May 2008

Condenser
Published by the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
as a service to its members and the Industrial Refrigeration Industry
The Ammonia
Data Book, 2nd Edition
Save $50 per copy

Order Your Copy Today Before the Price Increase

Takes effect July 1, 2008

The Ammonia Data Book is the only publication of

its kind. A one stop reference book for the ammonia Yes, I want to order the Ammonia Data Book, 2nd Edition
refrigeration industry. It is the most complete reference
Member Price: $150 $100/copy
ever published on ammonia for the refrigeration industry.
Non-Member Price: $200 $150/copy
It contains essential resource data for the safe and efficient
operation of any ammonia refrigeration facility. U.S. Send me _____ copies at $______ per copy = $ ________
regulatory requirements for ammonia and other valuable (Shipping charges using Fed Ex Ground will be added at cost)
compliance information about federal regulations, such
Company name:___________________________________
as the Community Right to Know Act, are featured in
this book. Other chapters focus on General Information, Contact name: ____________________________________
Properties of Ammonia, Ammonia and the Environment,
Shipping Address: (no PO Boxes)
Ammonia Safety Data and U.S. Regulatory Requirements.
Business Residence

Major Updates of the Ammonia Data Book, Address: _________________________________________

2nd Edition
s Updated Ammonia production and emission statistics
s New Stress Corrosion Cracking section added
s Updated EPA Toxics release inventory reference
s Expanded content focuses on the Code of Federal
Regulations
s Updated ATSDR Toxicological Profile for Ammonia that
extensively references a new 2004 report
s New Data using ISCST2 model on downwind distance
and concentration
s Updated IDLH references
s Additional new section addressing State Plan States:
state-specific safety programs
s Updated PSM requirements focused on employee
involvement, lockout/tagout, pre-start-up safety reviews,
ongoing maintenance of PSM program etc.
s New NIOSH,REL and IDLH sections
s Updated 2004 RMP revisions incorporated
s Revised Appendix A table values re-calculated using
REFPROP Version 7
City: _____________________________________________
State/Province:__________ Zip/Postal Code: __________
Phone:_____________________ Fax: __________________
Email: ___________________________________________
Billing Address: (If different from shipping address)
Address: _________________________________________
City: _____________________________________________
State/Province:__________ Zip/Postal Code: __________
Phone:_____________________ Fax: __________________
Email: ___________________________________________
Payment Information: MasterCard Visa Check
Card Number:____________________ Exp. Date: _______
Cardholder’s Name (Please Print): ______________________
Authorized Signature: _______________________________
Fax your order with credit card information to
703-312-0065, or Mail your order to: IIAR Data Book,
1110 North Glebe Road, Suite 250, Arlington, VA 22201

Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration 1

 CONTENTS
1 Ammonia Data Book – 2nd Edition

What Do You Think… 2

3
What Do You Think…?
Chair’s Message
4 Discount Dues Program

W
ith this issue of the Condenser, we 5 Uncle Andy Wants You!
introduce a new feature. We’d like to hear 6 Membership Form
your ideas and commentaries on issues 7 IIAR Code Advocacy Update
and trends in industrial refrigeration. In this column, we
8 21st Century Approach to
will briefly examine a trend or idea and ask for your
Refrigeration Safety Replaces
feedback, your thoughts, and your observations.
Emergency Control Boxes
Is Ammonia the Right Answer? Again? 12 Ammonia Plant Saves Power
Those of us who have long been committed to for South African Supermarket
anhydrous ammonia as a refrigerant for large plant systems typically 14 IIAR Research Project on
regard it as “the right answer” for all of the obvious reasons: cost, energy Stress Corrosion Cracking
efficiency, lower operational pressures, and environmental friendliness.
16 DHS Update
Could it be that the time has come to press for a return to ammonia in
18 Learn More About www.iiar.org
other systems as well?
I was recently invited to participate in an industry think tank that is 20 Relief Valve Testing
committed to reducing the carbon footprint of producing and delivering 22 Conference Collage
a gallon of milk to the consumer. The task is being broken down into 24 IIAR Members
crop production, milk production, transport to the plant, processing, 25 IIAR Board/Kent Anderson
packaging, distribution, and sale. I was surprised to see that refrigerants
27 Sustainability Beyond Energy
were listed as an appreciable impact under distribution, but not under
Efficiency – Part 2
processing. It was explained to me that this is the case because almost
all milk is processed using ammonia as a refrigerant, but transported 29 2008 Conference/Call For Papers
using HFCs. I learned that while HFCs have a much lower carbon impact 30 Andy Ammonia Winner/
than CFCs or HCFCs, they still have a considerable influence with a Technical Paper Abstracts
carbon effect per gram much greater than that of CO2, methane, or 34 Ammonia Safety Day
nitrous oxide. Research indicates that recovery regulations and practices 36 ARF
notwithstanding, refrigerant loss from transport systems is significant.
38 IIAR on Display in Shanghai
Could it be that the time has come for the food industry and the IIAR
45 News & Notes
to work with the large purveyors of transport refrigeration to shift this
segment to ammonia? I would think that any additional cost in making
the materials of construction of such units compatible with ammonia
would be offset by lower refrigerant cost and fuel usage while at the
same time benefiting the environment. Ammonia is also used routinely
in RV refrigerators. I have heard anecdotal reports that some vehicle International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
air conditioning systems in cars produced by Pacific Rim countries for 1110 North Glebe Road, Suite 250
domestic use employ ammonia while those built for export to the US Arlington, VA 22201 | www.iiar.org
use HFCs. Phone: 703-312-4200 | Fax: 703-312-0065
I would be interested to hear the thoughts of others both in the food
industry and from companies that produce transport refrigeration units as Condenser Staff

to both the potential demand and feasibility of building these units for Publisher | Bruce Badger | bruce_badger@iiar.org

ammonia. It may be time for a change. Managing Editor | Bob Armstrong | bob_armstrong@iiar.org
Technical Editor | Kirsten McNeil | kirsten_mcneil@iiar.org
David E. Lattan Layout & Design | Laura Dugan
Vice President, Engineering Illustrator | Ron Curameng
Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc.

