Specifications, Applications, Service
Instructions, & Parts
AUTO-PURGER
®
PLUS, APPT
Non-condensible Gas (Air) &
Water Purger for Ammonia
Bulletin APP-001f
SEPT 2016
For Models
APPT08, APPT16, APPT24,
AND APPTC
AUTO-PURGER
®
PLUS, APPT
SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION
Water contamination in an industrial ammonia refrigeration
system can lower system efficiency, and increase the
electrical costs required to run the system’s refrigeration
compressors. Ammonia refrigerant that is contaminated
with water requires a lower suction pressure to maintain
the same evaporator temperature than would pure ammonia
refrigerant. The requirement to maintain a lower suction
pressure than would be necessary if the water contamination
were removed is a waste of electrical energy.
For water removal, the AUTO-PURGER Plus has the
following capacities:
1% system water concentration – ½ gallon of water
removed per week,
5% system water concentration – 1 gallon of water removed
per day,
10% system water concentration – 3 gallons of water
removed per day,
20% or more system water concentration – 5 gallons of
water removed per day.
MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS
Material of construction: steel, ASTM A53 Grade B, ASTM
A106 Grade B, ASTM A234 Grade WPB, ASTM A105,
ASTM A36
Safe working pressure: 400 psig (28 bar)
Operating temperature: -50F to +240F (-50C to +115C)
Internal volume: 0.7 cubic feet (20 liters)
Normal refrigerant inventory: 0.35 cubic feet (10 liters)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1 Introduction…………………….............Page 1
Section 2 Installation……………….....................Page 2
Section 3 Component Description……..............Page 6
Section 4 Purger Operation……………...............Page 19
Section 5 Service, Troubleshoot, Parts…..........Page 22
The AUTO-PURGER Plus is a totally automatic, electronically
controlled refrigerant noncondensible gas (air) and
water purger for reducing the energy costs of operating
an ammonia refrigeration system. All models are
preassembled, pre-wired, insulated, and include an
automatic water bubbler, a relief valve, and an isolation
service valve package. Installation requires piping the foul
gas line, low-pressure pumped-liquid line, low-pressure
liquid return line, suction line, water bubbler fill and drain
lines, relief valve vent line, water purge line to a customer
supplied container, a power connection, and wiring the
remote purge point solenoid valves. Purge point solenoid
valves must be purchased separately and must be a
minimum of ½” (13 mm) port size.
In addition to the APPT08, APPT16, and APPT24, a
computerized model—APPTC—is available where a
separate plant computer or programmable logic controller
(PLC) is used to independently operate the various remote
purge point solenoid valves.
The AUTO-PURGER Plus can operate over a wide range of
condensing pressures. This is important for refrigeration
systems that operate at low condensing pressures during
cold ambient conditions.
The number of purgers required for a system depends on
the number of installed purge points. Twenty-four purge
points is the maximum practical number per purger. For
example, a system with 24 points at 10 minutes per point
requires a 240 minute (4 hour) cycle. Each purge point
can be purged six times a day. If this is not adequate,
a second purger should be used and the purge points
divided equally between the two purgers.
In a system with normal noncondensible loads, all models
will handle a 750 ton (2600 kW) ammonia plant at suction
pressures below atmospheric pressure or a 1500 ton
(5300 kW) ammonia plant at positive suction pressures.
The amount of noncondensibles in the system is based
on many factors including age, maintenance practices,
and operating temperature.
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