HBProducts USA Distributor

White Paper : Vapor Quality Sensors 2023

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 19:56:13 -0500

Energy Efficient Pump Systems - Circulation Rate Control ( pdf, 3.62 MB ) 14 Oct 2023

Saving Energy in Pumped System with Vapor Quality Control ( pdf, 2.97 MB ) 09 Oct 2023

Low charge Ammonia Systems with High Efficiency 2023 ( pdf, 1.56 MB ) 27 Sep 2023

Vapor Quality - Energy and environmentally friendly cooling solution ( pdf, 16.30 MB ) 14 Apr 2023

Vapor Quality Sensor For Scientific Measurements ( pdf, 1.69 MB ) 22 Feb 2023

Are you wasting energy and money on unnecessary defrosting?

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 13:11:13 -0400

Cold storage facilities have high energy demands, but in many cases, they are much higher than they need to be due to inefficient defrost management of the evaporators. Evaporator & Defrost Sensor

REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND SAVE MONEY

Cold storage facilities have high energy demands, but in many cases, they are much higher than they need to be due to inefficient defrost management of the evaporators.

Defrosting has traditionally been scheduled on a timer, often resulting in unnecessary defrost cycles. This is costly on the energy budget, leading to significant reductions of profit. Superfluous defrost cycles can also result in reduced operational stability and poorer equipment performance.

Read Detail article and try the calculator now to see your potential savings →Link

White Paper : Vapor Quality Sensors [Before 2022]

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 07:26:29 -0400

Reduction of energy consumption using vapor quality control ( pdf, 2.53 MB ) 19 May 2022

Low ammonia charge systems ( pdf, 280 KB ) 24 Jun 2021

Green cooling and Energy Efficiency using Vapor Quality Control Spanish( pdf, 2.39 MB ) 22 Apr 2021

Reference list Vapor Quality Sensor ( pdf, 177 KB ) 13 Jan 2021

GL2020 1138 Presentation ( pdf, 1.10 MB ) 09 Dec 2020

Start up Low Charge Ammonia DX Brisbaine ( pdf, 19.90 MB ) 18 Jun 2020

Low-charge NH3 systems find foothold down under EN 13 Feb 2020

Energy Performance of Low Charge Ammonia system Stefan S. Jensen 2017 ( pdf, 1023 KB ) 14 Oct 2019

HBX Low Charge Ammonia System Case Story 03 EN ( pdf, 1.60 MB ) 14 Oct 2019

EUDP Laboratory Testing - Danish Technological Institute ( pdf, 2.11 MB ) 30 Sep 2019

IIR Paper 8th International Conference Ohrid 23012019 ( pdf, 1.95 MB ) 23 Jan 2019

New sensor technologies - Michael Elstroem Jensen - Chillventa 2018 ( pdf, 2.94 MB ) 25 Oct 2018

Practical aspects of low superheat control - Jorgen Rogstam - Chillventa 2018 ( pdf, 1.23 MB ) 17 Oct 2018

HB Low Charge NH3 Presentation - Stefan Jensen- Chillventa 2018 ( pdf, 4.62 MB ) 17 Oct 2018

Paper IIR 13th Gustav Lorentzen Conference Valencia 2018 ( pdf, 1.13 MB ) 17 Apr 2018

2017 IIAR Tech Paper X4 Vapor Liquid refrigator Quality 2017 03 07 ( pdf, 1.88 MB ) 06 Mar 2017

The Myth Regarding the Use of Ammonia in DX systems ( pdf, 375 KB ) 22 Jan 2016

Ammonium carbamate in CO2 / NH3 Cascade refrigeration systems

Thu, 25 May 2023 23:10:00 -0400

The desire to use energy-efficient natural refrigerants while complying with safety requirements in food factories has led to increasing use of CO2/NH3 Casade systems. An ammonium carbamate sensor from HB Products can detect leaks of CO2 into ammonia, saving costly repairs and downtime.

Cascade systems

A cascade system is a multi-stage refrigeration cycle where the evaporator of the first step is used as the condenser of the second step. When using climate-friendly natural refrigerants, the refrigerant in the first stage is often ammonia (NH3) and the second-stage refrigerant is CO2.

What happens in case of a leakage?

The operating pressure in the CO2 cycle is significantly higher than in the NH3 cycle. Therefore, a leakage in the heat exchanger can cause CO2 to enter the NH3 part of the system.

