Ammonia is the preferred choice of refrigerant in industrial refrigeration systems. Thermodynamic characteristics of ammonia are very similar to halocarbons. Dichlorodifluoromethane has the same boiling temperature as ammonia.
These are not toxic to humans, thus chlorofluorocarbons are used for home refrigerators. For home use in refrigerators, pure ammonia is considered to be harmful but ammonia refrigeration systems are still used for industrial purposes.
Soft drinks, juices, fish and poultry items and other perishable items that we consume; all use ammonia refrigeration systems. In fact, the entire food processing industry uses ammonia refrigeration. Ammonia has many advantages and it was seen as a major step forward in refrigeration engineering at one time. Especially, after halocarbons were found to cause ozone depletion and global warming, ammonia was seen as a safer alternative. But, there is one drawback of ammonia.
Lots of leaks and spills are associated with ammonia and handling of ammonia requires utmost care. Any contact with ammonia vapor or liquid can lead to disastrous results. Workers working in processing plants, cold storages, and other units are at a very high risk.
Due to the pungent odor, any ammonia leak or spill can be easily detected. Good design and equipment choices, protective clothing, safety features like seal caps for valves; they all can prevent any untoward incidents.
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