“Ammonia is used in huge systems everywhere.”
I asked a refrigeration guy if ammonia wasn’t more dangerous than the freons since it’s toxic. He said no because the freons are odorless and in a refrigeration room you can die from oxygen deprivation if the freon pushes the oxygen out, without you realizing what’s happening. On the other hand you can smell ammonia even in low concentrations and can get the heck out.
-—”On the other hand you can smell ammonia even in low concentrations and can get the heck out.”
My S.I.L. works for a biggie in the ammonia refrigeration business and I met a guy that had his hand on the door of the machine room as it BLEW UP!!
He was the contact person when the alarm went off!
The firemen were with him, no serious injuries.
In this area, large exhaust fans tied to sensors/alarms are required.
Ask your friend about R-290.
Some years ago in Nebraska or Iowa, a HVAC tech used refrigerant to blow up his families air mattresses for tent camping. Leaked in the middle of the night and the died in their sleep.