Method and apparatus for recuperating waste heat in absorption systems

Apparatus for recovering waste heat in an absorption system having a regenerator in which an absorption process takes place, said apparatus comprising:

• a waste heat recovery conduit having spaced apart inlet and outlet ends,
• means for introducing vapor and liquid into the inlet end of said conduit for concurrent flow therethrough to the outlet end thereof,
• means for heating said conduit,
• means for delivering fluid from the outlet end of said conduit to the absorption process in said regenerator.

In a system for recovering waste heat in an absorption system having a high-pressure generator for heating a solution of working and absorbent fluids to produce high-pressure working fluid vapor, energy extracting means for reducing the pressure of said high-pressure working fluid vapor to extract energy therefrom, a regenerator, means for delivering low-pressure liquid solution from said generator to said regenerator, means for delivering low-pressure working fluid vapor from said energy extracting means to said regenerator for absorption into said low-pressure liquid solution, and means for using heat from the absorption of said low-pressure working fluid vapor into said low-pressure liquid solution to heat a solution of working and absorbent fluids going to said high-pressure generator, the improvement comprising:

• a waste heat recovery conduit having spaced apart inlet and outlet ends,
• means for introducing low-pressure absorbent liquid into the inlet end of said conduit flow therethrough to the outlet end thereof,
• means for heating said conduit with waste heat to produce absorbent vapor,
• means for delivering fluid from the outlet end of said heat recovery conduit to said regenerator for absorption into the low-pressure solution delivered to said regenerator from said generator.