2 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration

CHAIR’S MESSAGE
By Brian Marriott
G
reetings! These are exciting times for IIAR. Our
committees have been very active and you will see
the results of their efforts in the coming months.
One of the most important things that IIAR does is maintain our
industry Standards. The Standards Review Committee has been
busy finalizing the new edition of American National Standard
for Equipment, Design & Installation of Ammonia Mechanical
Refrigerating Systems—ANSI/IIAR 2-2008. It has been through
public review and approval by IIAR, and we are just waiting for
ANSI approval which we expect in the next few weeks. The new
ANSI/IIAR 2-2008 should be available by the end of the summer.
You can get a preview of one of the major changes in the
new Standard in this issue of the Condenser. Our cover story
focuses on the replacement of the Emergency Control Box
with the Emergency Pressure Control System. This has been a
goal of the Code Committee dating back to the days when
Chuck Kohlenberger was chair of that committee. Since then,
Bob deVillez, Hank Saye, Larry Basel and John Collins have
all championed the cause. Our code consultant Jeff Shapiro
also deserves a note of thanks. He has been the man in the
trenches who has done a lot of the heavy lifting in this effort.
We sincerely appreciate his efforts on our behalf.
I’m very pleased to report that our efforts over the past
few years to strengthen partnerships we have with our sister
organizations are paying off. IIAR President Bruce Badger just
recently returned from another visit to China where he made a
presentation on ammonia/CO2 systems at China Refrigeration
2008 in Shanghai. A total of 16 IIAR members exhibited at
that event. You’ll find a complete report on page 38.
For several years we have supported one day IIAR mini-
meetings in Mexico which have disseminated some excellent
technical material in Spanish to the local IIAR members and
invited guests. These meetings have been made possible through
generous sponsorship from several IIAR member companies. I
would like to thank these sponsors and thank Adolfo Blasquez
for tirelessly spearheading this ongoing initiative. By the time
you read this edition of the Condenser we will have conducted
this years session which adds a second day of hands-on
Ammonia Safety Training in conjunction with ASTI. I extend our
thanks to Gary Smith, President of ASTI and his staff for making
this valuable addition to the program possible.
This ASTI activity is in addition to the Safety Day scheduled
for June 18th in Baltimore, Maryland (see article on page 34).
More of these ASTI Safety Days will be held in various parts of the
US over the coming months and I would encourage all of you to
Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
attend one of these sessions if
it is scheduled for your area,
in order to learn more about
the One Plan.
We are also launching
a major new membership initiative within the pages of this
issue of the Condenser. We are offering a Rewards Program
for companies that recruit new regular members. Companies
that successfully refer new members to IIAR can redeem their
points for a free registration to the IIAR Annual Meeting. You’ll
learn more about that new program on page 5. We are also
making modifications to the Associate Member Dues Discount
Program. Since it was introduced a couple of years ago, we
have seen our IIAR membership grow by almost 20%. The
new program offers additional incentives for companies to
participate in this program.
On page 1 of this issue of the Condenser, you’ll see an ad for
the new Ammonia Data Book, Second Edition. To complement
our industry marketing strategy promoting the environmental
advantages of natural refrigerants, we have added the subtitle,
The Profile of a Sustainable Refrigerant. The Data Book was
originally produced more than 15 years ago, and was updated
about ten years ago. Don Fenton at Kansas State University and
Doug Reindl at the University of Wisconsin did most of the work
on this latest revision. We sincerely appreciate their efforts.
These are just a few of the new things you will see in the weeks
and months ahead from IIAR. The success of this organization,
the growth of our membership and the quality of our technical
publications are all dependent on membership involvement.
I urge you: Join a Committee; Volunteer to write a Technical
Paper; or conduct a workshop at the annual meeting. Or, you
could write an article for this publication. I can tell you first
hand, the rewards of participation go well beyond the obvious.
The challenge of providing legislative and regulatory
advocacy on behalf of our industry is ongoing. In addition, this
industry is truly global and no matter where we live we cannot
ignore the potential impact of decisions and events in other
countries, particularly those with large economies. We will
continually monitor for issues which potentially affect the interests
of our Members and respond appropriately as and when
necessary. This is another example of where Members with
unique knowledge of local affairs can provide invaluable help
by volunteering to work on the relevant committees and on Task
Force assignments when these advocacy opportunities occur.
We hope you find this new look Condenser helpful and
interesting. Come July, please don’t forget to renew your
membership if you have not already done so!
3
DUES DISCOUNT PROGRAM
New Additional Savings Added to Associate Dues
Discount Program
I
IAR has modified the popular Dues Discount Program. The
changes streamline the process and provide members who
take advantage of the program with additional savings.
Under the new program, companies that designate a single
point of contact and pay for all memberships from a single invoice
will enjoy even greater savings than they receive under the current
plan. By paying from a single invoice, a company can save
hundreds, depending on the number of associate members you
designate for your company. Here is how the new system works:
s The individual designated as the single point of contact for
a Company is responsible for payment of the membership
dues and all communication with the IIAR Membership
Director regarding both regular and associate member
registration. The purpose of having one corporate contact is
to facilitate communication.
s Payment for the single Discount Dues Program invoice can
be made by check or wire transfer.
s Payment of the company invoice for the Dues Discount
participants must be received on or before September
15, 2008. The names of all company employees who
will be associate members of IIAR need not be identified
immediately; however, the entire payment must be made
prior to the deadline for all of the participants that the
company expects to include in the Dues Discount Program.
For example: a company may indicate it plans to have
one corporate regular member and 15 associate members.
The single point of contact may be the Regular Member or
an Executive Assistant who will coordinate the IIAR member
4 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
list and contact information. By designating a single point of
contact and paying from a single invoice, the company will
save $1,250 off the regular associate member fees. If the
company chooses to pay from multiple invoices, the savings
will only be $750. Example:
No Single Contact/No Dues Discount
1 Reg. Member + 15 Associate Members =
$275 X 15 = $4,125
Total = $4,125 + (1) Regular Member
Single Point of Contact/Single Invoice
1 Reg. Member + 15 Associates = $500 Savings
$275 X 5 = $1,375
$150 X 10 = $1,500
Total = $2,875
Savings $1,250
Single Point of Contact/Multiple Invoices
1 Reg. Member + 15 Associate Members =
$275 X 5 = $1,375
$200 X 10 = $2,000
Total = $3,375 + (1) Regular Member
Savings $750
The new Dues Discount Program provides each Company
with greater flexibility and advantages of a lower rate structure
based upon a single invoice for the regular and associate
members selected to be in the Dues Discount Program.
We encourage you to review this new program and take
advantage of the reduced associate member rates as well as
the flexibility of the program. Should you have any questions
please contact Belinda Ross, Director of Member Services at
703/312-4200.
Uncle Andy
Wants You!
By Tim Facius, Membership Recruitment Task Force Chair
I
t is with great pleasure that we announce a new program at
IIAR to encourage the recruitment of new members into our
organization. As you know, active and involved members
are the life-blood of IIAR. Our current membership is doing an
excellent job of helping IIAR achieve its vision. The addition of
NEW REGULAR MEMBERS will make the organization even
more vital and stronger financially. It empowers IIAR to achieve
even higher levels of success in leading the industrial refrigeration
market, and contributes to the vibrancy of the organization.
You are a key element in this new campaign.
IIAR membership has grown dramatically in the past twenty
years. In the early 1990s, IIAR had about 600 members. At
last count, IIAR membership surpassed 1,800. That’s a 300%
increase over the past 18 years. A significant portion of that
growth occurred because IIAR members played a key roll
in the success of the campaign. Contractors, Engineers and
Manufacturers personally engaged in the recruiting process to
encourage customers and colleagues to join IIAR.
We are asking you and your company to contribute to
this important IIAR goal of broadening the membership of our
organization. Besides the benefits you realize as IIAR becomes
an even larger, more vibrant organization; there are additional
direct benefits to your company.
The new incentive program functions in a fashion similar
to a frequent flyer program. Each time a company refers a
new regular member who joins IIAR and is approved by
the IIAR Board of Directors, the referring company receives
points that can be cashed in against conference registration.
The Membership Recruiting Incentive Program rewards
your company with a free registration to the IIAR annual
conference for every three (3) Regular Members you recruit
during a given membership year. There will also be additional
recognition for your company. (See box)
A “Membership Recruiting Packet” has been developed
to assist you in your efforts. It consists of a Member Benefits
Brochure, a Membership Application, as well as other flyers
and brochures promoting the IIAR Annual Meeting, website
and publications. The Membership Application has a line for
Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
you to list your
company as
the Recruiting
Sponsor, so
that you will receive
credit when the new
member joins. Packets may
be ordered at no charge by contacting IIAR Headquarters at
iiar_request@iiar.org.
Some examples of how this “Membership Recruiting
Packet” might be used include; a contractor uses the packet to
introduce IIAR when working with an end-user on a project, a
manufacturer presents the packet to a contractor during a sales
call who is not a member of IIAR, or an IIAR member end-
user uses a packet to promote IIAR to other end-users known
through other industry or trade organizations. Use of this IIAR
recruiting packet helps portray your company as an involved
and informed participant in the industrial refrigeration industry.
On behalf of IIAR, thank you for your efforts to make our
organization stronger through the recruitment of new members.
We look forward to seeing your company’s name on the
Member Recruitment Recognition Board at the 2009 IIAR
Conference in Dallas.
IIAR Membership Recruiting Incentive Program
IIAR Members are encouraged to recruit new regular members to
join the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration. For each
new successful recruit, IIAR Member companies will be credited with
points that may be cashed for a reward. The following rules govern
the IIAR Membership Recruiting Incentive program.
( Recruiting “sponsor” companies must be IIAR members and may
be any IIAR membership category.
( New Members must submit an application form which includes
the name of the “sponsor” company at the time of submittal.
( The “sponsor” company will receive credit for the new recruit upon
approval of the membership application by the IIAR Board of Directors.
( Sponsor credit will only be given for each new regular member
from a company that has not been a Regular IIAR Member during
the previous three membership years.
( For each three (3) credits a “sponsor” company receives: Mention
in the Condenser, on the IIAR website, and on signage at the
annual convention, plus one (1) free conference registration.
5
 INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AMMONIA REFRIGERATION
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
B?RHNA:O>JN>LMBHGL%@HMHHNKP>;LBM>:MPPP'BB:K'HK@HK<:EE!0),",*+&-+))'
(Please type or print clearly)

Company Name ID#

Individual Representative Title

Address

City State/Province

Country Zip/Postal Code

Area Code & Telephone Number Fax Number

PE License (Engineers Only) Date of Application

Email Address URL: http://

Recruited by IIAR Member Company:

