DOI: 10.1615/ICHMT.2004.IntThermSciSemin
ISBN Print: 978-9-61913-930-1
Industrial Refrigeration and Ammonia Enhanced Heat Transfer
ABSTRACT
For the last two decades enhanced heat transfer equipment has been widely used by the halocarbon-based air conditioning industry. The persistent issue of ozone and global warming has led to interest in natural refrigerants such as ammonia which has played a prominent role in the refrigeration industry for years, particularly in the field of food, beverage and marine. The United States food industry has almost exclusively used ammonia as a refrigerant of choice thus far. Therefore, in view of the present situation and the future of air-conditioning and refrigeration industries, it is important to study the role of enhanced heat transfer technology as applied to natural refrigerants. This paper presents an over view of the status of ammonia as a refrigerant of the past, present, and future and what has been done and ought to be done in order to make ammonia equipment more safer, compact, and attractive so it can be readily accepted by the general public.