BRINE CIRCUITS

Properties of Brine
It is an advantage if the coolant coil through the cold chamber contains a fluid which is virtually
non harmful to the contents of the space in the event of leakage. Small domestic units circulate
the coil with the refrigerant (direct expansion) but larger cargo units usually employ an
evaporator and a loop of circulation through the evaporator to the cold chambers and back which
contains brine. A big advantage is that the brine pipes have a much larger reserve of cold than
refrigerant coils when the plant is stopped, also having the advantage that various circuits can
easily be arranged, e.g. cooling, chilling, defrosting, etc.
The brine as used is a mixture of distilled water (preferably) and calcium chloride (CaCI*). The
colder the brine circuit the denser the brine in circulation has to be to avoid any freeze up. Table
7.3 gives the densities and corresponding freezing points.
Under certain conditions sodium chloride (NaCI) could be used with water but an alkali such as
caustic soda (NaOH) would be required as an addition as about 1% of the solution. The brine
should be maintained in an alkaline state under all conditions, this can easily be checked by the
use of litmus paper, phenolphthalein, etc. Brine density should also be taken regularly by
standard hydrometer test at 15.SC and a regular check should also be taken for brine leakage at
the brine header tank which serves to keep a head on the system.
There is a possibility that the air content of brine rooms could become explosive or inflammable
under conditions of hydrogen gas liberation due to corrosive action, it is advisable not to allow
naked lights.
The brine circuit consists of a brine room, containing distribution headers, mixing tanks,
evaporators, pumps, etc., then the various piping systems to cold storage spaces maintained
under pressure. The piping is usually tested to 7 bars, or 2.5 x W.P., whichever is the greater,
pipes commonly of mild steel externally galvanized and painted, about 40 mm bore.
It is usual to regulate the flow of brine by the return valves on the distribution and return headers.
For chilling chambers about 3m3 of chamber would require about 1 m2 of pipe cooling surface,
increased to 4.5 m3 if air circulated. For freezing chambers the ratio is about 1.5 m3/m2 (2.2
m3/m2 air circulated). Normally 1250 kg/m3 density would be satisfactory for most brine
circulation with a pH value of 8.5. Non-freezing solutions can also be based on organic fluids;
ethylene and propylene glycol are in general use.

The evaporators (brine coolers) pumps and distribution valves in industrial installations and on
cargo ships are usually located together within an insulated brine room, to provide ease of access
and to eliminate the need for insulating individual items and pipes. Entering a brine room for the
first time can be bewildering and consulting the brine diagram of a complex installation may at
first increase the bewilderment. However, the system is basically very simple; the complexity
arises from duplication of components and alternative cross connections.

The following diagrams attempts to illustrate the development of a brine system.

Part (a) above, is the basic diagram with one chamber battery circulated with brine from one
evaporator, in a closed circuit with a header tank to allow for expansion and contraction of the
brine.

Part (b) above, shows the addition of headers which enable a number of spaces to be served.

(c) above, shows the addition of a second evaporator, air vent pipes have also been added at this
stage.

Part (d) above, shows the addition of a third pair of headers served by a brine heater and third
pump, so that any battery can be individually defrosted by circulating the warm brine. Also
introduced is a brine "injection cross connection from the delivery of pump No. 1 to the suction
of' pump No. 2. Brine injection is used so that evaporator No. 1 can assist evaporator No. 2 when
No. 1 is set to deliver brine at a lower temperature than No. 2. A further refinement of this
injection is the by-pass arranged across the inlet and outlet of evaporator No. 2 so that the
cooling, of the brine circulating in No. 2 system can be achieved entirely by injection if desired.
In practice, there also has to be a brine make-up tank. In which solid calcium chloride is
dissolved, for topping up the system. An overflow connection from the header tank, a safety
pressure relief line from the brine heater, and a sighting connection to which the return from any
space can be diverted, are all arranged to terminate over this make tip tank. These have been
omitted from the above circuits for clarity.