Should a compressor or a magnetic pump be used for unloading liquid ammonia?
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We need one truckload of liquid ammonia every day; it is delivered by tank trucks, with each load weighing around 22 tons. It is said that liquid ammonia can be unloaded using magnetic pumps (which do not cause leaks), or it can also be unloaded using ammonia compressors (used in many factories in Bengbu, Anhui). Should compressors or magnetic pumps be used for unloading liquid ammonia? Which one is more reasonable, economical, and reliable? Please give me some advice. Thank you!
The last edit to this post was made by liguan111 on 2010-12-29 at 13:45. For liquids such as liquid ammonia and liquefied petroleum gas, unloading compressors are generally used; pumps can also be employed. I have worked on many such projects, and in most cases compressors were used, with pumps being used only occasionally as a backup option
With a compressor, liquid ammonia has a low specific gravity and viscosity, so magnetic pumps are not suitable.
We use centrifugal pumps here, and the operating conditions are similar to yours.
I use compressors extensively in air conditioning products; compressors are designed to compress gas only, and it is not allowed for liquid to be present in the return gas, as this can cause damage to the compressor. Is it too inefficient to use gas compression for unloading liquid ammonia? If gas transport is used, liquid ammonia will evaporate in large quantities, resulting in very low temperatures; heat balance also needs to be taken into account, and I personally think this is not a suitable approach. In the refrigeration industry, the widespread use of shielded pumps to transport liquid ammonia is a well-established application.
Using a compressor is the right choice; those who have used it know how good compressors are.