INDUSTRIAL REFRIGERATION CONSORTIUM’S
2018 RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY FORUM
Low Charge CO2/Ammonia
Cascade System and
Developments for the
Refrigeration Industry
Carnie Marsh
Alfa Laval
National Key Account Manager
Industrial Refrigeration
CO2 / Ammonia Cascade System
Cascade CO2/Ammonia Refrigerating System have proven to
be viable alternatives to conventional two-stage ammonia –
especially at lower temperatures.
Lower temperature CO2 circuits can result in higher energy
savings and operating cost utilizing a cascade CO2/Ammonia
Refrigerating System at a typical operating temperature range
of -58˚F (-50˚C) to +20˚F (-6.67˚C).
Various Application in Industrial Refrigeration where CO2 can
play a vital role include:
Refrigerated Warehouses
Process Plate Freezers
Spiral Freezers
Blast Freezing
CO2 / Ammonia Cascade System
PROS
Both carbon dioxide & ammonia are natural
refrigerants
No ammonia in process areas
Lower operating cost – higher production yields
CO2 system always operates at a positive
pressure
Reduced ammonia charge
CO2 / Ammonia Cascade System
CONS
Higher working pressures at moderate
temperatures
Potential risks of mixing ammonia & carbon
dioxide
Typically requires electric defrost
Carbon dioxide is not self alarming as
ammonia
SWPHEs in CO2/Ammonia Cascade
Systems & Ammonia Heat Pumps
Regulations due to the environment impact of man-
made refrigerants (fluorochemicals) or safety of
highly hazardous refrigerants (ammonia) have
increasingly pushed the industry into considering
CO2 as either a direct refrigerant
or as a secondary refrigerant
(i.e. brine) in refrigeration systems
in both the commercial and
industrial sectors.
SWPHEs in CO2/Ammonia Cascade
Systems & Ammonia Heat Pumps
Alfa Laval has a long experience with more than
30,000 Semi Welded units installed in many different
applications. We thought that it might be a good
idea to improve the mechanical
properties in the semi welded range
and enter higher design pressures.
SEMI-WELDED PLATE HEAT
EXCHANGERS
M10-BWFT/FX * MK15-BWFT * TK20-BWFX
(4” Port) (6” Port) (8” Port)
• Cascade Heat Exchanger!!
• 600 & 900 psi design pressure!
• CR Field gaskets > refrigerants both
sides!
• Thermal and pressure fatigue
resistant
• Extension possible
• Short downtime for service intervals
Clip-On Gasket
”O-Ring” shaped ring
gasket and groove
- High pressure
- Low permeation
CO2/Ammonia Cascade System
Reliability is a high priority consideration
in every application
In a CO2/Ammonia cascade system mixing
NH3 and CO2 is potentially a disaster
due to the creation of solid ammonium carbamate
With an All Welded unit, EVERY leak is internal and the
ammonium carbamate contaminates the system.
A leak with a Semi Welded unit will always be external
to the system!!!
CO2/Ammonia Cascade System
• Low Charge for Ammonia Side
Total system refrigerant charge is a consideration
more today than in any other time in history.
Designers should consider opportunities to reduce
the refrigerant charge with no impact on reliability &
operability.
One of the major advantages of the SWPHE is
operation with a lower refrigerant charge.
We decided to take it a step further, and used our
separation experience to redesign the conventional
flooded separator vessel to make it a more
compact and work with a lower refrigerant charge.
And thus the U-Turn℗™ Ammonia Flooded
Separator was born!!
CO2/Ammonia Cascade System With
SWPHE & U-Turn℗™ Separator System
CO2/Ammonia Cascade System With
SWPHE & U-Turn℗™ Separator System
Gravity Separation
Droplets separate by gravity forces along the flow path
Liquid is held at
the separator wall
by surface
tension.
Heavy droplets collide in the 180°elbow and agglomerate.
Saturated vapor passes unrestricted.
CO2/Ammonia Cascade System With
SWPHE & U-Turn℗™ Separator System
Agglomeration & Surface Tension
Liquid spray and droplets hit
separator wall and agglomerate.
Liquid is held at
the separator wall
by surface
tension.
CO2/Ammonia Cascade System With
SWPHE & U-Turn℗™ Separator System
Separation by Centrifugal Forces
Heavy droplets collide in the 180°elbow and agglomerate.
Saturated vapor passes unrestricted.
Liquid is held at
the separator wall
by surface
tension.
CO2/Ammonia Cascade System
Results and Comparisons
Based on:
A CO2 -58˚F (-50˚C) Low Temperature System. Load 1,380 MBH
(404kW). CO2 Condensing at +0˚F (-17.8˚C). Flooded Ammonia
Cooling Evaporator at - 10˚F (-23.2˚C).
Flooded Shell & Tube = 210 lb Ammonia (95.3 kg)
Shell & Plate = 175 lb Ammonia (79.4 kg)
SWPHE w/Conventional Separator Vessel = 146 lb Ammonia (66.2 kg)
SWPHE with U-Turn℗™ Separator = 26 lb Ammonia (11.8 kg)!
Further Opportunities From
Refrigeration Product
Developments
Heat Recovery with Ammonia High Pressure
Heat Pump Systems
CO2 Brine Cooling
Larger Subcoolers
Refrigerant Cooled Condensers &
Desuperheaters Systems
AND IF YOU ARE GOING TO
TALK THEN…
You Better Walk the Talk!!
Alfa Laval Engine Room Sweden
• MK15-BWFGR + U-turn
(Evaporator 250 psi),
200 TR @ 77°F
104/122°F Water
• M10-BWFT
(Condenser, 600 psi),
240 TR @ 153°F (244°F
discharge temp.),
131/149°F Water
Some Interesting Facts
Environment CO2 reduction 140 MT per year (-21%
of the calculated emission from Alfa
Laval Lund plant in year 2012)
Marketing Have a show room where we are able
to invite visitors and colleagues and
let them see Alfa Laval products in
”sharp” action.
Savings Reduced cost for the heating,
approximately more than 1.5
MSEK/year (~165 kEUR/year).
Thank you for your attention !
© Alfa Laval Slide 24
