HIGHER LIFT LOWER COST ABSORPTION CYCLES

THE FEASIBILITY OF MODIFYING AN AQUEOUS NAOH SOLUTION TO PROVIDE A HIGHER LIFT AND LESS CORROSIVE ABSORBENT FOR USE IN ABSORPTION CYCLES IS EXAMINED. THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE PROJECTED (AND IN SOME CASES ALREADY CONFIRMED) FOR THE MODIFIED ABSORBENT HAVE LONG BEEN SOUGHT BY RESEARCHERS IN THE ABSORPTION FIELD. THE IMPROVEMENTS WILL LOWER COSTS IN TRADITIONAL ABSORPTION CYCLE MARKETS, EG. AIR COOLED ABSORPTION AIR CONDITIONERS. THE NEW PROPERTY OF HIGHER LIFT FROM AMBIENT TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO PROVIDE NEW OPPORTUNITIES NOT PREVIOUSLY ACCESSIBLE TO LOW COST WATER BASED ABSORPTION HEAT PUMPS. FOR EXAMPLE, APPLYING ABSORPTION HEAT PUMPING TO COMMERCIAL HOT WATER HEATERS CAN SAVE 58 X 10(12) BTU ANNUALLY. THE RESEARCH WILL PREDICT AND MEASURE THE SOLUTION THERMODYNAMIC EFFECTS OF ADDING ADDITIONAL IONIC SPECIES (BOTH CATIONS AND ANIONS) TO THE NAOH SOLUTION. IT WILL LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR FURTHER TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS IN THIS IMPORTANT CLASS OF ENERGY RELATED PROCESSES. IT WILL ALSO HELP RESOLVE LONG-STANDING DISCREANCIES IN THE LITERATURE DATA ON VAPOR PRESSURE OF CONCENTRATED NAOH SOLUTIONS.