If not detected very quickly, a leak of CO2 into NH3 will cause a chemical reaction that creates ammonium carbamate, a corrosive salts. These salts can block valves, pipes and the rest of the system when transported with the flow of refrigerant. The salts may also accumulate in the evaporator and reduce the heat-transfer efficiency.

Operators are keen to shut down systems before these salts reach the compressors, as this can damage them and result in very costly downtime.

The leaks often happen in plate heat exchangers. These can rarely be repaired, but can be replaced, so the system can be put back into operation quickly .

The solution Creative Design

To solve this problem, HB Products has developed a sensor that detects ammonium carbamate. It is placed in the liquid ammonia, where it detects changes in permittivity

(dielectric constant), meaning how well the liquid conducts electric signals. The permittivity of ammonium carbamate is much higher than ammonia.

The sensor is very fast, detecting the rapid increase in conductivity/permittivity the moment CO2 enters the NH3 system.

The sensor can deliver a digital alarm signal, or an emergency stop in the NH3 cycle, shutting down the system before the ammonium carbamate blocking the system.

Ammonium carbamate can be removed from the system mechanically, or by using warm air, but this is very time consuming, meaning costly downtime. Installing the HB Products sensor can therefore give very early warning of potential leaks before damage occurs to the rest of the system, saving money and time.

How is ammonium carbamate created?

The chemical reaction occurring when CO2 leaks into ammonia is:

CO2 + 2 NH3 → NH2COONH4

This means that one mole CO2 and two mole NH3 produce one mole ammonium carbamate (NH2COONH4). Converted into mass, this means that approximately 44g carbon dioxide and 34 g ammonia produce 78 g ammonium carbamate. At -10 °C and a pressure of 26.49 bar (boiling point) 44 g carbon dioxide in the gas phase takes up a volume of approximately 0.8 L. Crystalline ammonium carbamate has a density of 1.6 g/cm3 which – with the mentioned 78 g – takes up nearly 50 mL. Although this calculation is a good starting point, you shouldn’t assume that – in case of a leakage – only 0.8 L CO2 will enter the NH3 cycle.

Case Studies:

Ammonium carbamate in CO2/NHcascade refrigeration systems（1.25MB）

Leakage Detection - Detecting CO2 Leakage Into Ammonia

Wed, 10 May 2023 23:11:36 -0400

Two different sensors are available for detecting leakage in CO2/ammonia cascade systems and they both react on the formation of ammonia carbamate which is a very corrosive salt that blocks the pipes and compressor. The sensor Detects a leakage quickly because the conductivity increases significantly when ammonia carbamate is formed.

Shell and tube and shell and plate systems

In systems with a shell/vessel type of heat exchanger the HBAC sensor should be mounted in the liquid ammonia at the bottom of the vessel because the ammonium carbamate has a higher density than both oil and ammonia.

The sensor will detect a leakage and provide a warning independently of the location in oil or ammonia. It only reacts on a media with high dielectric constant.

The sensor has both an analog output which can be monitored continuously and a digital alarm output on pin 3 which is activated when the sensor detects ammonia carbamate. The digital alarm output can be configured as both normally open and normally closed.

What happens when an alarm goes off?

The red alarm LED flashes
The digital output on pin 3 changes from ON to OFF or OFF to ON depending on the NO/NC setting
The analog output get higher than 16mA

The sensor can detect whether it is in oil or ammonia, but it requires new settings - please contact HB Products if you like to use this functionality.

Plate heat exchanger – Use an HBX Vapor Quality Sensor

If you like to detect ammonia carbamate created in a plate heat exchanger the HBX Vapor Quality Sensor is used.

The sensor can either be used only as a leakage sensor or it can work both as a leakage sensor and at the same time control the evaporation process. In all cases the alarm function can be used, and this alarm will provide a digital output on pin 3 for a PLC or a relay.

Setting the alarm

The alarm limit is set to an X value 20 % below the normal operation, which typically will be

X = 0.7 for a DX systems

X = 0.2 for an overfeed system. The alarm settings must be outside the normal operating window to avoid false alarms.

Using the analog output as additional alarm

If the sensor only serves as leakage detector the analog output on pin 4 can also be used as an additional alarm in a PLC - it just requires that the sensor has the right settings. The settings are different from sensor to sensor and whether the sensor operates in a DX or overfeed system.

What happens when an alarm sets off?

The red alarm LED flashes
The digital output on pin 3 change from on to off or off to on depending on the NO/NC setting
The analog output get higher than 12mA (not for sensors controlling the evaporator)

How to check the functionality

If the sensor plays a critical role in your system you should check the functionality regularly. The procedure will be different, depending on your system and what you like to verify.

