When it comes to fall anhydrous application, Raven’s AccuFlow™ cooler systems provide the best capacity and stability for efficient nitrogen distribution. Read on to learn how AccuFlow keeps product cool and how to integrate it into your operations, maximizing your efficiency this fall and yields in future seasons.
What is anhydrous ammonia application?
Anhydrous ammonia (NH3) is a common, efficient, and widely used source of nitrogen fertilizer. Anhydrous means “without water.” While NH3’s natural state is gas, it is compressed into liquid so that it can be metered during agricultural application. With a boiling point of -28°F (-33°C) NH3 expands to 850 times its liquid volume at room temperature. It is readily available to producers and relatively easy to apply with Raven’s AccuFlow™ system.
Warning: Anhydrous ammonia (NH3) can aggressively dehydrate living tissue, causing serious injury if handled improperly. It is important to follow local safety training and guidelines. Don’t work with NH3 if you are untrained or uncomfortable with it.
Since NH3’s natural state is as a gas, it needs to be pressurized to keep it in liquid form for application. This pressure is provided by the nurse tank to maintain its liquid state and “feed” the application system. Raven’s AccuFlow Vortex cooler supplements this liquid state by “cooling” gas to liquid as it is applied.
How AccuFlow™ keeps NH3 cool for smooth application
Raven’s AccuFlow Vortex cooler keeps NH3 ready to apply at more capacity than legacy cooler systems, replacing dual cooler systems and keeping product safely away from the operator.
To remain at this high capacity, the AccuFlow cooler takes a small percentage of the NH3 being applied and diverts it, reusing it as refrigerant to cool the ammonia delivered from the nurse tank. This NH3 is forced through a 3/16” orifice, then expands through five different points. As the NH3 expands, the pressure drops to near-zero psi – where it instantly cools down to liquid state. Every time the NH3 expands, more cooling area is provided within the AccuFlow Vortex. With five different expansion points, AccuFlow delivers 60% more capacity than Raven’s legacy cooler solution.
Integrating AccuFlow™ into Your Fall Application
Specifications
The AccuFlow™ Vortex effectively replaces a legacy 30 gpm cooler with 1-inch valves with additional benefits:
- Same valve capacity as a 1 ¼” valve (7/8” ball valve)
- Both two-valve and fast-valve systems
- Additional benefits of the Vortex system
- Bleed circuit – 30-minute bleed down.
- Gruvlok® flowmeter couplings.*
- O-ring gasket instead of square gasket.
Plugging the AccuFlow into your fertilizer application is made simple with the Raven Rate Control Module (RCM), ISO Node, or CAN Product Control. For more compatibility details, visit the AccuFlow™ product page.
Installation Tips
Here are some tips for installing AccuFlow Vortex:
- Use approved materials that will not corrode upon exposure to NH3. Schedule-80 steel, ductile iron, and stainless steel are common examples.
- Minimize pressure loss to help maintain the NH3’s liquid state both before it reaches the cooler and after it leaves the cooler assembly. When installing, ensure the system is the proper size, has consistent hose lengths, has minimal pipe size changes, and does not use excessive elbows and tees.
- Need to install AccuFlow onto old plumbing? No problem. Make sure you order the Vortex Bracket and Pipe Adapter Kit (117-0171-713) to get the brackets you need for the system to work.
- Stainless steel compatible kits are also available.
- Too much debris getting in the cooler orifice? Get the Refrigerant Line Strainer to catch debris before it feeds back into the system.
*Gruvlok® is a registered trademark of ASC Engineered Solutions, LLC