Membership Categories and Dues (Dues are per membership year. Membership Year is July 1–June 30)
Academic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 100 . . . . . . . . (Instructors, professors, researchers, etc.)
Affiliate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 150 . . . . . . . . (Code groups, insurance companies, regulatory agencies)
Contractor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 695 . . . . . . . . (Principle business is installation/service/maintenance of refrigeration systems)
Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 695 . . . . . . . . (Principle business is design of refrigeration systems)
End User I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 695 . . . . . . . . (User of ammonia refrigeration, e.g., refrigerated warehouse, food processor, etc.,
multiple facilities over 10,000 pounds)
End User II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 395 . . . . . . . . (User of ammonia refrigeration, single facility with less than 10,000 pounds of ammonia)
International Organization . . . . . . . . . .$ 695 . . . . . . . . (International Trade Association)
Manufacturer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 975 . . . . . . . . (Manufacturers of ammonia/industrial refrigeration equipment/components)
Manufacturer’s Representative . . . . .$ 695 . . . . . . . . (Principle business is the marketing/sales of industrial refrigeration equipment)
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 695 . . . . . . . . (i.e. Utility companies, Consultants, Trainers)
Retired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 100 . . . . . . . . (Retired person no longer gainfully employed in the industry on a full-time basis)
Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 25 . . . . . . . . (Please provide name of academic institution where enrolled & photo identification)
Wholesaler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 695 . . . . . . . . (Wholesaler or supplier of ammonia)
Associate Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 275 . . . . . . . . (To qualify for an Associate Membership, your company must already have a Regular
Membership. An Associate Member is an employee of a Member Company other
than the voting representative. There are no restrictions to the number of Associate
Members per company or to the geographical locations.)
Associate members must check one:
Contractor End User I End User II Engineer Manufacturer Manufacturer’s Representative Other Wholesaler
Please identify Regular Member Company and Representative: ____________________________________________________________________

Send Membership Application with Payment to: Bgm^kgZmbhgZeBglmbmnm^h_:ffhgbZK^_kb`^kZmbhgIH;hq,-1)*:e^qZg]kbZ%O:++,,-&)1)*

Or Fax Credit Card Payment to: 703-312-0065 (fax)
OblZ MasterCard Card Number:___________________________________________________ Exp. Date:__________
Signature: _________________________________________________________ Date:__________
Should an individual leave the company, the IIAR Membership stays with the company unless the individual has personally paid for the membership. Wholly owned
subsidiaries of IIAR Regular Members are considered to be independent companies and are to make separate applications for Regular Membership. Membership dues
are not deductible as a charitable expense. They may be deductible as a business expense. !+))0È)1"

