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Thread: Greener refrigeration system issues explained.

  1. #1
    Diamond Member AndyD's Avatar
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    Greener refrigeration system issues explained.

    The newer CO2 refrigeration systems being used in supermarkets have had problems whereby pipework or fittings failures have cause explosions.

    Less technical details are available here.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anVaq...layer_embedded
    Last edited by AndyD; 18-Jan-11 at 05:07 PM.
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    Platinum Member desA's Avatar
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    The green bottles?
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    Gold Member Martinco's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AndyD View Post
    The newer CO2 refrigeration systems being used in supermarkets have had problems whereby pipework or fittings failures have cause explosions.
    Surely the "explosion" is only caused by CO2 gas escaping from the pipework at a great rate of knots as CO2 is not combustible.
    But are you saying that they are now using CO2 instead of of the normal Freon gasses ? e.g. F12 , F 134a etc.
    Martin Coetzee
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    Gold Member garthu's Avatar
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    Oh i get it, its cause the "bottles are green"

    Quite a funny little clip though, those guys should be politicians
    Garth

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    Diamond Member AndyD's Avatar
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    Yep, CO2 is not combustible, it's just the gas escaping when pipework ruptures. The pressures are immense, over 100Bar (1500 psi) and there's quite an explosion when a rupture occurs.

    CO2 is being heavily pushed for widespread use by governments. Large subsidies are available overseas to help offset the heinous costs involved for companies who make a commitment to use it. There have been a few incidents of failures where entire shopping centers have been evacuated and people hospitalized. I don't know if there have been any deaths yet but watch this space.

    Green politics.
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    Gold Member garthu's Avatar
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    What intrigues me is if i was to come up with a fridge that operated on chlorine gas, i would probably get locked up for terrorism or something as it could effectively harm people if leaking.

    But this one which could leave people with shrapnel and quite possibly dead is OK? and then is it even really green??

    As you say green politics
    Garth

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    Diamond Member Justloadit's Avatar
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    Just making life easier for terrorism, all you kneed to bring a shopping centre to it's knees is to place a small charge along a CO2 pipe, and bam you have a disaster.
    Victor - Knowledge is a blessing or a curse, your current circumstances make you decide!
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    Gold Member Martinco's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by garthu View Post
    What intrigues me is if i was to come up with a fridge that operated on chlorine gas,
    Garth.........the heat absorption fridges actually work with chlorine gas ! The ones Ouma use to have.
    Martin Coetzee
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    We solve your fastening problems.
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    You may never know what results will come from your actions, but if you do nothing, there will be no results... Rudy Malan 05/03/2011

  9. #9
    Diamond Member AndyD's Avatar
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    The absorption refrigeration system uses ammonia or R717 as it's also known, mixed with water. These systems were the ones Ouma had and they're still available today especially as camping fridges because they can work with an LPG heat source as well as electrical. It's highly toxic but it's very energy efficient as a refrigerant. As long as it stays in the refrigeration system it's completely safe. Commonly the cause of it getting out is corrosion because of the water in the system.
    Refrigerants being hazardous isn't necessarily a reason not to use them, a lot of domestic fridges in Europe use propane as their refrigerant nowadays which is obviously highly flammable when in the presence of air.
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    Gold Member garthu's Avatar
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    Wow, learnt something new here today! Actually interesting....
    Garth

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