The HBAC type

Follow these steps to check HBAC when installed in the vessel:

1. Connect the sensor to a PC using a USB/M12 cable. Make sure the HB Tool is installed – you can download it here.

2. Go to the diagnostic tab and read the “Actual measurement in pF” the reading should be in the range 65 to 75 pF when fully submerged in ammonia, and less if it is in oil.

If you need to check the alarm system and the complete activation of the sensor, please follow these steps:

1. Evacuate your system and remove the sensor from the system.

2. Place the sensor in a tall metal cup (minimum 160 mm deep) filled with a salty 1 % NaCl water mixture. Make sure the cup is grounded.

3. Connect the power supply and the sensor should now go into alarm mode when fully submerged.

If you want to avoid removing the sensor from the system you can purchase an additional mechanical unit which then can be connected to the electronic unit and tested in the metal cup.

The HBX type

The HBX sensor is typically difficult to dismantle and verify like the HBAC sensor, but when placed in the evaporator output it is possible to check the functionality continually by monitoring and logging the output. If you like to test the alarm function further, you can purchase a test probe specially designed, so it has a capacitance equal to the capacitance of the sensor when alarm occur. Contact HB-products sales for such a test probe.

If the sensor is used for evaporator control and the control system is operating within the process limits the sensor is operational and there is no need for further verification.

If the sensor is only used for leakage detection it is relevant to monitor the output of the sensor, please follow these steps:

Connect the sensor to a PC using a USB/M12 cable. Make sure the HB Tool is installed – you can download it here.
Go to the diagnostic tab and read the “Actual measurement in pF” the reading should be like this:

For DX systems: The X value should vary between 0.95 and 1, if the value is constantly X = 1.0 you either run with too much superheat or the sensor is faulty

For overfeed systems: The X value should be 1/circulation ratio, there should be some variation around this figure.

For further verification you can purchase the special test probe and move the electronic unit from the mechanical sensor element to the test probe. This should make the system go into alarm mode.

Download The PDF Article: Leakage detection ( pdf, 427 KB )

Detection of ammonia leakage into brine

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 22:16:10 -0400

How to use a pH sensor for detection of ammonia leakage into brine ？

When ammonia leak into brine the pH value will increase and this can be detected by the pH sensor. The sensor is suitable for surveillance of the pH value of most brines used in chillers and refrigeration systems.

Diﬀerent chemical additions are used to lower the freezing point of the water, but they will also impact the pH value when ammonia leak into the brine. Salt like NaCl and potassium salts will act as a buﬀer and slow down the reaction, whereas glycol and ethanol has no impact on the pH development.

Sidenote: The senor cannot be used in systems without water like hydrocarbon liquids. For other liquids please contact the supplier of the brine or HB Products for more information.

In fresh water and mixtures of water, ethanol, methanol, and glycol, a leakage of 1ml ammonia/It will increase the pH value rapidly from 7 to 10.

Brines using NaCl will still start at around pH7, and react slower than pure water, but there is still a clear reaction. For brine systems using potassium formate or potassium acetate, the pH value is above 8 to start with and the reaction is similar to brines with NaCl. The diagram shows measured values for how the pH value develops when ammonia is added to different brines.

Freshwater has the same curve as the glycol/ethanol/water mixtures.

Temper® is a brine from Temper Technologies which use potassium formate or potassium acetate to lower the freezing point and the have a pH value be- tween 8.5 and 9.

The HBPH is a two wire sensor with an 4-20 mA analog output. The sensor is suited for temperatures down to –15°C (5F). For temperatures below this the sensor need to installed in a bypass where you have to heat the brine passing the sensor.

Alarm and warnings

A pH sensor will change calibration over time depending on the ﬂuid it is operating in. If you like to get a warning when the sensor have dried in calibration you can setup a two level warning/alarm system.

A two level warning/alarm system provide a warning when you need to check your sensor calibration and a second level where you stop due to leakage. If you have a base pH value of 7 it will make sense to use a warning for pH above 8 and pH below 6 . The second level can then be an alarm at pH=9. With such a system it is not necessary to make frequent checks and calibrations, however we recommend an annual check of the calibration.

For other brine systems like those using NaCl , potassium formate or potassium acetate it is more complicated and the limits have to be diﬀerent.

