Thermoeconomic analysis of water? ionic liquid absorption refrigeration cycle

In this study, the thermoeconomic performance of absorption refrigeration cycle utilizing binary solution containing water - ionic liquid (1-Ethyl-3-Methylimidazolium Trifluoroacetate) is investigated and compared with the water-lithium bromide cycle. For this purpose, the thermodynamic and thermoeconomic analysis have been employed to simulation of the cycle and then, the effects of design parameters on the performance parameters like coefficient of performance, exergetic efficiency, solution circulation flow ratio, area of heat exchangers and cost of the streams are studied. The thermodynamic properties of the binary solution are predicted using Non-Random Two Liquids model. It has been found the system with ionic liquid has a lower coefficient of performance and exergetic efficiency (0.66, 10.15%) than aqueous solution of lithium bromide system (0.78, 12 %). The total area and total cost of the ionic liquid system (49 m2, 4907 $/year) is larger than water-lithium bromide cycle (16 m2, 3347 $/year). Despite the Lower performance of systems with ionic liquid, the advantages of these liquids like no crystallization, negligible vapor pressure and weak corrosion tendency to iron-steel materials make the new working pair suited for the absorption refrigeration cycle.