6 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration

IIAR CODE ADVOCACY UPDATE
Are Ventilation Treatment Systems
All Washed Up?
By Jeff Shapiro, International Code Consultants
I
t appears the requirement for scrubbing ventilation exhaust
may be scrubbed from the codes. One topic in model codes
receiving a lot of attention these days is the requirement
for air exhausted from ammonia refrigeration machinery
rooms to be “scrubbed” prior to release to atmosphere. The
regulation establishing this requirement dates back to the
1994 Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC), and it requires
ventilation discharges capable of exceeding either 1) 25
percent of the lower flammable limit (LFL), or 2) 50 percent of
the concentration that would be immediately dangerous to life
and health (IDLH) to be provided with an approved treatment
system to reduce discharge concentrations to those values or
lower. With respect to ammonia, the triggering value is 50
percent of the IDLH, or 150 parts-per-million.
Because there are many machine room failure scenarios
capable of exceeding this concentration, one might expect that
we’d be installing scrubbers in lots of ammonia refrigeration
facilities, but this is not the case. For reasons unknown, the
requirement has been largely overlooked by designers and
code enforcers…until recently.
When the U.S. underwent an overhaul of our model code
system in 2000, the ventilation scrubbing issue began to
capture increasing attention when it was conveyed from the
Uniform fire and mechanical codes into the International Fire
Code, which is used in more than 40 states. In what seemed
like a sudden change to many in the ammonia refrigeration
industry, jurisdictions began enforcing the ventilation treatment
requirement in new facilities, and solutions ranging from full-
blown scrubber systems all the way down to blowing machine
room exhaust ducts into condenser water were applied.
With many people questioning the value of treating
machine room exhaust, the industry turned to IIAR for
leadership in evaluating the issue and crafting a solution.
IIAR’s research into this requirement ultimately discovered that
the requirement was never justified when it was originally
added to the code almost 15 years ago.
The History
The treatment requirement was added as part of a
complete 1994 rewrite of the UMC chapter on mechanical
refrigeration, and the entire substantiation for the new provision
offered by the proponent of this change was “Gives specific
Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
machinery room ventilation
requirements.” No statistical,
technical or anecdotal
basis was offered to justify
the additional controls on
machinery room ventilation system discharge. Nevertheless, the
entire rewrite, including this section, was eventually approved
by the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO)
membership at the time, and the provisions were duplicated
into the Uniform Fire Code (UFC).
Presumably, the basis to justify adding this new requirement
to the Uniform codes might have been parity with the general
hazardous materials regulations for toxic gases in UFC Article
80; however, because Article 80 never required ventilation
treatment for local exhaust systems in areas where ammonia
is stored or used (because ammonia is not classified by fire
codes as a toxic hazardous material), it makes no sense for
ammonia refrigeration regulations to be more restrictive than
general hazardous materials regulations for the same material.
During the drafting process for the International codes,
the requirement for treatment of machinery room ventilation
was initially dropped when the UMC was merged into the
International Mechanical Code (IMC) and the UFC was
merged into the IFC. At the time, the goal was to make the
IMC and the IFC consistent with provisions in ASHRAE 15,
which is the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
recognized standard governing refrigeration system safety, and
ASHRAE 15 does not contain any requirement for treatment of
exhaust from machinery room ventilation systems.
In the public comment process affecting the final draft of the
IFC, a proposal was made to reinstate some of the old UFC
provisions into the IFC, and the requirement related to treatment
of machinery room exhaust found its way back into the code.
Is It Justified?
Refrigeration plants in the Central and Eastern portions of the
U.S. were not required by the legacy fire or mechanical codes
previously used in those regions to provide ventilation treatment
systems. Justification for requiring new plants in these areas to
now be burdened with the ventilation treatment requirement
is not evident. Likewise, there is no apparent justification for
maintaining this requirement elsewhere, given that there was
no justification to support the requirement in the first place.
It’s noteworthy that IIAR has studied the complete database
on releases associated with ammonia refrigeration on file with
EPA, and no incident could be identified where ammonia
Code Update continued on page 33
7
 21st Century Approach
to Refrigeration Safety Replaces
By Jeffrey Shapiro,
International Code Consultants
Emergency Control Boxes
F
our decades ago, fire chiefs in the
Western U.S. completed and published
the nation’s first model fire prevention code, the Uniform
Fire Code, culminating a multi-year effort to standardize fire-
safety regulations over large geographic areas. The feat was
somewhat remarkable, given that the new code was written on
typewriters, and correspondence was circulated by U.S. mail.
Modern technology used to develop today’s codes, such as
computers, fax machines, email and inexpensive long distance
phone calls were many years away.
At the time, refrigeration systems were still operating in the
days of analog. Skilled individuals used pressure gauges,
hand valves and instinct to monitor and maintain proper
operation. Modern technology used to safely operate systems
today, such as programmable logic controllers, refrigerant gas
detectors and other electronic sensing and control equipment
had yet to be invented.
By today’s standards, emergency response to hazardous
materials incidents was also somewhat archaic. Emergency
responders in the late-1960’s received little, if any, training
on hazardous materials or systems that used them. The focus
was on fires and firefighting. Nevertheless, when a hazardous
materials accident happened, the local fire department was
the agency who got the call for help. While poorly equipped
to deal with these types of incidents, they’d do their best to
protect lives and property.
With all of this in mind, it is easy to appreciate how
the concept of an emergency control box for ammonia
refrigeration systems would have appealed to fire chiefs and
fire marshals who wrote the new code. Imagine the thought
of a refrigerated warehouse on fire, threatening a release
8 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
of ammonia into the local community. But wait, firefighters
