Absorption Chiller Life Expectancy?

[tfraz]

I have two Carrier 16JB018 chillers that are currently about 22 years old. The shells of both are in fair condition, although recently problems with each have began to develop. One had generator tubes plugged due to leakage about 12 years ago and recently I have had to plug more for the same reason. This chiller is now unable to run at its rated capacity. The second chiller's solution is dirty and a recent solution analysis indicates a high level of suspended solids, possibly indicating internal corrosion. The repair costs for both units is high, although not as high as a complete replacement. There are several other litigating factors that will doubtlessly influence whether or not to replace these units, but my question is: What is a normal life expectancy for these units?

 

[TBP]

Something that REALLY shortens the lifespan of absorbers is air inleakage. Lots of people can't be bothered to find and fix little air leaks. It's really easy to run that little vacuum pump for longer and longer periods, rather than the "10 minutes total per week" that they should be. You can even retrofit larger vacuum pumps if the little factory supplied unit is too small. You can keep them running at full capacity doing this, but all the while, the air leaks are corroding your machine to death. A machine that should last 25 or 30 years is dead in 5 or 10.

If you've got a history of tube replacements in one, and dirty solution in the other, I'd be thinking of replacement. I've fought old absorbers before. Ugly didn't begin to describe it. The only thing old absorbers absorb, is money.

 

[quark]

Tfraz!

22 years for absorption chillers is a pretty good time. We had to change all pressure parts within 6 years time and maintaining every year is a great problem. I have not seen them in my country working for morethan 15 years. How frequently you are filtering LiBr and adding anticorrosive chemicals? We were doing it with one year frequency. There are some online filters installed in the system at evaporator outlet. Try this one.

Regards,