I am a novice asking for a Gas Absorb. Refrig. expert about alternative heat source possibilities

[Thaddeus]

Greetings, My name is Thaddeus. I am a new (2nd year) outdoor boiler owner and I have done a few projects that reduce my cost of living by using the heat from my boiler such as: Heating my house, garage, domestic hot water, hot tub, and a heated walkway. I plan on doing a heated greenhouse and a friend of mine is trying to talk me into a Stirling Engine... (maybe, We'll see)

So that you know, my mechanical abilities education are above average. I am a licensed FAA Airframe & Powerplant Technician, Union Millwright, Marine Technician, and an all around decent mechanic.

I have been doing a little self education on Gas Absorption Refrigerators and I have a decent fundamental understanding of how they work.

My Question is this: Can the gas heater in a 2 or 3 way system be replaced with a different heat source?

I have attempted to search out that temperature used by various refrigerators but I have been unsuccessful leading me to believe that the temp needed may be dependant on the size of the system... therefore some physics calculations?

I ask because I wonder if I can modify the heater portion to be heated hydronically as my ODWB is capable of steady temperatures at or below 180 degrees F (82.2c).


I would love any input: Is this an asinine idea? Does it have any merit? Has it been done successfully? Has anyone else tried? Failed, resulted or conquered? I do not know... But I understand some physics and Bernoulli's principle and I know I have a stable heat source. So maybe I can make it work??

Thanks for any help or advice or comment you care to invest in this post.

Thaddeus

 

[jimtoo]

Hi Thaddeus,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and to the family. We have a great bunch of folks here with lots of information and all willing to share their knowledge when needed.

Be sure and join our Heartland Owners Club, it’s free now. Then join us at a rally when you can and meet lots of the great folks here and make friends for a lifetime.

Enjoy the forum.
Jim M

 

[danemayer]

The gas absorption cooling unit is sensitive to temperature. Another heat source might work, if you get it just right. Make a mistake and you might be buying a very expensive cooling unit.

 

[wdk450]

I did some internet searching and came up with the following quote: "Your RV Refrigerator boiler operates at about 350 degrees all the time" .
This is from : https://www.arprv.com/.

Some other info- Temperature of a Propane Gas (blue) flame, like from the refrig propane burner:

"Propane-butane mix with air

1970 °C 3578 °F"

See:http://www.elgas.com.au/blog/1585-why-does-a-gas-flame-burn-blue-lpg-gas-natural-propane-methane

The electric heating element might have to reach about the same temperature to duplicate the heat of the propane flame, although equal BTU's is most likely the key item.

 

[Gary521]

What is the point of trying to find another heat source?

 

[Thaddeus]

What is the point of trying to find another heat source?

Really just curiosity. I have a camp with a gas frige and I love the thing... so cold... so efficient. I clean it and one time I was cleaning the back and looked at that pilot light and thought that it was such a small amount of heat. I thought "thats all this is, a big heat exchanger".... Well I have a consistent source of heat and nearly 250,000 btu's at any given time. I have worked my boiler so that the heat load is evenly distributed.

I thought maybe I could make this work.... so I came here and asked.