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Management of

Ammonia Wastewater
Eileen Woodbury, REHS
Senior Hazardous Materials Specialist
Monterey County Health Department
Environmental Health Division
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What am I talking about?
This is not a talk on the production of anhydrous ammonia
or aqueous ammonia, but rather a story of a CalARP
inspectors journey into the DTSC world of hazardous waste
treatment and ammonia refrigeration systems.
Story begins with training!
J an. 2007, Refrigeration Basics by ARTS Academy
First thing I learned as a CUPA inspector:
ASK QUESTIONS!
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Ammonia Properties
Quick review
Lighter than air
Gas at ambient, liquefied under pressure
Self alarming sight and smell with a pungent odor
Detectable by nose, from5 to 25 ppm
Highly irritating to eyes, skin, respiratory tract
Affinity to water, mixes readily
Service technicians take advantage of this property
by bubbling vapor into water to work on a section or
component
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Generation
Generated during routine maintenance or
servicing of an ammonia refrigeration
system. Technicians isolate a component or
section of pipe, and removes pressure from
a section of the system, i.e. vapor, by
directing ammonia vapor into water. Also
generated as an emergency capture of
ammonia vapors from pressure relief
devices to a diffusion tank.
Venting to Atmosphere
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Bubbling Vapors into Water
Done safely, can reduce the
likelihood of employee
exposure and harm,
Reduce likelihood of offsite
consequences, and
Reduce potential exposure to
the public.
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System Components
Compressor
Condenser
Receiver
Expansion Valve
Evaporator
Pressure Relief Valves
Ammonia Pump
Ammonia Diffuser
series of seals, flanges
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Diffuser
Capture and neutralize ammonia
released from pressure relief valves.
PRV discharges into common header
to water tank or diffuser. Consists of a
water tank, with perforated pipe to
distribute ammonia for mixing with
water.
Safety System: Diffuser Tank
Relief valves protect high and low sides
from overpressure. Factory set to
release to diffuser if pressures above
150 (low), 250 psig (high side). If
system pressure exceeds set points,
release to tank, without releasing to
atmosphere. Emergency Control Box
may be used to manually transfer vapor
to diffuser.
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Safe Operating Procedure: Neutralization
SOP from former River Ranch foods refrigeration technician.
Technician trained in ammonia safety,
awareness, and SOP, including proper
treatment and disposal
Conducted away from plant personnel,
public, in secure area
Monitoring equipment: pH meter,
ammonia detector
Donn PPE, gloves, faceshield, apron
Monitoring Equipment
Treatment
Neutralization with muriatic
acid, about 19% HCL, in
Ammonia/Water resulted
in strong exothermic
reaction
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Treatment
Stand-alone automatic
neutralization system
Pump meters acid into ammonia/water
drum at 30-second intervals
Concurrent agitation of drum contents to
promote even mixing of solution
Tie-in pH meter to monitor changes
Other designs have included ammonia
vapor scrubber at vent
Treatment
Neutralization to minimize pH
and
No Ammonia Vapors
pH must fall within 6-7 range
Verify no ammonia vapors
present with ammonia detector
Notify POTW, CUPA prior to
discharge
Discharge to sanitary sewer
system
Disposal
Some municipalities will not allow
discharges to the Industrial
Wastewater System (even if its
neutralized)
Contact POTWs for disposal to
sanitary sewer.
Facilities in unincorporated area
must contact the Regional Water
Quality Control Board to determine
discharge requirements
Haul ammonia wastewater by
contacting a licensed hazardous
waste transporter
Regulatory World
Anhydrous ammonia is deemed a hazardous waste
once exits process equipment, or evacuated from pipe
or other component. Bubbling ammonia vapor into
water is considered hazardous waste treatment,
changing the physical, chemical characteristics,
thereby reducing the hazard to public health and the
environment.
Bubbling not regulated by CUPAs under tiered
permitting structure.
Initial review by DTSC: full standardized permit
required, similar to TSDF, with implementation by
DTSC
DTSC regulates hazardous waste treatment, i.e. TSD
facilities requiring an expensive standardized permit.
In Monterey County, we have over 90 ammonia
refrigeration facilities, each servicing their equipment
either by on site personnel or through a contractor.
Servicing equipment via zone isolation and purging of
vapors is a common industry practice.
Based on DTSC review, current practice of bubbling
constitutes illegal treatment of a hazardous waste.
Who regulates this treatment?
Where do we go from here?
Where do we go from here?
The Monterey Bay chapter of RETA and the ARTS
Academy have come together to request a formal
technical regulatory review by DTSC. A written
request has been submitted to the DTSC to make a
final determination of legal treatment methods. The
letter describes how ammonia vapors are drawn from
a system component, the purpose of this practice,
the low hazard nature of the practice, and where the
vapors go.
In the meantime.
Monterey County will continue industry outreach
efforts to promote safe treatment and disposal
methods.
Monterey County CUPA will not pursue
enforcement action against those facilities
conducting safe treatment of ammonia wastewater.
Facilities are required to properly dispose of or
properly discharge the ammonia wastewater and
keep records of disposal.

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