>-----Original Message-----
>From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] 
>Sent: 22 February 2005 14:13
>To: piclist@mit.edu
>Subject: RE: [OT]: steam powered cooler
>
>
>
>A large university near me uses steam powered air conditioning almost 
>exclusively.  These units are called ammonia absorption 
>chillers.  They use 
>waste steam from the power plant, which would have been wasted out the 
>cooling towers, to generate cold.
>
>The units aren't as efficient as an electric chiller (which 
>uses electricity 
>to make cold, how wierd is that when you think about it?)  but 
>the overall 
>efficiency of the system, since they have their own coal fired 
>power plant, 
>is phenomenal.  Boilers are very efficient at making steam, 
>and directly 
>using that steam in an absorber is more efficient than turning 
>the steam to 
>electricity and the electricity to cold using a compressor.
>
>The ammonia absorption chillers are big, the size of a small 
>tank truck, 
>made by McQuay, Trane or Carrier.  Once upon a time I 
>understood the physics 
>behind them, but that information left my brain along with the 
>principal of 
>how they can wind an endless tape on an 8-track player with only one 
>spindle.
>

I suspect the gas powered refridgerators work that you sometimes get in
caravans (trailers in US).

Regards

Mike

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