arrive on the scene, open a special box and operate a magic
valve. Miraculously, in a matter of minutes, the entire ammonia
charge dumps into water, and firefighters have saved the day!
Who wouldn’t like that?
While those of us who specialize in refrigeration systems
today recognize that a fire scenario wouldn’t play out as
described above, such knowledge would have been less
common 40 years ago, and it would not have affected the
development of the first model fire code. At the time, fire codes
were developed with little input from industry.
Years later, the emergency control box requirement became
a well entrenched code requirement, which became further
legitimized when ASHRAE and IIAR standards added model
figures to provide design and installation guidance for this
equipment. Although the intent of including these figures was
only to help designers when a box was required by local
authorities, code officials latched on to the industry figures as
confirmation of the control box’s validity. After all, from the fire
service’s perspective, why would industry standards tell you
how to design an emergency control box if the concept wasn’t
valid?
Charting a Course for Change
In 1999, the IIAR Board of Directors initiated a
comprehensive program to review and update model code
requirements related to ammonia refrigeration. Among many
issues identified for study was a requirement in some codes
EPCS continued on page 10
Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration 9

The security required for the Fire Control Box has grown far beyond the
traditional padlock due to growing concerns from the Drug Enforcement
Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
mandating installation of an emergency control box on new
ammonia refrigeration systems.
Before discussing the merits, or lack thereof, of emergency
control boxes, it must be stated that, as a matter of policy,
safety is fundamental to IIAR. Accordingly, accepting a
position that promoted removal of a device commonly thought
to benefit emergency responders didn’t come easy. However,
after studying the issue, it became clear that emergency control
boxes were neither an effective nor necessary safety feature.
Some of the considerations that led to this conclusion were:
1. Control boxes were only required in certain regions of
the country under the old model code system, which divided
the country up under three regional fire codes. Nevertheless,
there was no evidence to suggest that areas of the country
where emergency control boxes were not being provided
suffered any adverse consequences based on the lack of this
equipment.
2. Only ammonia systems associated with refrigeration
processes were required by codes to have an emergency
control box. Other uses of ammonia, such as industrial
processes, water treatment, etc. did not require this equipment.
3. “Dump” valves in the box aren’t really capable of
evacuating a refrigeration system. Required valves basically
add a small evaporator to each major vessel, and once
compressors have been shut off, most liquid ammonia will
remain in the system, as evaporation eventually equalizes
ammonia in the system with atmospheric pressure.
4. Refrigerated warehouses built today are equipped with
fire sprinkler systems, and machinery rooms are prohibited from
containing combustible storage not associated with system
operation. This represents a significant reduction in fire risk as
compared to buildings built 40 years ago. Given the large
volume of fire required to cause an ammonia vessel to vent,
such a fire could only occur as a result of a sprinkler system
failure, and in that case, ammonia will be released through
emergency vents and will be consumed by the fire plume once
10 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
the fire vents through the roof (which will happen quickly with
today’s lightweight construction techniques).
5. Computerized monitoring and control systems used today
make a major system malfunction much less likely today than
40 years ago, when the emergency control box requirement
was first added to the code. Times change, and codes need
to change to keep up with benefits of improving technology.
6. An informal survey of fire officials found that the
operation and capabilities of emergency control boxes were
not well understood by emergency responders. In addition, the
control valves were rarely, if ever, tested, exercised or used.
Lacking training in the process of mechanical refrigeration,
the function and operation of emergency control valves, and
confidence in the reliability of equipment in control boxes,
emergency responders were generally uncomfortable with the
thought of using this equipment.
7. With the value of ammonia as an ingredient in explosive
compounds and illegal drugs, placing a live valve box on the
exterior of a building, where ammonia could be extracted from
a refrigeration system, was deemed to present an unnecessary
security threat.
Enhancements in refrigeration system control equipment associated with new
technologies now make it possible to provide an automatic emergency control
system to replace key functions of the traditional manual emergency control
box, like the one shown above. Such automatic controls, now required by fire
codes, have made manual emergency control boxes obsolete.
Changing Model Codes is No Easy Task
Even with a well-developed substantiation, citing many
of the reasons listed above, the challenge of removing the
emergency control box requirement from model codes proved
to be a significant undertaking for several reasons, not the
least of which was the fact that the requirement had a 40-year
history in model codes. Many regulators involved in writing
today’s codes had literally grown up with the control box as
a mainstay requirement for refrigeration safety, and changing
the codes required an unprecedented outreach effort by the
ammonia refrigeration industry to educate code officials on
why emergency control boxes didn’t do what they were
thought to. To address this hurdle, IIAR produced a seminar
aimed at educating code officials on the fundamentals of
refrigeration, the properties of ammonia and the efficacy, or
lack thereof, of emergency control boxes. This program has
since been presented to more than 1,000 seminar attendees.
Although IIAR was ultimately successful in educating code
officials to understand the limitations of emergency control
boxes, many remained unwilling to support removal of the
requirement from codes unless the industry volunteered a
new and better approach. IIAR responded to this challenge
by breaking down the capabilities of a control box into two
categories. First, control boxes were provided with “cross-over”
valves capable of internally relieving ammonia from high-side
vessels to low-side vessels, keeping all of the ammonia within
a system. Second, control boxes were provided with “dump”
valves for the purpose of releasing ammonia into a water tank,
diffuser or to atmosphere.

