The Fundamentals of Natural Gas Cooling

Over the past decade gas cooling technology has emerged as a viable and cost-efficient alternative to traditional electric-based cooling. This reference is intended to serve as a comprehensive guide to gas cooling for building owners, engineers, architects, utility representatives, planners, contractors and others involved in both new and retrofit HVAC equipment selection. It provides the fundamental information needed to evaluate gas cooling system characteristics, equipment costs, operating costs and general benefits, as compared with traditional electric motor driven systems. The full range of current technologies are examined in detail, including lithium bromide absorption chiller systems, natural gas engine driven cooling systems, and desiccant cooling and dehumidification systems. For each type of system the key application-specific design, installation, performance, and maintenance parameters are presented, along with case studies of successful applications. Finally, the future outlook and direction for the gas cooling industry is examined, including a brief assessment of the potential for hybrid and combined cycle cooling technologies and an overview of where the industry is headed.