Exergoeconomic analysis of industrial brine chilling unit using aqua-ammonia vapour absorption refrigeration system

Exergoeconomic analysis of an industrial brine chilling unit using a large capacity aqua ammonia Vapour Absorption Refrigeration (VAR) system is carried out. The analysis is based on Tsatsaronis's Thermoeconomic Evaluation and Optimisation (TEO) Method which is one of the many methods that was developed since the pioneering work of Tribus and Evans. The economic cost of all the flows and product of the system are calculated. The objective function to be minimised is determined. As decision variables, generator, condenser and evaporator temperatures, pump efficiency and heat exchangers effectiveness are selected. The optimum configuration is obtained through the iterative procedure of Bejan, aiming the design improvement for minimum product cost and makes the overall system cost effective. The result shows considerable improvement in the system performance compared to that of the existing unit.