Lundbeck Pharmaceuticals

Planning / Implementation / Main components

Star Refrigeration Ltd.

Refrigerant

Ammonia (NH₃)

System start-up

2001

The Danish pharmaceuticals group Lundbeck Pharmaceuticals operates a medicine-manufacturing plant in Seal Sands, England. Star Refrigeration assisted the company with extending its production capacity.

Demands

Lundbeck Pharmaceuticals needed to expand its capacity due to increasing demand. The production processes require very specific temperature patterns, with temperatures varying widely from -85 to 260°C. Therefore, a refrigeration solution was required that is both high-performance and environmentally friendly.

Solution

Star Refrigeration developed two custom air-cooled ammonia systems with a modular design that minimized onsite assembly and start-up, and that each supply one circuit with cold energy. The regular 5°C temperature cycle chills 400 m³ of the coolant Therminol D12 per hour, with a refrigeration output of 1,400 kW. The low-temperature cycle chills 50 m³ Therminol D12 to -25°C, with a refrigeration output of 220 kW. Both cycles use soundproof screw compressors and high-performance fully welded plate and shell evaporators, which allows for minimizing the ammonia charges.

Type of facility

air-cooled ammonia plant

Refrigerant

NH₃

Refrigerating volume

700 kg

Secondary refrigerant

Therminol D12

Refrigerating capacity

1.4 MW + 220 kW

Refrigerants volume

400 m³ + 50 m³

Main components

Soundproof screw compressors, fully welded plate and shell evaporators, air cooled condensers, tanks for the liquid coolant

Special features / Comments

The refrigeration systems are equipped with accumulator tanks for the liquid coolant, which ensures the compressors do not short-cycle and facilitates maintenance. Star Refrigeration equipped the system with state-of-the-art controls and ammonia detectors. The plant's modular structure allows for easy and cost-effective extensions.