Electronic Refrigerant Injection Control

Refrigerated Warehouses throughout the US have a constant issue in handling the growing challenge regarding the ‘typical’ large amounts of ammonia refrigerant located in their facilities. There is a market movement towards low charge systems to help with growing regulations, safety and a need for ever increasing energy efficiency. The technology that is the focus of this assessment can be described as a packaged refrigeration system the uses natural refrigerant, ammonia. It can be configured as either a rooftop or ground mount unit ranging in size from 25TR to 150TR. It is also in the category of an “ultra-low charge” system because the ammonia charge is measured in “ounces per ton” of refrigeration supplied (TR). It has the market brand name of NXTCOLD. The packaged system also includes a patented refrigeration control system1 that measures and governs the refrigerant quality and consistency within the evaporator coil. The typical available temperature ranges are from 60°F to -60°F. Another aspect of the field assessment is consideration that the unit is a “natural refrigerant” system. There is a growing national and California push to find cost-effective alternatives to synthetic refrigerants, which include increasing regulations and costs. Even within the wide current use of ammonia as a natural refrigerant, there is a growing awareness regarding the quantity of ammonia at a facility and a desire to reduce it as much as possible by balancing new technology, increasing regulation and environmental/safety stewardship. There are growing regulatory groups focused on ammonia charge itself as well as regulating or phasing out traditional synthetic refrigerants and their consequent greenhouse gas effects. These include: -U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) -U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) -U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) -California Accidental Release Prevention (CALARP)