Experimental proof-of-concept testing of an innovative heat-powered vapour recompression±absorption refrigerator cycle Ian W. Eames*, Shenyi Wu School of the Built Environment, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK Received 19 February 1999; accepted 11 June 1999 Abstract This paper describes and evaluates the results of an experimental study in relation to the performance of an innovative vapour recompression±absorption refrigerator cycle. This novel refrigerator incorporates a steam jet-pump cycle which acts as an internal heat pump which upgrades otherwise wasted heat from the solution concentrator and uses it to assist in the desorption process. The cycle is described in detail, a description of the experimental, proof-of-concept, refrigerator is given and experimental results are evaluated. 7 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Absorption; Refrigeration; Ejector; Jet-pump; Novel cycles 1. Introduction This paper describes and evaluates the results of a two year research programme to assess the practical feasibility of an innovative vapour recompression/absorption refrigerator cycle shown schematically in Fig. 1. According to theoretical analysis [1] this cycle is capable of achieving cooling COP values of about 1.2 or greater. This ®gure is signi®cantly greater than single-eect absorption cycle refrigerators, which typically have COP c values of 0.7, and similar to that of a typical double- Applied Thermal Engineering 20 (2000) 721±736 1359-4311/00/$ - see front matter 7 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S1359-4311(99)00054-X www.elsevier.com/locate/apthermeng * Corresponding author. Tel.: +115-951-3132; fax: +115-951-3159. E-mail address: ian.eames@nottingam.ac.uk (I.W. Eames).