Part 2: Applications and practical considerations of absorption chilling for dairy farms

Abstract

Dairy farms that have anaerobic digesters to treat their manure can utilize combined heat and power (CHP) systems fueled by biogas. CHP systems produce waste heat, some of which is used to maintain the digester temperature, and excess heat is typically available during the spring, summer, and fall seasons. This excess waste heat can be used to produce chilled water using an absorption chiller that may be useful on the farm for milk or cow cooling. This fact sheet describes how a trigeneration system producing power, heat, and cooling works, and reviews the milk cooling requirements on a dairy farm, cooling for cow comfort, and practical considerations of using an absorption chiller.