The need for calibration

When delivered the sensor will have a basic calibration. This means that the sensor have to calibrated if you need a precise and accurate output. If you like to use the sensor for detecting ammonia leakage into fresh water of mix-tures between water and ethanol/methanol/glycol a calibration is normally not needed. If you like to use the sensor in other brines with a higher pH value or in NaCl brines, we strongly recommend a calibration. The reason is that an ammonia leakage will not impact the pH value as much in these ﬂuids, because they act as a buﬀer.

How to check functionality

If you like to check the functionality in pure fresh water or fresh water mixed with ethanol/methanol/glycol it is simple - you can just dip the sensor into a 0.1% solution of ammonia into water as shown in the photo.

Automatic Defrost Best Practice for Effective Defrost

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 15:06:47 -0500

New method for measuring ice build up on heat pumps The use of heat pumps has increased along with the green transition to environmentally friendly forms of energy. Many large air to water heat pumps are already installed where the energy in the air is used to evaporate a refrigerant either directly where the refrigerant is present in the evaporator or indirectly where a frost-proof one circulates brine.

WRITTEN BY Michael Elstrøm

With both types, you are challenged by ice build-up when the outdoor temperature is lower than+ 8 C. This is due to the temperature difference between the air and the coolant/brine. Another factor is the weather, where humidity, rain, and wind also play a role in the build-up of ice.

Ice build-up affects the efficiency of the evaporator, therefore it is important to be able to measure the formation of ice and control the defrost in accordance with the conditions.

There are several methods for monitoring ice formation, most are indirect and in many cases are not always entirely accurate. Temperature difference control is widely used, in this way you measure the input and output temperature on coolant/brine.

Here it is assumed that when the temperature difference is approx. halved compared to the evaporator, defrost is then initiated.

HB Products has optimized its HBDF defrost sensor which has been developed for Defrost on Demand for cold storage so now it can also control defrosting on the air evaporator and cold storage/production areas with an air temperature of approx.+1 to+ l0°C (wet ice). The sensor consists of a thin insulated wire which is mounted or directly wound on the evaporator tubes located between the aluminum fins.

The measuring principle is capacitive and when the air surrounding the wire partially turns to ice, the measuring signal will increase, thereby you can start defrosting with an ice build-up from 1 to 2mm ensuring higher efficiency.

Advantages: Direct measurement is made possible independent of the operating conditions of the heat.

Download The PDF Article:

Automatic Defrost Best Practice for Effective Defrost ( pdf, 1.58 MB )

Vapor Quality as Compressor Protection

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 15:43:40 -0500

In November 2022, we visited one of our customers Ammongas, who is delivering the control system for a Biogas Plant near Haderslev in Denmark.

ammongas vapor qualityThey have successfully used Vapor Quality sensors for the past 2 years and eliminated compressor damages. The problem is water from the fermentation entering the compressor and causing damage to the lubrication system.

Previously biogas plants were foul in smell, but nowadays the new plants emit less odor than a small regular farm and should not be feared. The new plant is not leaking, and all the waste products are under control because they have a value.

This is a different application for Vapor Quality sensors, a sensor that is normally only found in refrigeration systems and heat pumps. In the biogas application, the sensors are installed in a hazardous area due to the risk of leaking methane.

The new biogas plant is a circular process - meaning they will pick up the unprocessed organic products, mainly manure, and straw from farmers, and return fertilizer with controlled nutrients.

Read Full Case Study Paper PDF : Ammonia Gas Factorty.pdf

ATMO Europe: Romanian Cold Storage Facility Reduces Energy Consumption with Vapor Quality Control

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 15:31:37 -0500

Danish sensor manufacturer HB Products lowered the energy consumption of a Romanian cold storage facility’s DX (direct expansion) ammonia/NH3 (R717) system by 43% after switching it from superheat control to vapor quality control.

LINK TO ARTICLE: ATMO Europe: Romanian Cold Storage Facility Reduces Energy Consumption with Vapor Quality Control

Danish sensor manufacturer HB Products lowered the energy consumption of a Romanian cold storage facility’s DX (direct expansion) ammonia/NH3(R717) system by 43% after switching it from superheat control to vapor quality control.

Although vapor quality control has been tested in Australia and the U.S. with favorable results, the Romanian installation is said to be the first of its kind in Europe.

This project was presented by Henrik Kudsk, HB Products’s Product Manager, and Adrian Balaoi, CTO of contractor AB Tehnic, during Part 2 of ATMOsphere (ATMO) Europe Summit 2022’s Refrigeration Case Studies session.