Birth of the “Emergency Pressure Control System”

Conceptually, industry experts working on IIAR’s Code
Committee agreed that providing a means to relieve ammonia Interior of an emergency control box for an ammonia refrigeration system.
across zones within a system was far less objectionable than
and fully automating an additional layer of safety controls
providing a means to release ammonia from the system, and the
on refrigeration systems to reduce the risk of having an over-
point of compromise with fire officials was to eliminate “dump”
pressurized system operate emergency pressure relief valves.
valves and create an automated system to replace the manual
Key elements of an EPCS include an overpressure sensing-
“cross-over” valves in emergency control boxes. The new approach
shutoff system that is fully independent of and redundant
was dubbed an “emergency pressure control system,” or EPCS.
to other systems, such as compressor cut-out controls or
The EPCS approach ultimately established common ground
programmable logic controllers that normally manage system
between the industry and fire code officials with respect
operation. In the event of a severe overpressure condition,
to changing model codes to eliminate emergency control
where the pressure exceeds limits that should have been
boxes and the “dump” valves that they housed. This level of
intercepted by other safety controls, EPCS sensors provide
agreement was a critical element of getting codes to change,
and even industry experts who believed that emergency control a last line of defense to stop compressors before ammonia
boxes should just go away ultimately recognized that such an is released from pressure relief valves. In addition, the EPCS
includes a high-to-low cross-over valve that will immediately
outcome wasn’t plausible.
and automatically activate to begin dropping high-side
So, with the coming of the 2009 editions of the Uniform
pressure. Experimentation with the concept has shown that, left
Fire Code, Uniform Mechanical Code, International Fire
unattended, the system will eventually equalize across the valve
Code and International Mechanical Code, all references to
at a pressure marginally above the starting low-side pressure.
emergency control boxes will disappear from model codes,
Key aspects of requirements for EPCS components found in
replaced by requirements provide an EPCS. Shortly thereafter,
fire codes and the basis for these requirements are as follows:
new editions of IIAR 2 and ASHRAE 15 will drop provisions
Automatic crossover valves. Each high and intermediate
related to emergency control boxes as well, and IIAR 2 will
pressure zone in a refrigeration system will be required to have
provide comprehensive EPCS design guidance.
a single automatic valve providing a crossover connection to
Key elements of the new EPCS approach a lower pressure zone. The requirement for a single crossover
As mentioned above, an EPCS is basically a system that valve between systems was based on the traditional industry
automates the “cross-over” function previously provided by practice of providing a single manual crossover valve between
manual valves in an emergency control box. The advantages each set of zones in an emergency control box.
of an EPCS over control boxes include taking away manual
valves from possible access by untrained responders or thieves EPCS continued on page 42

Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration 11

 For South African Supermarket
By John Ackermann The three partners (Fitos Englezakis, Stavros Phieros and
Daleep Baijnath) who built the Sebokeng SuperSpar also

