A contract to supply absorption water chilling machines for nine new U.S. nuclear-powered attack submarines has been awarded to Carrier Air Conditioning Company, according to William C. Egan, vice-president for special products.

The contract supplements a recently received order for hermetic centrifugal water chillers for the same vessels, Mr. Egan said.

The orders placed by the Naval Ship Systems Command total $2.8-million. They call for one 165-ton heat-actuated absorption unit and two 150-ton electrically driven centrifugal units for each submarine's air conditioning plant.

Almost all nuclear-powered submarines in the U.S. fleet are using Carrier cooling equipment, including the first to be launched, the USS Nautilus, Mr. Egan said.