The cold storage facility, located in Halchiu, Romania, is used predominantly for storing frozen meat. It employs a 250kW (71TR) refrigeration system charged with 200kg (441lbs) of ammonia. The system’s evaporation temperature is -28°C (-18°F) with the condensation temperature at 42°C (108°F).

The system has two Sabroe compressors with economizers. All the equipment was installed inside a container for exterior mounting at the facility. Cooling is provided to two rooms via seven Thermofin DX evaporators.

Switching to vapor quality control

With the support of the cold storage operator, contractor AB Tehnic and Frigo Consult, HB Products, installed vapor quality control sensors on each evaporator. Pressure sensors and temperature sensors were also installed. The European team was supported by Stefan Jensen Managing Director of Australian system manufacturer Scantec Refrigeration, a leading expert on ammonia refrigeration systems.

A vapor quality sensor detects the small amount of liquid coming from the evaporator, providing a 4–20mA signal that can be used in the control system. The expansion valve is then controlled based on the vapor quality – instead of superheat. This can have significant benefits on boosting energy efficiency.

This sensor can be used with all refrigerants, not just ammonia. It is also suitable for use in traditional liquid overfeed ammonia systems, as well as DX models.

Superheat reduction

After installation, the sensors were put to the test. The system was switched from superheat to vapor quality control without changing anything else.

In the Romanian cold storage facility, the superheat was around 7K before the change. This was reduced to nearly 0 once the sensor was installed. As the system was running more efficiently, there was no longer a great need for superheat. The pressure loss from superheat was also eliminated, further improving the evaporator’s performance.

As a result, the energy consumption was reduced by 43% for the complete cold storage facility. Typical savings were 20% in full load and 50% during part load.

The drop in energy consumption once the system was switched from superheat control to vapor quality control.

Vapor Quality Sensor Seen as Key to Boosting Efficiency of Low-Charge

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 15:15:13 -0500

Ammonia DX,Equipment with vapor quality control,can cut energy use 10-25% compare to a pump -circulated ammonia system,says HBProducts.

Cold storage facility using the vapor quality control technology from HBProdcuts

The inclusion of a vapor quality sensor is the key to improving the efficiency of a low-charge ammonia DX (direct expansion) industrial system for low- and medium-temperature applications, according to Danish

manufacturer HB Products.

The company, which specializes in the development and production of sensors for industrial and commercial refrigeration and heat-pump systems, outlined the advantages of both low-charge ammonia DX systems and

vapor quality sensors in a recent presentation.

In addition to HB Products, companies that make DX ammonia technology include U.S. evaporator manufacturer Colmar Coil and Australian system manufacturer Scanter Refrigeration, one of the early users of

vapor quality control in its ammonia DX systems.

The first application of a DX Ammonia system with HE Products' vapor quality control took place seven years ago. That has been followed by 20 similar projects, said the company.

for defrosting typically have less than a quarter of the charge used in pump-circulated ammonia overfeed systerns. said HB Products.

Along with reduced charge, ammonia OX. equipped with vapor quality control, can cut energy consumption 10-25% compared to a pump-circulated ammonia system, said HB Products, adding that the maintenance costs

are also lower for the DX system.

With vapor quality control, "you can make your system with reduced cost and reduced C02 output," said Michael Elstrøm, Technical Director and Founder ot HB Products. in a video presentation.

Compared to an ammonia OX system that employs superheat instead of a vapor quality control, an ammonia DX system with vapor quality control consumes 40% less energy, the company added, For example, when an

ammonia OX cold storage facility in Haichiu, Romania switched from superheat to a vapor-quality control system, it reduced electricity consumption by 43%.

And compared to DX system using an HFC, an ammonia DX system using a vapor quality sensor reduces energy consumption by 70%, H8 Products said. This enables a payback period on the premium paid for the OX

ammonia system of three to five years, according to the company,

No need for superheat

A vapor quality sensor makes it possible to perform accurate and direct measurement of the liquid content of the gas leaving the evaporator, explained HB Products on its website, Depending on what it finds, the sensor

can then control the expansion valve in a OX system and optimize evaporator operation. This eliminates the need for superheatr thereby improving the energy performance of the system,

HB Products cautioned that DX ammonia systems present a "lot of traps" for inexperienced contractors, and urged using experienced people, In addition, DX ammonia systems are still not commonly deployed due to lack

of suitable components, but "experienced suppliers are addressing this," the company said.

"With vapor quality control, "you can make your system with reduced cost and reduced C02 output."
-Michael Elstrømt HB Products