Development of energy-saving gas fired absorption water chilling and water heating packages ~Halving previously overlooked start-up/shutdown period and energy consumption~

Ebara Refrigeration Equipment & Systems Co., Ltd. (hereafter "Ebara Refrigeration Equipment & Systems") and Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. (hereafter "Chubu Electric Power") hereby announce to have jointly developed a gas fired absorption water chilling and water heating packages (Note1:hereafter "Chiller-Heater"). This new appliance features a controlling method that can decrease half both consumed energy and the time needed to start up (Note 2) of Chiller-Heater (hereafter "new controlling method").

Conventional Chiller-Heater had a weakness of being unable to start up quickly.

The two companies thus made improvements to keep diluting operations during shutdowns (Note 3) , rectifying prolonged start-ups, at minimum based on operating conditions. At the same time, the two companies reviewed start-up combustion quantity control and developed a controlling method to input a large amount of heat into the Chiller-Heater immediately after the system start up.

The Chiller-Heater featuring the new controlling method manages to decrease half the time and energy needed for start-ups compared with conventional Chiller-Heaters.

The developed Chiller-Heater is scheduled to go on sale this April by Ebara Refrigeration Equipment & Systems.

• Key features of the developed Chiller-Heater's New Control Method

(Note 1) Gas fired absorption water chilling and water heating packages
The Chiller-Heater can supply chilled water by evaporation of refrigerant. This evaporating refrigerant is absorbed by absorbent solution (lithium-bromide water solution) without using mechanical compressors. The weak absorbent which is unable to absorb the refrigerant any more is heated, concentrated and regenerated the absorptive ability by gas combustion energy as driven heat sources. The Chiller-Heater can also supply the hot water for heating purpose by combustion energy.

(Note 2) Can decrease half both consumed energy and the time needed to start up
At shutdown period of Chiller-Heater, when the refrigerating capacity is roughly 70% or less, the Chiller-Heater can cut 50% of the time and also save energy required at start-ups. The reduction start-up time differs depending on the refrigerating capacity at the previous shutdown period.

(Note 3) Diluting operation during shutdowns
While being shut down, Chiller-Heater engages in dilution operations to dilute absorbent solution. This process is intended to prevent the crystallization caused by absorbent solution temperature decreasing during shutdowns. The Chiller-Heater takes a long time to start up mainly because the over diluted absorbent solutions must be regenerated to supply chilled water. To prevent the chilled water from freezing problem during diluting operations, external water pumps are required to operate in addition to the Chiller-Heater's internal pumps.

(Note 4) Some of existing Chiller-Heater manufactured by Ebara Refrigeration Equipment & Systems can accommodate with the new controlling method
Based on requests, modification services to add the new controlling method will be executed with payable charge from September 2017 for some existing Chiller-Heaters, which were manufactured by Ebara Refrigeration Equipment & Systems.
Models that are applicable to have the new developed starting functions this September are RCD, RED, and RGD types (models with names starting from RCD, RED, and RGD and were on production from 1997, 2000, and 2008, respectively). Phased steps will be taken to increase compatible models. ("XXX type" refers to Ebara Refrigeration Equipment & Systems' model symbols.)
To add the functions, customers are required to change the electrical systems of and attach control equipment to Chiller-Heaters.