eurammon event highlights ammonia & CO2

By Sabine Lobnig, Oct 17, 2008, 00:00 2 minute reading

Around 100 industry experts met in Nuremberg to explore the use of ammonia and CO2 in industrial and commercial applications. The meeting, part of the international trade fair Chillventa, updated on ammonia refrigeration systems in Ukraine, where a large majority of industrial refrigeration is done with NH3.

The European initiative for natural refrigerants, eurammon, invited industry experts yesterday for a morning workshop on ammonia and CO2-based applications . The event focused on discussions about current status and future challenges of HFC-free cooling and refrigeration solutions. The interest from global manufacturers and academics was high, given the current trends for more climate-friendly and cost-competitive solutions.

Presentations mainly focused on the natural refrigerants ammonia and CO2 (R744), covering various cooling, refrigeration and heating applications, policy trends, technical challenges, safety, and cost issues.

Ammonia presentation

Odessa State Academy of Refrigeration: Volodymyr Zhyvytsya talked about “The past and present of ammonia refrigeration systems in Ukraine”, elaborating more specifically on the challenges the Ukrainian industry currently faces. Ammonia cooling predominated in all industrial and commercial refrigeration plants in Ukraine after World War II. After the development of an independent Ukrainian refrigeration industry in the 1960s, F-gases were only used in small and medium-sized applications while ammonia remained the refrigerant of choice in most parts of Ukraine. By the end 1990s, 99% of the country’s industrial refrigeration industry was equipped with ammonia systems. However, since the collapse of the USSR and Ukraine’s independence, the maintenance of ammonia equipment and the replacement of worn out systems has been gravely hampered as equipment manufacturers remained mostly in Russia. As a result, the country is currently facing a deterioration of ammonia plants, a lack of needed spare parts, and missing training facilities.

Zhyvytsya recommended that technological audit methodologies for refrigerating objects should be aligned with EU requirements for food and energy safety. Moreover, a continuous monitoring and evaluation of the refrigeration capacity, energy consumption, and the performance of refrigeration plants has to be strengthened in Ukraine to improve the current aggravated situation.

About eurammon

eurammon is a joint European initiative of companies, institutions and individuals who advocate an increased use of natural refrigerants. Its main targets are creating a platform for information sharing and the promotion of public awareness and acceptance of ammonia, CO2 and other natural refrigerants.

MORE INFORMATION

By Sabine Lobnig

Oct 17, 2008, 00:00




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