An ammonia-based approach to chilling for pharmaceutical manufacturing

Cooling technology is a critical component of pharmaceutical manufacturing, as it aids in controlling process temperatures, keeping equipment in good working order, and maintaining environmental conditions on-site. While a number of substances and technologies have been utilised in cooling over the years, ammonia has seen a recent resurgence because of its relative efficiency and minimal environmental impact.

As part of its efforts towards achieving complete carbon neutrality, Sterling partnered with KGM Refrigeration to pilot ultra-low charge ammonia chilling technology at its Cramlington, UK manufacturing site. The technology relies on much lower volumes of ammonia than traditional ammonia-based cooling methods, resulting in greater energy efficiency and lower costs. This partnership has enabled KGM to validate the chiller’s results, while providing Sterling large energy savings and supporting its sustainability objectives.

In this whitepaper, we’ll compare ammonia-based chilling to other standard methods, explore how this new solution differs from other ammonia-based cooling technologies, and discuss some of the results Sterling and KGM have experienced.