Are you having trouble deciding which one is best for you, an ammonia cold storage system or a Freon one?
You are not the only one to encounter this exact situation because many facility operators experience the same when fulfilling their industrial requirements.
Choosing a conventional refrigeration infrastructure does not offer your money's worth. Instead, the latest refrigeration technologies, like ammonia and freon cold storage systems, leap forward in this subject.
Both technologies are cost-effective and highly operational, and they require minimum maintenance and service for cold storage. Confusions come into your mind seeing both refrigeration systems.
This guide will tell you everything you need to know about this domain, including the pros and cons of both technologies. So that you can make a final call that gives you long-term benefits and stability.

General Information on Ammonia and Freon Gas

Ammonia Gas

Science geeks tell us that ammonia gas is a naturally abundant element in our ecosystem. It has become an ordinary liquid refrigerant for large commercial and residential units because it is convenient to carry and affordable to buy for manufacturers.
Although ammonia is popular for its operational effectiveness, at the same time, it could be a hazardous and flammable substance for industries.
This refrigerant can be a perfect choice for many industries, from pharmaceutical to aerospace, but keep in mind to store and retention it in a very attentive or careful way.
Freon Gas

Freon is usually termed a halocarbon, and halocarbons are of two types: methane and ethane. The former was banned in most industrial settings in the Montreal Protocol in 1995 due to its fatal nature, such as R12 and R-22. And modern processing plants rely heavily on halocarbon systems based on ethane.
Freon is a colorless, odorless, non-combustible, and non-corrosive gas with low toxicity. Moreover, it is an extremely inert and stable compound in order to avoid any inflammable reaction with oxygen present in our atmosphere.
Freon refrigerant is considered the best due to its qualities like low surface tension, low viscosity, and low temperatures. In this way, it proves very special for the modernized refrigeration system over an ammonia cold storage system.

5 Contrasting Points between Ammonia and Freon Gas Technology

There are many major differences between ammonia and Freon gas refrigeration systems. We discuss all of them on the basis of essential parameters.
Pricing
Ammonia is the least expensive refrigerant for cold storage systems. For instance, the cost of R22 is approximately equivalent to 2.5 times as much per kg of ammonia, whereas R134a costs about 7 times as much per kg of ammonia.
The pricing of maintenance and service of cold storage for ammonia-based refrigerant is 20 to 30% lower than R22. In addition, ammonia has a lower density than halocarbon which is why it needs a half-size container to hold the same quantity.
Your project budget depends on which refrigeration system you select. Is it an ammonia cold storage system or a Freon one? This is the question you should ask first.
Freon one is good if you have a high load in a refrigeration system, not less than 100 metric tons (1.2 million British Thermal Units per hour (Btu/h).
People opt for Freon for their larger refrigeration requirements due to a variety of reasons, one of which is that it is less expensive in a vast refrigeration system and consumes less compression energy.

Product and Temperature Requisites

The ammonia refrigeration system is a good deal if you require a lot of cooling capacity. For example, in slaughterhouses, diaries, breweries, petrochemical facilities, and any other
Although ammonia is a possible preference in bakeries that employ spiral freezers, sometimes it suits situations where substantial cooling needs will be minimal.
A Freon refrigeration system would make more sense where the cooling temperature is very minimal, approximately below zero degrees Celsius. For example, - 20 Fahrenheit and - 42 to -73 degrees Celsius.

Efficiency

A smaller quantity of refrigerant in the ammonia refrigeration system is required to accomplish the same amount of operation. It consumes less horsepower to convey the refrigerant mass. In this way, this system will be minimally expensive to run.
Freon cooling systems are halocarbon refrigeration systems with cutting-edge designs that can surpass the productivity of ammonia chilling systems by 25%.

Utilizations

Ammonia refrigeration units have been in colossal demand in many industries or sectors. They include a stabilizer, a neutralizer, and a source of nitrogen.
This chilling unit employs waste and wastewater treatment, cold storage, rubber, pulp, and paper, as well as food and beverage sectors and even the production of medications.
Freon cooling technology is suitable for supermarket display cases, food storage and processing, ice machines, and the pharmaceutical industry.

Maintenance and Service of the Cold Storage

Ammonia leakages can prove disastrous for manufacturers because they are inflammable or combustible by nature. It is why, if you leverage an ammonia system in pristine condition, you should talk with a certified technician and hire someone who has in-depth knowledge of this freezing system.
Maintenance and service of the cold storage that employs Freon technology do not consume much energy. It is convenient to correct any flaws and errors.

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