| Author | Cisneros, Cinderella Buscato |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.ET-92-5 |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineeiing |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Low grade geothe1mal energy sources are abundant in most ASEAN countlies. In the hinterlands where this energy source is usually located, ref1igeration and cooling are provided by compression systems which require high grade energy. The cascaded absorption-compression refrigeration system installed at the Fang Geothermal Power Plant Demonstration Project in north Thailand is a recognition of the large potential for utilizing degraded or low enthalpy geothermal fluid to run the absorption unit of a combined ref1igeration cycle in order to reduce the high grade energy consumption of the vapor compression system. This possibility was investigated and extended to other combined cycle configurations in the present study. Computer models have been developed to assess the benefits of coupling the vapor absorption cycle to the vapor compression cycle in two combined refrigeration cycle configurations. Results show that maximum extraction of geothennal energy in the absorption unit of the refrigeration cascade reduces the compressor energy requirement by as much as 70%. This, however, is accompanied by a ten- fold increase in heat exchanger area and requires a large amount of geothermal energy. Experiments conducted on the existing Fang cascaded system validated this result. Although the subcooled cycle has a lower potential in compressor work reduction (25%), this requires only one-fourth of the additional heat exchanger area needed in the cascaded system. Moreover, the subcooled system consumes roughly one-fifth of the geothemrnl energy required in the cascaded system. A third energy efficient combined cycle was identified and investigated. This regenerative cycle does not require an external heat source but utilizes the superheat of compression as heat of generation in the absorption unit. This system was found to cause 12% reduction in compressor work requirement and achieves this at a minimal additional investment (50%) in heat exchanger area. |
| Year | 1992 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Energy and Climate Change (Former title: Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Change (DEECC)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Energy Technology (ET) |
| Chairperson(s) | Mohanty, Brahmanand; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Exell, Robert H.B. ;Supachart Chungpaibulpatana; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | KEIDANREN Foundation, Japan; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology |