertical tubes and considers the simultaneous heat and mass transfer processes in both liquid and vapour phases, as well as heat transfer to the cooling air. The model has been implemented in a computer program. Results based on a representative design and nominal operating conditions of an absorber for a small capacity ammonia–water absorption refrigeration system are shown. A parametric analysis was realised to investigate the influence of the design parameters and operating conditions on the absorber performance. The noteworthy results that have effect on practical design of the absorber are presented and commented.