Chilled Water System With Engine Waste Heat Recovery Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in passenger ships is to efficiently manage varying cooling demands while effectively utilizing engine waste heat, as conventional systems struggle to operate absorption chiller units at optimal efficiency due to fluctuating engine load conditions, leading to inefficient power consumption and reliance on additional heat sources.
Innovation Solution
A chilled water system that includes a hot water supply system to recover and control engine waste heat, an absorption chiller unit for generating chilled water, and a control system to adjust hot water flow rates and temperatures, prioritizing the use of absorption chiller capacity while compensating with variable-speed centrifugal chiller units to match cooling demands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If absorption chiller unit is operated using engine waste heat, then energy consumption is reduced, but it is difficult to effectively control heat consumption due to varying engine load conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of the absorption chiller unit by adjusting the hot water flow rate supplied from the heat exchanger based on varying engine load conditions. The system continuously adapts the cooling capacity to match the available waste heat, transforming the static operation into a dynamic responsive system that optimizes energy utilization across different operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback control mechanisms where the actual cooling output and engine load conditions are monitored, and the hot water flow rate to the absorption chiller is adjusted accordingly. This closed-loop control enables the system to respond to changing conditions in real-time, maintaining optimal operation despite variations in engine waste heat availability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If absorption chiller unit operates at constant load, then heat consumption is stabilized, but cooling demand cannot be met when waste heat amount decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from constant load operation to dynamic load adjustment by varying the hot water flow rate to the absorption chiller based on real-time engine load conditions. This enables the cooling capacity to dynamically adapt to both the available waste heat and the actual cooling demand, resolving the contradiction between stability and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the absorption chiller unit by adjusting the hot water flow rate and temperature supplied from the heat exchanger. By modifying these parameters according to engine load conditions, the system maintains stable heat consumption while adapting cooling output to match varying demands.
3Reliability
If centrifugal chiller unit operates with margin to compensate insufficient cooling load, then cooling demand is always met, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables the absorption chiller unit to serve itself by directly utilizing engine waste heat as the heat source, eliminating or reducing the need for supplementary heating from boilers or other external sources. This self-sufficient operation reduces overall energy consumption while maintaining reliable cooling supply through dynamic adaptation to available waste heat.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the previously wasted engine heat into a useful resource by feeding it to the absorption chiller unit. This transforms the harmful waste heat emission into a beneficial cooling source, reducing the need for additional energy input from centrifugal chillers or boilers, thereby lowering overall power consumption while maintaining cooling reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration allows for efficient use of engine waste heat, optimizing cooling capacity according to demand, reducing power consumption, and eliminating the need for supplementary heat sources, thereby enhancing energy efficiency and operational economics.
Implementation Method 1
an absorption chiller unit for generating chilled water at a predetermined temperature by performing heat exchange with the hot water generated by the hot water supply system
Implementation Method 2
a hot water supply system for generating hot water by waste heat from an engine
Data Source
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AI summary
A chilled water system, a ship, and a method of operating a chilled water system which can realize an operation according to an increase/decrease of a cooling demand and can efficiently use available waste heat from an engine are provided. A chilled water system 1 is provided with a hot water supply system 7 for generating hot water by the waste heat from an engine, an absorption chiller unit 5 performing heat exchange with the hot water generated in the hot water supply system 7, and a control device 6 for adjusting a supply water amount of supply hot water on the basis of a temperature of the supply hot water so that a temperature of the supply hot water supplied from the hot water supply system 7 to the absorption chiller unit 5 becomes constant.