3461 (RP-591) -- Absorption of Ammonia into Water
Conference Proceeding published 1991 by ASHRAE
Written By Fenton, D.L., Noeth, A.F., Gorton, R.L.
Conference Proceeding published 1991 by ASHRAE
Written By Fenton, D.L., Noeth, A.F., Gorton, R.L.
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 15-1989 suggest a procedure for trapping ammonia when it is released from a refrigeration system. The procedure utilises one gallon of standing water for every pound of ammonia in the system. Alternatively, the standard suggests that ammonia-water mixers operate under the conditions of 2 gpm of water per lb/min of ammonia. Experiments conducted to evaluate these procedures used a receiving vessel in which water or a water spray was used to absorb ammonia. An ammonia distributor utilising stainless steel fabric cloth was constructed to thoroughly mix the ammonia and standing water. Relative to the ammonia-water ratios recommended by, ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 15-1989, 90% of the released ammonia vapour was absorbed in standing water. With the release of liquid ammonia to standing water, all the ammonia was absorbed. Use of the ammonia-water mixer with a water spray absorbed 86% of the released ammonia vapour. Analytical models for ammonia absorption predict measured absorption quantities to within plus or minus 15%. Desorption of ammonia trapped in water was experimentally observed to result in the decrease of ammonia concentration in the liquid mixture by a factor of about 2 in 50 days. These results are valid only for the experimental apparatus configuration of this study.
KEYWORDS: absorption refrigeration, refrigeration, leaking, ammonia, water, calculating, measuring, experiment
Citation: ASHRAE Transactions, vol.97, Pt. 1, New York 1991