Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Thermal dynamics of ammonia

DalisAndy - 3-1-2016 at 11:33

I watched a video explaining a liquid helium isotope cooling system for quantum computers. I was thinking maybe ammonia and water could do something similar. Aqueous ammonia over heat source, ammonia would evaporate, cool ammonia and reintroduce to water the restart process

JJay - 3-1-2016 at 11:43

Ammonia is regularly used as a refrigerant. Adding water to the mix makes it less efficient.

Bert - 3-1-2016 at 12:49

I believe OP has re-invented the absorption cycle refrigerator (Servel cycle).

http://vintageservelrefrigerators.8k.com/HowItWorks.html

Is this the mechanism you had in mind?

I have seen the more common vapor compression cycle JJay is apparently thinking of done with Carbon monoxide, Sulfur dioxide, anhydrous ammonia... And the various Freons, of course.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_pump_and_refrigeration_...;)

aga - 3-1-2016 at 13:44

Quote: Originally posted by Bert  
I believe OP has re-invented the absorption cycle refrigerator (Servel cycle)

What ?!?!

There are Refrigerators ?!

What will these crazy scientists think of next ?

Fulmen - 3-1-2016 at 14:05

It is an odd yet elegant process, IIRC it's still employed for mini-bars as they are completely silent. And I must congratulate the OP for reinventing the process :-)

CharlieA - 3-1-2016 at 14:18

I miss the old ice box. My grandmother had one in the wall of her kitchen. The ice man could put ice in from the outside.;)

DalisAndy - 3-1-2016 at 15:47

Quote: Originally posted by Bert  
I believe OP has re-invented the absorption cycle refrigerator (Servel cycle).

http://vintageservelrefrigerators.8k.com/HowItWorks.html

Is this the mechanism you had in mind?

I have seen the more common vapor compression cycle JJay is apparently thinking of done with Carbon monoxide, Sulfur dioxide, anhydrous ammonia... And the various Freons, of course.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_pump_and_refrigeration_...;)

Yes. It's on YouTube, the mechanism I got the idea from. The original concept use liquid He-3 and liquid He-4. Liquid He-3 is lighter than liquid He-4. But liquid He-3 can dissolve in to the liquid He-4, untill about a 6% consternation. Liquid He-3 also has a higher boiling point than liquid He-4. So it was setup so the He-3 transfer heat put via evaporation and when He-3 is recondensed and added back the the He-3 layer. This is all inside a U-Tube