Abstract: Vapour absorption refrigeration is carried out by condensing, in a condensing stage (98), a refrigerant in vapour form to obtain condensed refrigerant, being passed into an expansion/evaporation stage (16) in which it is subjected to heat transfer with a higher temperature medium (29) such that at least some of the refrigerant evaporates. Vapourised refrigerant passes from the evaporation stage into an absorption stage (30) in which some of it is absorbed, at a first pressure, into an absorbent, thereby to obtain partially refrigerant-enriched absorbent. This absorbent is contacted, in a compression absorption stage (58) at a second pressure greater than the first pressure, with vapourised refrigerant, rendering refrigerant-enriched absorbent which is passed from the compression absorption stage into a refrigerant regeneration stage (62), in which refrigerant in vapour form is recovered, rendering refrigerant-depleted absorbent.