Innovative zeolite coatings on graphite plates for advanced adsorbers

In this work, a new family of zeolite coatings and an innovative heat exchanger concept are presented. Zeolite SAPO-34 coatings have been prepared and deposited on high-density graphite plates to investigate the feasibility of a new concept of adsorber for adsorption chillers. Different coating formulations have been prepared and characterized. Results demonstrated that SAPO-34 coatings maintain the characteristic adsorption properties of the native zeolite, develop an optimum bonding to the graphite plates and make it possible to improve the coating process for a better control of the layer thickness, in order to obtain different values of the final zeolite/support mass ratio. Finally, the schematic of an innovative graphite exchanger for heat pumps and chillers is provided. A bonded plate configuration have been adopted to remove bulky and heavy components such as the clamping plates. To this end experimental work have been conducted to address the suitable adhesive foe bonding the heat exchanger plates. The external shapes have been designed on the basis of the characterizations performed on small-scale samples, whereas inner fluid paths (heat transfer fluid side) have been developed by using Computational Fluid Dynamics in order to enhance heat transfer rate and temperature uniformity on the plate surface. Further, the main components of a full scale advanced exchanger has been showed and described.