A study on dynamic simulation of absorption heat pump integrated MVR
Absorption heat pumps are widely used in industrial processes due to low grade thermal energy heat source utilization. A mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) integrated absorption heat pump system combines the principles of vapor compression into absorption heat pumps. In this study, a dynamic simulation model is proposed to understand the process of a lithium bromide-water (LiBr-H2O) solution absorption heat pump system integrated with an MVR. The dynamic cycle is developed considering heat and mass transfer of working fluid through system components. The ordinary differential equations of heat and mass conversion are solved for every component in each timestep. The thermal inertia characteristics and thermal performance of the system are analyzed under different operating conditions including heat source temperature, cooling temperatures, LiBr concentration. Furthermore, the operating conditions of absorption heat pump are controlled to obtain a proper vapor stream supply for the MVR. Different control methods are applied to optimize the performance and energy efficiency of the integrated system. This work contributes to the design and implementation of integrated thermal systems for industrial waste heat recovery and energy reuse.