Share

IIR document

System and component solutions, to significant reduction of oil-fouling in ammonia refrigeration plants. 1. 2.

Author(s) : BARTHOLOMEUS T.

Summary

Apart from the occasional special application, oil is used to lubricate all refrigeration compressors. An annoying side effect of this is that oil residues enter the plant with the compressed gas, in vapour and liquid form. This oil will contaminate the heat exchanger, with a negative impact on performance and operation. This article presents a few ideas on how simple installation and/or adjustment of components can significantly reduce the oil concentration and therefore increase the operation and performance of the refrigeration plant. The theory of how the oil film builds up with ring flow is explained, based on the boundary layer, theory, and several practical equations are developed. There is a concrete example for calculation the average oil film thickness in a DX evaporator pipe. A reduction of the contaminating influence of the lubricating oil in the refrigeration plant is described for soluble oil, and in more details for insoluble oil such as the cases at the ammonia plants. The reduction of oil concentration in the ammonia plants is elaborated in several ideas: by choosing a compressor with low oil consumption, using a high-efficiency oil separator, using a compressed gas cooler for the oil separator, choosing proper oil type, arranging the liquid tank where the oil can settle and be returned to the compressor, using intermediate tank at 2-stage plants, by regularly draining off the oil, automatically or otherwise.

Available documents

Format PDF

Pages: 2007-2

Available

  • Public price

    20 €

  • Member price*

    Free

* Best rate depending on membership category (see the detailed benefits of individual and corporate memberships).

Details

  • Original title: System and component solutions, to significant reduction of oil-fouling in ammonia refrigeration plants. 1. 2.
  • Record ID : 2007-2011
  • Languages: English
  • Subject: Technology
  • Source: Ammonia Refrigeration Technology for Today and Tomorrow.
  • Publication date: 2007/04/19

Links


See other articles from the proceedings (31)
See the conference proceedings

Indexing