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Waste Heat Fired Ice Maker
The Thermochiller at Chena Hot Springs Resort provides 16 tons of -28o F chilling. It runs on 160oF spring water and will keep Aurora Ice Museum open year round. The Thermochiller uses Energy Concepts' patented double lift Thermochiller cylcle. One of Energy Concepts’ patented high-efficiency absorption cycles is the "Vapor Exchange" cycle. This cycle proved ideal to solve the problem of how to transport a large, highly seasonal fish catch in a remote village in Alaska during the warm summer months when commercial salmon season is open.
The electric power required to run traditional mechanical
vapor compression refrigeration cycles to produce ice for storage
overwhelms the villages power capacity, which is supplied by two
diesel engines. The VX cycle is powered by low temperature waste
heat, which is provided by the jacket cooling water from the diesel
engines. Although the absorption cycle has higher first cost than
traditional ice making equipment, when the cost of the necessary
additional electric generating capacity is included, the capital
costs are about equal. Since the absorption system requires no additional
fuel input, in most scenarios, 70% savings in operating costs can
be realized. The Waste Heat Fired Icemaker has successfully operated during each commercial salmon fishing season in Kotzebue, Alaska since 1993. Diesel engine jacket cooling water at 75°C is used as the heat source to produce 10 tons per day of flake ice for fish storage and transportation. This project was made possible with support from the Alaska Energy Authority (now the Division of Energy of the Department of Community and Regional Affairs), and the Kotzebue Electric Association. |
