Final answer:
The refrigerant used in a lithium bromide absorption system is water. This is not to be confused with conventional refrigerants such as Freon or its alternatives like HCFCs, which are used in other refrigeration systems.
Step-by-step explanation:
The refrigerant in a lithium bromide absorption system is water.
In such systems, water plays the role of a refrigerant, while lithium bromide acts as the absorbent. The working principle involves water being evaporated at low pressure and temperature, then absorbed by lithium bromide, creating a refrigeration effect. This is distinct from more conventional refrigeration systems which often use refrigerants like Freon, ammonia, or propane.
Freon, which refers to a family of refrigerants, has seen phase-outs due to its damaging effects on the ozone layer. Compounds like hydrochlorofluorocarbon-22 (HCFC-22), hydrochlorofluorocarbon-123 (HCFC-123), and hydrochlorofluorocarbon-124 (HCFC-124) are examples of refrigerants that have been developed as alternatives to Freon and other chlorofluorocarbons such as carbon tetrachloride and methyl chloroform.