Number
235-EN
Section
General Section
Use
Sector
Building and construction work
Electricity, steam, gas water supply and sewage treatment
Manufacture of rubber products
Manufacture of plastics products, including compounding and conversion
Other
Function
Refrigerants
Process
Other
Product category
Heat transfer fluids
other
Application
Large cooling systems
Abstract
At least two companies in Denmark produce chillers with natural refrigerants. A chiller is a factory-made refrigeration system, which can produce cold water (or liquid) to air-condition large buildings or to cool industrial processes. This case describes the use of ammonia and ammonia/carbon dioxide. The case is based upon a Danish EPA interview with the company.
Substituted substances
Hydrofluorocarbon gases
CAS No. EC No. Index No.
Chemical group
Hydrofluorocarbon gases
Other adverse effects
Strong greenhouse gases
Alternative Substances
Ammonia, anhydrous
CAS No. 7664-41-7 EC No. 231-635-3 Index No. 007-001-00-5
Chemical group
Inorganic gas
Classification: hazard statements
H221 Flammable gas
H331 Toxic if inhaled
H314 Causes severe skin burns and eye damage
H400 Very toxic to aquatic life
Carbon dioxide
CAS No. 124-38-9 EC No. 204-696-9 Index No.
Chemical group
Carbonyl compounds
Reliability of information
Evidence of assessment: there is evidence of an official (positive) assessment of the substitution
Evidence of implementation: there is evidence that the solution was implemented and in use at time of publication
Reason substitution
ecotoxicity
skin/respiratory sensitizing
Hazard Assessment
Substance to be substituted: HFC refrigerants are Green House gasses (GWP values 50-13,000) and contribute significantly to obstruction of the ozone layer. EU Regulation 842/2006 and its successor 517/2014 aim to reduce emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases. Alternative substances: Natural refrigerants are either short chainhydrocarbons(GWP-values of 20) or ammonia, carbon dioxide, air or water (GWP-values 0-1). Carbon dioxide has no harmonised classification according to Annex VI of Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP Regulation). Anhydrous ammonia causes severe skin burns and eye damage, is toxic if inhaled, is very toxic to aquatic life and is a flammable gas.
Description of Substitution
Ammonia chillers has been produced for at least 30 years in Denmark. The chillers are placed all over the world with cooling capacities of between 300 kW to 6.5 MW. According to Mr. Alexander Pachai, Johnson Controls International, about 200 chillers are produced every year at the site in Denmark. Some references are: Ammonia chillers cool terminal buildings at Heathrow Airport in London and at Copenhagen Airport. Ammonia chillers are used to cool hospitals, including Rigshospitalet – Copenhagen University Hospital as well as the new shopping mall “Fields” in Copenhagen. In addition, ammonia chillers are used by industry e.g., to cool fermentation processes at the Novo Nordisk insulin production site in Denmark. Ammonia chillers are more expensive than HFC chillers to install, but the energy efficiency is much better which gives a short payback time of additional costs. This will normally be 2 to 3 years; Ammonia chillers are thus competitive when looking at the total costs. It is important to use skilled installers when working with refrigerants and that is also the case for ammonia. Ammonia has been used in industrial refrigeration systems for more than a century, and ammonia is used in the food industry e.g., in slaughterhouses, dairies, breweries and the fishing industry. Ammonia is also used in other industries such as plastic moulding. Almost 100 % of the industrial refrigeration systems in Denmark use ammonia as refrigerant. Industrial refrigeration systems are built on site, using components suited for ammonia refrigeration systems. As an example,they have built the refrigeration system at the biggest slaughterhouse in Scandinavia (Danish Crown in Horsens). Some industrial refrigeration systems are built as “cascade systems”, consisting of two stages: ammonia in the high temperature stage and CO2 in the low temperature stage. That is in many cases more efficient and minimizes the amount of ammonia in the system.
Case/substitution evaluation
The case exemplifies that the natural refrigerant technology have reached a level where substitution with this technology makes it highly useful and reliable as well as environmentally safe and sound. In this case ammonia is enclosed in a highly secure compressor system. Maintenance and repair are only to performed by skilled personnel. Natural refrigerants have proven to be safe, clean and energy reducing. Natural refrigerants have proven to be safe, clean and energy reducing.
State of implementation
Full capacity
Availability ofAlternative
On the market
Producer/Provider
https://www.johnsoncontrols.com/da_dk
Type of information supplier
Authority
Producer / distributor
Contact
Miljøstyrelsen / Danish EPA www.mst.dk
Type of publication and availability
Official report. Free download
Publication source: author, company, institute, year
Miljøstyrelsen / Danish EPA www.mst.dk
Date, reviewed
November 26, 2021