Waste Heat Driven Vapour Absorption Refrigeration System for Two-Wheelers Using LiBr-H₂O Pair

¹ Chamos Matrusanstha Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chandubhai S. Patel Institute of Technology Charotar University of Science & Technology, Changa, Dist: Anand, Gujarat, India
² Maruti Suzuki India Limited, Haryana, India

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Abstract

With rising urban temperatures and the lack of climate control in two-wheelers, riders particularly in the developing world experience high thermal discomfort. Conventional vapour compression-based systems are not feasible for two-wheelers because of space and power constraints. In spite of widespread work on automotive waste heat recovery, very little work has been done on rider-centric, compact, and sustainable two-wheeler cooling systems. This work fills that void by presenting a new vapour absorption refrigeration system (VARS) using waste energy from a two-wheeler's exhaust gases. The system uses a lithium bromide-water (LiBr-H₂O) couple to provide localized cooling through a wearable jacket-type evaporator. A thermoelectric generator (TEG) additionally adds self-sufficiency by driving the VARS pump, rendering the system almost energy-autonomous in nature. Thermodynamic analysis indicates the maximum COP of 0.944 and practical COP of 0.7365. This paper offers a sustainable and innovative method for enhancing rider comfort without sacrificing the performance of vehicles, offering energy-efficient and climate-resilient transport solutions.