Abstract: A hybrid absorber is disclosed for a closed absorption cycle apparatus. The hybrid absorber is comprised of a non-adiabatic section plus an adiabatic spray section in that order, with absorbent solution and vapor supplied sequentially to them. The spray section preferably also includes a non-adiabatic spray cooler. Coolant is supplied to the non-adiabatic absorber and the cooler either in parallel or in series, countercurrently to the absorbent.

Abstract: A thermally activated air conditioning system is disclosed that both dries and chills the air being conditioned. Drying is by a liquid desiccant subsystem, and chilling is by an absorption chilling subsystem. A very high COP (1.25) is obtainable owing to the use of reject heat from the absorption subsystem to power the desiccant subsystem. The overall system (or cycle) is powered by relatively low temperature input heat (e.g. 245° F.). That heat can be obtained from flat plate or evacuated tube solar collectors, or other sources. The low driving temperature is made possible by the disclosed integration between the two subcycles.

Abstract: A shell and tube heat exchanger is disclosed that is comprised of a dense hexagonal bundle of tubes with tube spacing maintained by spacers on the individual tubes. Exchanger performance is enhanced by any or all of three types of bends of the tubes: bundle twisting; bundle enlargement at the tubesheets; and shell bending. Referring to FIG. 7, the spacing enlargement bending is illustrated.

Abstract: A system for scrubbing acid gases from a gas stream, and particularly adapted for scrubbing CO2 from flue gas and recovering the CO2 at high pressure and good purity using an aqueous scrubbing medium such as aqueous ammonia scrubbing solution. A scrubber, regenerator, and stripper are provided, with each having two parts that are each multistage countercurrent vapor-liquid contactors. The required compression energy is minimized by providing necessary refrigeration from an ammonia absorption refrigeration plant that is powered by heat extracted from the gas being scrubbed. The amount of reboil required for the regenerator and stripper is minimized by providing internal heat exchangers (non-adiabatic distillation) in those components.

Abstract: An ammonia absorption refrigeration apparatus is disclosed that has advantageous features to enable it to be integrated with a power plant comprised of a combustion turbine plus a heat recovery steam generator (e.g. a combined cycle plant), in a manner so as to enhance the performance of the power plant. Exhaust heat from the power plant powers the AAR, and refrigeration from the AAR chills the inlet air to the combustion turbine. Thus the power plant output is markedly increased on hot days at high efficiency, with little or no parasitic penalty.

Abstract: A thermally activated air conditioning system is disclosed that both dries and chills the air being conditioned. Drying is by a liquid desiccant subsystem, and chilling is by an absorption chilling subsystem. A very high COP (1.25) is obtainable owing to the use of reject heat from the absorption subsystem to power the desiccant subsystem. The overall system (or cycle) is powered by relatively low temperature input heat (e.g. 245° F.). That heat can be obtained from flat plate or evacuated tube solar collectors, or other sources. The low driving temperature is made possible by the disclosed integration between the two subcycles.

Abstract: Chilling is produced from heat that is normally wasted in the economizer section of a steam boiler. A thermally-activated ammonia-water absorption chiller is powered by a heat recovery unit. The heat recovery unit supplies boiler exhaust heat to desorb the working fluid of the chiller. That can be directly, such that the heat recovery unit is a heat recovery vapor generator that can be colocated with an economizer, in parallel or series. The exhaust heat can alternatively be supplied to the AARC indirectly, via a heat transfer loop and a separate generator. The desorbed ammonia vapor is rectified, condensed, and then used to produce the chilling. The heat released in the chiller when low pressure ammonia vapor is re-absorbed is used to preheat the boiler feedwater.

Abstract: An addition to the air compressor of a combustion turbine system is disclosed, which chills the inlet air on warm days. The same equipment with minimal modification is used to prevent inlet air icing conditions on cold days. Referring to FIG. 1, inlet air conditioner heat exchanger 3 supplies conditioned (chilled or heated) air to the combustion turbine, and heat recovery unit 1 supplies turbine exhaust heat to ammonia absorption refrigeration unit 2. Control valves 5, 6, 7, and 8 selectively supply either chilling refrigerant liquid or heating vapor from AARU 2 to conditioning heat exchanger coil 3.

Abstract: A hybrid absorber is disclosed for a closed absorption cycle apparatus. The hybrid absorber is comprised of a non-adiabatic section plus an adiabatic spray section in that order, with absorbent solution and vapor supplied sequentially to them. The spray section preferably also includes a non-adiabatic spray cooler. Coolant is supplied to the non-adiabatic absorber and the cooler either in parallel or in series, countercurrently to the absorbent.

Abstract: A compact shell and coil heat exchanger is disclosed that accommodates widely differing volumetric flowrates between the two fluids undergoing heat exchange. Multiple co-coiled helical coils of tubing are concentrically arranged, and coil spacers are provided which maintain the tubes in overall staggered alignment, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Uniformly high transfer coefficients are maintained throughout the bundle of coils via means for ensuring that the tube-side flow through the tubes of each coil, and the shell-side flow across each coil, are kept proportional to the tube surface area of each coil.

Abstract: An improvement to the air compressor of a combustion turbine system is disclosed, which makes the air compression more energy efficient plus have higher capacity on warm days. The same equipment with minimal modification is used to prevent inlet air icing conditions on cold days. Referring to FIG. 1, inlet air conditioner 3 supplies conditioned (chilled or heated) air to the combustion turbine, and heat recovery unit 1 supplies turbine exhaust heat to ammonia absorption refrigeration unit 2. Control valves 5, 6, 7, and 8 selectively supply either chilling refrigerant liquid or heating vapor to conditioning coil 3.

Abstract: A system for chilling the pressurized charge air to a reciprocating engine is disclosed wherein the chilling is provided by a thermally activated refrigeration cycle powered by waste heat from the engine system. This reduces the required compression power, and also retards knock, making higher compression ratios possible. The chilling system is designed to minimize the amount of chilling required, and also to enable use of compression heat to power the chiller. The disclosed improvement also accommodates exhaust gas recirculation, plus providing activation heat from the exhaust gas, plus Miller cycle timing of the intake valves. Referring to FIG. 1, the charge air from turbocharger 5 is cooled in three stages: heat recovery stage 10; ambient-cooled stage 11; and chilling stage 12. Condensed moisture is removed from the charge air by valve 14 before the charge is supplied to inlet manifold 2.