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Ammonia Chart - Limitations, Inaccuracies and Restrictions.

Definition

The chart should be employed for pedagogical purposes only. In particular, the data are extracted from three sources; please check the note on data properties for the likely size of inaccuracies.

Where it occurs

Ts and pH charts are used to find the coefficient of performance of refrigeration plants.

Special features

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How to draw it

Use the switch to toggle between Ts and pH diagrams. Warning - when you toggle between diagrams you lose all the symbols and curves that you have drawn Left click in the plot area to explore the thermodynamic properties for a particular (T-s or p-h) coordinate. You can plot curves of constant temperature, pressure, entropy and enthalpy through this point of interest (POI). The POI can also be specified with the "Set POI" button. Use the nearby dropdown box to choose a pair of input properties: entropy and temperature; enthalpy and pressure; temperature and pressure; temperature and dryness fraction; pressure and dryness fraction.

Restrictions, limitations and innaccuracy.

The simulation is provided for pedagogical purposes only. It should not be employed in formal design calculations, or for summative college assessments. Pressures are restricted to the range between 0.4 and 20 bar.

The user is warned when the degree of superheat exceeds 100K or when the pressure exceeds 20 bar. You cannot plot points where the temperature is less than its saturation value - the POI is moved horizontally onto the liquid saturation line. For the T-s plots, the corresponding "no-go" zone is shaded white. (Note that the impact of pressure on the physical properties of liquid ammonia is very small - if the liquid is subcooled then you can use the properties at the saturation pressure corresponding to the subcooled temperature).

Full details of data sources are here . The Antoine coefficients relating saturation pressure to temperature are available on the NIST webbook [reference]. The enthalpy of superheated vapour with saturation temperatures of 223K and 273K are fitted to quadratic functions. Enthalpies at different pressures can be extrapolated using 'general thermodynamic relationships' Rogers and Mayhew. The remaining data are available in Ziegler and Trepp.

There is no option to change scales on the temperature, entropy, pressure and enthalpy axes.

The theory

NA

Exercises

NA

Links

NIST webbook - go to 'phase change data' and look up Antoine coefficients. .