BROAD India
Direct Fired Vapor Absorption Chiller: When to Use Gas Instead of Electricity
Direct Fired Vapor Absorption Chiller: When to Use Gas Instead of Electricity
Quick Links: Gas vs. Electric Cost | Real Savings | Get a Quote
For facility managers battling rising energy costs, the direct-fired vapor absorption chiller offers a powerful solution: bypassing the electrical grid entirely. By understanding when gas economics beat electricity, facilities can unlock substantial operational savings.
What Makes Direct-Fired Different?
Unlike VAMs requiring external steam or hot water, direct-fired vapor absorption chillers integrate the heat source directly. They burn natural gas, biogas, diesel, or fuel oil within the unit to drive the cooling cycle.
BROAD's direct-fired chillers achieve COP values of 1.2-1.3. This means every unit of fuel energy delivers significantly more cooling than burning fuel to generate electricity for an electric chiller.
When Gas Beats Electricity: The Economics
In industrial zones where electricity exceeds ₹8-12 per kWh, a 500 TR electric chiller costs ₹2,400-3,600/hr to run. A direct-fired VAM costs ₹1,750-2,250/hr using natural gas—a 30-45% reduction. Over 6,000 hours, this yields ₹40-80 lakhs in annual savings.
A 500 TR electric chiller adds ~1,000 kVA to your demand load. Direct-fired units consume under 50 kW for auxiliaries, reducing electrical demand by 95% and saving lakhs in monthly fixed demand charges.
Direct-fired chillers operate independently of grid fluctuations. For pharmaceuticals and data centers, this reliability prevents costly production losses during outages without needing oversized diesel generators.
BROAD's Technology Leadership
- Low-NOx Burners: Clean combustion meeting strict environmental standards.
- Integrated Controls: Optimizes firing rates for high seasonal efficiency.
- Dual-Fuel Capability: Auto-switch between gas and diesel for security.
- Exhaust Recovery: Recovers 140-200°C exhaust for free hot water.
Real Results from Indian Facilities
Decision Framework: Gas or Electric?
| Choose Direct-Fired When: | Choose Electric When: |
|---|---|
|
• Gas prices are favorable • High demand charges (>30% bill) • Grid is unreliable • Heating & cooling needed simultaneously |
• Electricity < ₹5/kWh • No gas infrastructure • Seasonal/Low operating hours • Strict combustion permitting issues |
The Verdict
For facilities with natural gas access or high grid costs, direct-fired absorption cooling is often the optimal financial and environmental choice. BROAD's 30 years of experience ensures reliable, fuel-flexible cooling with attractive total cost of ownership.
BROAD India can analyze your fuel and electricity rates to calculate your precise savings potential.
BROAD Air Conditioning India Pvt. Ltd. (BROAD India) is a subsidiary of BROAD Group.
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