Abstract: Countercurrent flow absorber and desorber devices are provided for use in absorption cycle refrigeration systems and thermal boosting systems. The devices have increased residence time and surface area resulting in improved heat and mass transfer characteristics. The apparatuses may be incorporated into open cycle thermal boosting systems in which steam serves both as the refrigerant vapor which is supplied to the absorber section and as the supply of heat to drive the desorber section of the system.

Abstract: Sensible waste heat from industrial or other sources is boosted to useful temperature levels by combining at least one Rankine vapor generation cycle with at least one solution heat pump cycle. Waste heat is first utilized to boil off refrigerant in the Rankine cycle evaporator to provide a source of relatively high pressure vapor to an absorber in the solution heat pump. In the absorber, the vapor is contacted with a working solution of absorbent and refrigerant. As the refrigerant vapor is absorbed into solution, its latent heats of condensation and solution are given off at a temperature higher than the temperature of to a process (boosted output) stream the waste heat source. The working solution is then throttled to a relatively low pressure desorber where a portion of the refrigerant is desorbed as vapor from the solution by the further use of waste heat. The desorbed refrigerant vapor is then condensed and pumped to the evaporator for reuse.