Advantage & Disadvantage of Ammonia as Refrigerant

Non-toxic, safe (inside the refrigeration system), non-flammable, eco sustainable, and readily available are all desirable qualities of a refrigerant.

It must also be self-lubricating, low in cost, simple to treat and detect in the event of a leak, compliant with different products used to operate and fabricate the cooling device, and therefore not require high or low pressures.

Ammonia anhydrous will be a great solution to CFCs and HFCs now that many manufacturers are moving away from them.

Refrigerant ammonia is a reliable and cost-effective substitute to CFCs and HCFs, according to ASHRAE and IIAR (the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration). It is also environmentally sustainable.

Ammonia is a chemical compound made up of two other gases: hydrogen and nitrogen.

If present spontaneously or processed, it is colorless and has a strong pungent odor.

Anhydrous ammonia is the kind of ammonia used in industrial refrigeration plants since it is nearly water-free (99.98 percent pure).

Household ammonia, on the other hand, is just 10% by weight when combined with water.

Let us now discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Ammonia as a Refrigerant:

Advantages:

• Because of the small diameter piping used, developing ammonia-based refrigeration systems costs 10 to 20% less than developing CFC-based systems.

 

 

• Because ammonia uses 3 to 10% less energy than CFCs, ammonia-based refrigeration systems use less energy and have lower operating costs.

• Ammonia has a low global warming potential (GWP) and ozone depletion potential (ODP), making it environmentally safe.

• Ammonia is less expensive than CFCs and HCFCs.

• Ammonia chillers have higher load volumes than most coolers.

• Ammonia refrigerants transmit heat more efficiently than CFCs and HCFCs.

Cons:

• Since it is incompatible with copper, it cannot be used in any device that has copper tubing.

• In high doses, ammonia is toxic. However, two considerations reduce this risk: ammonia has a distinct odour that can be detected at concentrations well below those deemed toxic, and ammonia is lighter than oxygen, so those that leaks can rise and disperse in the air.

 

Ammoniain bulk is formed both spontaneously and as a byproduct of a variety of chemical reactions.

Its gas is generated in large quantities by dairy animals, soil surfaces, and even the human body.

Carbon burning and water treatment systems are two examples of man-made systems that release ammonia into the air.

Final Words:

So this guide was all about the advantages and disadvantages of Ammonia as Refrigerant.

Ammonia is an organic refrigerant with a high thermal strength and has been used in a number of applications for several years.

Ammonia is growing as one of the main refrigerants of choice due to its environmental friendliness, with zero (GWP) and zero (ODP) properties.

Low and reduced ammonia charge prototypes are now possible thanks to new technologies.

The use of these modern low-charge devices and kits opens up the possibility of using ammonia in a variety of new automotive, consumer, and indirect space conditioning systems that would not have been possible for previous designs.