A vapour absorption chiller (VAC) is a cooling system that uses thermal energy - such as waste heat, steam, hot water, or natural gas - instead of electricity to produce chilled water. It works by using a lithium bromide-water absorption cycle: heat drives the refrigerant (water) out of the absorbent (lithium bromide), producing a cooling effect. Unlike conventional electric chillers with mechanical compressors, absorption chillers have virtually no moving parts, resulting in quieter operation, lower maintenance, and a lifespan exceeding 25 years.

A BROAD non-electric absorption chiller can reduce a facility's electrical peak demand for cooling by up to 90%. Because the chiller is driven by heat rather than an electric compressor, it effectively removes the largest single electrical load in most industrial and commercial HVAC setups. This translates to significantly lower electricity bills, protection against tariff hikes, and freed-up power infrastructure for core manufacturing processes.

BROAD India serves a wide range of sectors including petrochemical plants, oil refineries (IOCL), steel manufacturing (JSW), FMCG (ITC), power generation (NTPC), food & beverage processing, textile manufacturing, pharmaceutical facilities, hospitals, commercial office buildings, hotels, data centres, and green-certified buildings. Any facility with access to waste heat, steam, or natural gas can benefit from absorption cooling technology.

The key difference is the energy source: a conventional chiller uses an electricity-powered mechanical compressor, while a VAC/VAM uses a thermal compressor driven by heat. Absorption chillers use water as a natural refrigerant (zero ODP, zero GWP) instead of synthetic refrigerants like HFCs. They have fewer moving parts, lower maintenance requirements, and can recover waste heat that would otherwise be exhausted. The trade-off is a larger physical footprint and slightly lower COP, but the operational cost savings and environmental benefits make them the preferred choice for large-scale industrial cooling.