As specialised high-purity oils, ammonia refrigeration lubricants are engineered to work with industrial compressor systems that use ammonia. They prevent wear while sealing compressors, and they resist degradation caused by chemical reactions with ammonia, maintaining low-temperature fluidity.
Available from quality brands like CPI Fluid Engineering, specialised ammonia lubricants offer a range of benefits to system operators. For instance, they provide reduced lubricant consumption because their low volatility ensures systems need less compressor oil to top up.
Ammonia lubricants also facilitate cleaner operations. They are specially formulated to decrease the unwanted build-up of deposits like sludge and varnish. This improves the pumpability of the fluids and enhances system effectiveness.
They also promote higher cooling performance, as their low solubility helps keep evaporators cleaner.
An advance solution, ammonia refrigeration compressor oil offers long-term benefits to equipment owners. It has a high film strength that can hold up even under high loads and supplies superior protection against corrosive forces. This important attributes allow it to effectively extend the active service life of the system.
Ammonia refrigeration lubricant types and technical specifications
There are a wide range of ammonia refrigeration lubricants available to answer the various operating requirements and conditions of equipment and applications.
Synthetic polyalphaolefin (PAO) has a high viscosity index (VI), providing superior oxidative stability and excellent low temperature performance.
Known for its high stability, alkylbenzene (AB) is employed in systems that require good miscibility with mineral oils.
More traditional ammonia refrigeration lubricants include paraffinic and naphthenic mineral oils. Due to the high operating efficiency requirements of modern compressors, these products are typically superseded by synthetic solutions and their coveted characteristics.
The most common grades of ammonia refrigeration lubricants are ISO VG 32, 68, 46 and 100 for reciprocating and screw compressors.
Points to remember when choosing the correct ammonia lubricant
When selecting an ammonia refrigeration lubricant, always consider the compressor type (for example, whether it is reciprocating or screw), operating temperatures and whether the compressor system is brand-new or has been retrofitted by using mineral oil to run on synthetic oil.
Choosing high-performance products is critical in preventing unwanted oil carryover. Just one per cent oil contamination can cut refrigeration efficiency by 10 per cent.
For further technical information on the refrigeration lubricants we supply, connect with our professional team at Oil Store today.