The importance of ammonia detector

Large refrigeration systems are an integral part of many industries such as cold storage, petrochemical refining and food processing. In such applications, ammonia is the most common refrigerant choice because of its effective physical properties and low freezing point, making it ideal for refrigeration purposes. Because ammonia is extremely dangerous to life and health at concentrations of 25ppm (8 hours) and 100ppm (15 minutes), it is critical to use an ammonia gas detector in such applications to maintain the safety of the plant and nearby personnel.

Why is ammonia suitable for refrigeration?

According to the International Ammonia Refrigeration Institute, the physical properties of ammonia make it 3-10% more efficient than other refrigerants. Refrigeration-grade or anhydrous ammonia contains little to no water. Since it's 99.98% pure, this ensures it won't freeze in refrigeration equipment, making it an effective replacement for CFCs and HCFCs.

Also, unlike CFCs, ammonia decomposes quickly in the air and does not damage the ozone layer. With zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and zero global warming potential (GWP), refrigeration companies no longer need to worry about the harmful effects of their refrigeration gases on the environment.

Why are ammonia detectors so important?

There are 4 processes in the refrigeration system cycle: compression, condensation, throttling and evaporation. Ammonia is likely to leak during the evaporation phase. And due to the lower temperatures reached during the evaporation phase, the leak will appear as a vapor cloud. Since it's heavier than air, it's usually located low, which means a lot of this vapor can build up unknowingly. However, ammonia becomes a gas at room temperature due to its low boiling point. So when the ammonia becomes gaseous, this high level of ammonia will start to rise towards the breathing zone. With a STEL of just 100 ppm, personnel can quickly become overexposed to this toxic substance. Alternatively, ammonia may also leak during the compression, condensation and confinement stages. The compression stage in particular requires large amounts of ammonia. This in turn puts personnel at risk if these large quantities leak.

Any ammonia-based refrigeration system can create the risk of accidental exposure to high levels of ammonia, so installing ammonia detectors is critical to ensure the health and safety of personnel and refrigeration equipment. Ammonia gas detector is used to detect ammonia gas for early detection. These detectors notify of the presence of an ammonia leak before it becomes a health and safety risk. This means leaks can be fixed quickly and proper safety measures taken