An experimental set-up is built incorporating only two principle components, viz, absorber and generator of vapor absorption refrigeration system (VARS) to investigate heat and mass transfer characteristics of absorber. The refrigerant, R134a (1,1,1,2-tetrafluroethane) is absorbed by R134a-DMAC (N,N-dimethylacetamide) solution flowing over the horizontal tubes arranged as tube bank. The effect of solution flow rate, coolant flow rate and temperature, heater load and concentration of R134a is studied. The performance parameters like solution exit temperature from tubes, state point temperatures, heat flux, mass flux, and overall heat and mass transfer coefficients are presented for different operating condition of absorber. For lower flow rate of the solution and higher flow rate of the coolant, the bulk solution temperature is found to decrease. The heat and mass transfer coefficients increase with mass flow rate of the solution. An increase in inlet temperature of coolant results into an increase in overall heat transfer coefficient and decrease in overall mass transfer coefficient. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.