Adsorption chillers are driven by hot water. This hot water may come from any number of industrial sources including waste heat from industrial processes, prime heat from solar thermal installations or from the exhaust or water jacket heat of a piston engine or turbine.rts and eliminating the noise associated with those moving parts. The silica gel or zeolite, create an extremely low humidity condition that causes the water refrigerant to evaporate at a low temperature. As water evaporates in the evaporator, it cools the chilled water. After a functioning point, though, the adsorber is saturated - cannot adsorb any more water- and needs regeneration. This regeneration needs high temperature, which comes from hot water.

The use of silica gel and zeolite desiccant keeps the maintenance costs and operating costs of adsorption chillers low.