The coefficient of performance for the cooling cycle COPc and for the heating cycle COPh of a traditional absorption heat pump (AHP), defined as COPc = \ Q(E)/(Q(G) + W)\ and COPh = \(Q(A) + Q(C))/(Q(G) + W)\, usually has a value less than 0.80 for a cooling system and less than 1.80 for a heating system. This paper proposes a new type of absorption heat pump that employs a second liquid to extract the refrigerant from the dilute absorbent solution in the absorber (EXAHP system). The proposed system achieves COPc and COPh values that exceed those values in a tradition absorption heat pump. The calculated COPc and COPh values reach as high as 1.6 and 2.3, respectively which are approximately 100% and 50% higher than those of the conventional systems. Using LiBr/H2O/acetophenone as an example, this paper presents the concept design and operation analysis of the proposed plant. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.