Ace Refrigeration logo
ACE
Call Us (902) 292-7979 Book Service
R-717 · Cold Storage · Food Processing

Ammonia Refrigeration
Built to Run for Decades

Ammonia is the most efficient refrigerant available for large low-temperature loads, and the least forgiving to design badly. Ace Refrigeration engineers, installs, commissions and maintains ammonia plant for cold storage, freezing and food processing facilities.

Discuss an Ammonia Project → (902) 292-7979
♠ Industrial Ammonia Plant

The Most Efficient Refrigerant
Is the Least Forgiving

Ammonia carries a very high latent heat, so a given duty needs a small mass flow, modest pipework and a small charge compared with synthetic refrigerants. That efficiency is why cold storage and freezing plant has run on R-717 for more than a century. The trade-off is that it is toxic, it cannot be used with copper, and the machinery room, detection, ventilation and relief arrangements have to be right. That part is engineering work, not equipment selection.

  • ✓
    Screw Compression & Pumped Recirculation Screw compressor packages with proper oil separation and cooling, pumped liquid recirculation to flooded evaporators, and surge drums and intercoolers sized for the duty rather than the catalogue.
  • ✓
    Machinery Room to CSA B52 Ventilation, staged gas detection, emergency shutdown, relief discharge piping and ammonia-rated valve trains. Designed in from the start, because retrofitting safety is expensive.
  • ✓
    Purging & Charge Management Non-condensable gas raises head pressure and quietly adds to every hour of compressor runtime. Automatic purging and accurate charge control belong in the design, not in a wish list.
Request an Ammonia Consultation →
A ♠
A ♠
Skid-mounted industrial condensing unit with twin fans
Zero ODP · Negligible GWP A Natural
Refrigerant

Industrial condensing unit on a purpose-built skid

♠ Common Questions ♠

Straight Answers

Why use ammonia instead of a synthetic refrigerant?

Efficiency and cost. Ammonia has a higher coefficient of performance than common HFCs at low evaporating temperatures, so the same cooling duty draws less power — which matters enormously in a plant that runs continuously. It is also cheap to buy, has zero ozone depletion potential and negligible global warming potential, so it is unaffected by the refrigerant phase-downs steadily driving up the price of synthetic alternatives. For a facility planning twenty years ahead, that regulatory stability is often the deciding argument.

Is ammonia safe to use in a food plant?

It is used safely in food plants worldwide, and part of the reason is that ammonia announces itself: the smell is obvious at concentrations far below the level that causes harm, so leaks are found early rather than accumulating undetected. The rest is the surrounding engineering — a properly ventilated machinery room, gas detection with staged alarms and automatic shutdown, correctly routed relief discharge, isolation valves an operator can actually reach, and staff trained on the emergency procedure. With those in place, ammonia is a well-understood industrial material.

How long does an ammonia refrigeration system last?

Fifteen to twenty years is a conservative figure for a compressor package; well-maintained ammonia plant frequently runs much longer, with compressors overhauled and controls modernised while the vessels and pipework stay in service. Ammonia is not corrosive to steel in a dry, oxygen-free system, which is why so much legacy plant is still working. What ages is the wear items and the controls, and both are replaceable.

What routine work does an ammonia system need?

Oil level and oil analysis, compressor vibration and running data, condenser cleaning and water treatment, purger performance, gas detector calibration, and pressure relief valve replacement — CSA B52 requires relief devices to be changed at intervals not exceeding five years. Beyond that, trending suction and discharge pressures over time will show a fouling condenser or a failing compressor months before it becomes a shutdown.

Can you upgrade an existing ammonia plant rather than replace it?

Usually, and it is often the better value. Common upgrades include replacing time-clock defrost with demand defrost, adding variable speed drives to compressors and condenser fans, floating head pressure control, modernising the control system so the plant can be trended and alarmed, and replacing a tired evaporative condenser. Those changes address running cost and reliability without the capital outlay and shutdown of a full rebuild.
♠Our Work

Real Jobs, Real Halifax Homes

See All Our Work →
  • Skid-mounted industrial condensing unit with twin fans and compressor

    Industrial condensing unit on a purpose-built skid

  • Ceiling-mounted evaporator units installed in a new commercial walk-in cooler room

    Walk-in cooler evaporators, commercial fit-out

♠ From the Blog

Read Up Before You Call

All Industrial Refrigeration articles
A ♥
A ♥
★★★★★

100% 5-Star Google Reviews

Every Google review from Halifax to Bedford — a perfect five. We play every job to win.

A ♠
A ♠
✓

Red Seal HVAC Technicians

Interprovincially certified tradespeople on every heating and cooling service call in HRM.

A ♣
A ♣
8+

Years Serving Halifax

Nearly a decade of trusted HVAC service across Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford and the Halifax Regional Municipality.

★★★★★

What Halifax Homeowners
Say About Ace Refrigeration

A ♥
A ♥
★★★★★

My friend recommended Mark's company to me for heat pump installation services and all I can say is that if you are installing air conditioning units in Halifax you must go to him. He has a very flexible schedule and can serve clients as quickly as possible. The service was very professional from quotation to installation and it was a very pleasant experience.

WZ
Wancang Zhang Halifax, NS
A ♠
A ♠
★★★★★

We had an urgent heat pump issue at our home and contacted Mark, he responded promptly and scheduled a check in within an hour. Once he arrived he quickly diagnosed the problem and proposed a range of solutions. He also took the time to explain each option, ensuring I understood the implications and costs involved. Will happily recommend to others!

JX
Jim Xi Halifax, NS
A ♦
A ♦
★★★★★

I had an urgent issue with my Heat pump system and contacted Ace Refrigeration for assistance. I must say, their response time was impressive. Within a short period, a technician arrived at my home and immediately got to work. Mark is a truly experienced and skilled person in town. Highly recommended.

XC
Xing Chen Halifax, NS
♣ Contact Ace Refrigeration ♣

Request A Free HVAC Estimate

Tell us about your HVAC project and we'll have a Red Seal technician in Halifax, Bedford or anywhere in HRM back to you within one business day. No pressure, no gimmicks.

A ♠
A ♠

The House
Always Wins.

Whether it's a new heat pump install in Bedford, an urgent furnace repair in Halifax or a yearly HVAC tune-up anywhere in HRM — tell us what you need and we'll deal you a fair, written quote.

Phone (902) 292-7979
Email info@acerefrigeration.ca
Service Area Halifax · Bedford · Dartmouth · HRM
Hours Monday to Friday, 8AM – 5PM
Follow
By submitting this form, you'll receive a callback within one business day. We never share your info — Red Seal word.

We reply during business hours — Monday to Friday, 8AM – 5PM.

A ♠
A ♠

Play Your Hot Hand.
Draw Your Cold Card.

Free in-home HVAC estimates across Halifax, Bedford, Dartmouth and the entire Halifax Regional Municipality. No pressure, no gimmicks — just a clear quote from a Red Seal technician who knows their trade.

Book a Free Estimate →
Talk to a Technician (902) 292-7979 Mon–Fri · 8AM – 5PM