03 Oct 09 Ammonia - a better alternative to halocarbons
Due to global warming and ozone depletion, chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) are being phased out. This has left to researches being done to find out a safer and better refrigerant alternative to halocarbons.
Ammonia is an environmental friendly, cost effective and efficient alternative for industrial refrigeration. Small amounts of ammonia are not harmful at all, but higher concentrations of ammonia can be very harmful. Ammonia refrigeration is very commonly used by food and beverages industry, ice plants, meat processing units, cold storages, and freezing plants. Most commercial office buildings, shopping malls also use ammonia refrigeration. Soft drinks, cold drinks, juices, ice creams and all other items that are consumable, are preserved using ammonia.
It provided an alternative to refrigeration engineering when it was searching for a substitute to halocarbons. What works in its favor is the fact that though its thermodynamic capabilities are very similar to halocarbons, it is not at all harmful for atmosphere and does not cause ozone depletion and global warming. Safety has always been an issue with ammonia and many workers working in these plants have lost their lives due to ammonia spills and leaks. By taking stringent steps, these accidents can be avoided and even ammonia can be considered a safe refrigerant.
