If there were a sudden drop in temperature in the cooling tower of a lithium bromide absorption system, what would happen?

A sudden drop in temperature in the cooling tower of a lithium bromide absorption system can lead to crystallization in the system. Lithium bromide is a hygroscopic salt that absorbs water, and its solubility is highly dependent on temperature. When the temperature decreases significantly, the solubility of lithium bromide in the water also decreases. This reduced solubility can result in the formation of solid crystals of lithium bromide from the solution, as the system can no longer maintain all of the dissolved salt in a liquid state at the lower temperature.

Crystallization is a serious issue because it can block system components, leading to reduced efficiency or even system failure. In an absorption chiller, maintaining appropriate temperatures and concentrations of refrigerants and absorbents is critical for effective operation. Understanding the relationship between temperature and solubility is crucial for proper system design and operation to avoid such issues.