T
he Spar group is one of the Big Four supermarket groups own the SuperSpar in Alexandra, Johannesburg and are very
in South Africa. Spar supermarkets are franchised to aware of the high maintenance and power costs of having
the owner in one of three sizes, KwikSpar (small), Spar a supermarket with a refrigeration plant of 10–25 air cooled
Supermarket (medium) and SuperSpar (large). One of the condensing units.
newest of the more than 800 franchised stores, located in As the owner of other Spar franchises has many years
Sebokeng, the largest of the six townships in Vaal Triangle of experience with ammonia refrigeration and it was this
and located beyond Evaton on the Johannesburg/Vereeniging experience that prompted him to ask Bob Vuletic of Multistage
road, has an ammonia refrigeration system. Cooling to come up with a more environmentally friendly
The Sebokeng SuperSpar opened its doors for trading refrigeration system for the new Sebokeng SuperSpar.
in November 2007. It is the first in the Spar group to have The initial layout for Sebokeng had 27 air cooled
an ammonia refrigeration plant. Temperatures in all the chill condensing units charged with HCFC refrigerant. After careful
cabinets and vending areas are maintained by a central consideration, a new layout having a central two stage
refrigeration plant with ammonia as the primary refrigerant ammonia refrigeration plant with 3 reciprocating compressors
and a propylene glycol solution as the secondary. The entire and an ammonia/glycol plate heat exchanger was proposed
ammonia charge of 680kg is contained in the plant room and accepted. The low stage compressor operates at a suction
and 3150 litres of propylene glycol is circulated within the of –18°C and the
supermarket and working areas. As a result, any unfortunate high stage at a suction
ammonia leak will be confined to the plant room area and not of 0°C and 33°C
pose a danger to the supermarket working area or shoppers. condensing temperature.
The thermosyphon
ammonia systems cool
the propylene glycol
solution to –14°C for the
cabinets and cold room
and cools water to 6°C
for the air handling units
for the air conditioning
of trading areas.
The cooled glycol
is pumped to headers
with 18 supply take
This supermarket offers a range of pre-prepared and fresh foods. Inside the machinery room.
offs, each with a 3 way

12 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration

valve to regulate cabinet temperatures, or room temperature,
according to set levels, by mixing supply and return glycol. The
plant has a total of 36 stainless steel ball valves in the different
glycol branch supply and return lines.
The low stage compressor has a cooling capacity of
200kW and the high stage compressor a cooling capacity
of 300kW. The third compressor is piped to operate either as
the low stage or high stage compressor and the total installed
compressor’s electrical power amounts to 244kW.

Receiver on roof.

We asked Daleep why the decision was made to build

Compressor packages.
A total of 6 air cooled condensing units charged with
200kg of R404A (not part of the Multistage Cooling contract),
provides cooling for the low temperature cabinets and some
propriety upright bottle cabinets. Air cooled condensing units
were preferred for the low temperature as the relatively small
cooling load was not economically viable for an ammonia
system and would have also required a costly low temperature
solution as the secondary refrigerant.
“Our Sebokeng store has 2680m2 of trading area and
1200m2 of back up area. Although the Sebokeng store is
larger than our Alexander store, which opened in June 2007,
the power consumption is approximately 40% less. This power
saving represents a considerable reduction in our operating
costs and at the same time, we also have a refrigeration
system which is much more environmentally friendly. There is
also no threat of ammonia being phased out as it has a zero
Global Warming Potential (GWP) and zero Ozone Depleting
Potentional (ODP),” said Daleep Baijnath, Operations Director.
such a large SuperSpar in Sebokeng, which is approximately
10km from Vereeniging and 40km from Johannesburg.
He explained, “Sebokeng is a well established and
respected community of approximately 120,000 households.
Many of the properties are paid for and this impacts on
increasing the buying power of the community. With many of
the residents being of mature age, Sebokeng is relatively crime
free and this is a big plus for the area. The trading in our store
has been encouraging and we foresee opening a second
Spar in Sebokeng and adding Tops Liquor and Build It outlets
to the present store. We are expecting trade to increase when
the other tenants, eg. banks and service providers move into
the shopping mall, as we are presently the main tenant and do
not benefit much from the passing trade to other tenants in the
mall.”
Maintaining the cold chain of perishables at Sebokeng is
a priority. The temperature in the receiving bay is controlled
and product is transferred to cabinets with the least delays.
All cabinet temperatures are checked and entered in a fridge
control book on a regular basis during the trading hours of
08h00 to 20h00, 7 days a week. The opening manager
monitors the checks during the early part of the day and the
closing manager during the later part. Remedial action is taken
when any abnormal temperatures are noted.
“Power savings are now an absolute necessity because
of the pending increase in the Eskom power tariffs and to
reduce the national consumption to prevent outages. We have
invested in a large generator to cope with outages, but running
a diesel generator is very expensive and the lower power
consumption of the ammonia refrigeration plant is then of
even greater importance as we will see it directly in the diesel
consumption,” concluded Daleep.
(This article is reprinted with permission from The Cold
Link.)

Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration 13

By Andy Pearson, Star Refrigeration
A
t the annual meeting in March, the Research Committee
unanimously approved the adoption of a research
proposal submitted by the Danish Technological Institute
of Aarhus, Denmark and titled “Stress Corrosion Cracking.”
In this article for The Condenser, Andy Pearson describes the
background to the project proposal and explains why the time is
right for IIAR to take the lead in a reassessment of stress corrosion
cracking as it relates to the ammonia refrigeration industry.
In April 2005 an ammonia leak developed on a water chiller
at a dairy near Leeds, England. The plant had been supplied
by Star Refrigeration, and we were on site at the time of the
failure installing phase 2 of the chilled water project; adding
a third spray chiller to the two existing units which had been in
service for about 18 months. The leak was not a catastrophic
failure, but took the form of a short crack in the shell of the
evaporator, close to the shell-to-tubesheet weld, which led to
a leak of ammonia vapour in sufficient quantity to trigger the
machinery room ammonia alarm. Extensive analysis of samples
from the shell of the failed evaporator concluded without doubt
that this was a stress corrosion crack. This finding led to a
comprehensive re-evaluation of all that had been printed about
SCC in ammonia plants over the past 50 years and brought
us to an inescapable conclusion: most of what the ammonia
refrigeration industry thought that it knew about SCC was
contradicted by this failure.
What did we think we knew?
s 3## WAS VIRTUALLY UNKNOWN IN THE REFRIGERATION WORLD
All of the academic research into SCC in ammonia systems
has been related to the manufacture of ammonia, its
distribution or its use in agriculture. A survey of information
about SCC presented by Vern Alexander and Mike Laucks
to IIAR in Long Beach in 2001 showed that the only paper
presented in the period 1950 – 2000 which was specifically
targeted at the refrigeration market was by Dr Alan Cracknell
of ICI to the Institute of Refrigeration in London in 1983. A
report produced by D.R. Pratt on behalf of Batelle Pacific
Northwest Laboratories in 1976 was also for a closed circuit
cooling system, but this was a high temperature thermosyphon
14 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
loop for an
electricity
generation
plant, and is
not entirely
applicable
to industrial Location of stress corrosion cracking.
refrigeration
systems. In the discussion after Dr Cracknell’s paper the
audience confirmed in general that they had almost no direct
experience of SCC in refrigeration systems. The ASM Materials
Handbook published in 1986 states that “the problem of SCC
of steel in ammonia has disappeared in the United States.” In
1996 in Germany an industry report concluded that SCC was
not relevant to refrigeration systems, stating that “No evidence
was found in the literature on refrigeration technology and
additionally in further journals that major failures of ammonia
refrigeration systems were possibly connected to SCC…
therefore it can be concluded that no immediate requirement
for researching SCC exists, as faults in refrigeration systems
due to SCC have not been reported.”
s 3## ONLY AFFECTS HIGH PRESSURE RECEIVERS
Where failures were recognised as stress corrosion cracking
in refrigeration vessels they were usually in high pressure
receivers. A few cases in shell and tube condensers had also
been experienced, but the general consensus in discussion
with industry experts seemed to be that the failures only
occurred in vessels on the high pressure side of the system.
s 3## WAS CAUSED BY RESIDUAL STRESS AFTER FORMING OR WELDING
In many of the reports produced by the extensive research
into SCC failures in ammonia spheres, holding tanks and
nurse tanks, post-weld heat treatment of welded vessels
was recommended. Most industry experts seemed to have
assumed that the benefit provided by this treatment was the
reduction of stress in the vessel shell.
s 3## COULD BE PREVENTED BY REGULAR NON CONDENSIBLE GAS PURGING
The connection between oxygen and SCC seems quite
obvious, and so it was generally understood that keeping
oxygen levels low would be a good precaution. This advice
can be found in many industry standards, including IIAR Bulletin
110. However, there is no discussion in any of the literature of
 the effectiveness of non-condensible gas purgers. It is obvious seemed to be no
that they cannot eliminate oxygen entirely: if air is leaking in clear understanding
at one point and being purged at another then there will at of the way in which
least always be some oxygen in transit through the system. It is post-weld heat
highly unlikely that purgers can achieve 0.5ppm oxygen in the treatment provided a
ammonia in the system, which is the level below which SCC benefit.
will not occur. Whether they can achieve a low enough level Location of stress corrosion cracking.
to make water an effective inhibitor (less than 200ppm oxygen
Details of the incident in 2005
in the ammonia – see below) is not clear. Automatic purgers
The water chilling system is configured as three identical
work by gathering the oxygen in a small chamber and venting
chiller modules, each with an independent refrigeration system
it to atmosphere when the ammonia content is low enough so
comprising three screw compressors, an evaporative condenser
it should be obvious that the oxygen levels in the vicinity of the
and a “spray chiller.” This is a large shell and tube kettle-
purger will be very high from time to time.
type evaporator coupled with an ammonia pump. The chiller
s 3## COULD BE PREVENTED BY ADDITION OF  PPM WATER
runs with a very small refrigerant charge by recirculating the
to ammonia
ammonia through a spray nozzle system inside the chiller.
This is another of the findings from the extensive research
The main body of the chiller is 72" diameter, with the tube bundle
into spheres and holding tanks which has been transferred
contained within 36" diameter sections at each end. Each chiller unit
to the refrigeration industry without any understanding of the
provides about 300TR when cooling the dairy water to 34°F.
mechanism that delivers the benefit. It was widely reported that
The leak occurred in the 36" diameter shell not far from the
water would prevent SCC whereas in fact the research findings
tubesheet weld, slightly below the centreline of the vessel and
were that if oxygen levels are low then water has an inhibiting
it was found to be a short crack, about ¾", running along the
effect, but if the level of oxygen is greater than 200ppm then
length of the vessel from the weld metal. Samples of metal
no amount of water will prevent SCC from occurring.
were cut from the vessel and analysed by Aachen University,
s -ATERIAL YIELD STRENGTH WAS IMPORTANT
and independently by the University of Manchester Institute of
When purchasing steel for general purpose use it is important
Science and Technology. Both reports confirmed that the crack
to ensure that the metal is strong enough for the intended
was caused by Stress Corrosion, and that several more shallow
use. It is therefore common practice to specify the lowest
cracks were found in the samples tested. To cut a long story
acceptable yield strength for the steel. This figure is then used
short, once we had committed to cutting patches from the vessel
in design calculations with the certainty that the material will
to send for analysis we knew that that evaporator was scrap
not yield at stresses lower than the minimum value. If higher
and would need to be replaced. This was not easy, because
strength steel is delivered then the factor of safety in the
it was the middle of three vessels in a location from which it
design is increased. Many of the papers studied state that the
had not been expected to move: with a lot of careful planning
material specification should be for a minimum yield strength
and some additional building modifications the replacement
of 350MPa or less. In fact the purchaser of steel has very little
was completed
control over the actual yield strength of the material supplied.
as quickly as
Even when a low “minimum” is specified the material tests
possible, but
might show figures much higher than the minimum value. This
it took several
steel is still in compliance with the specification, but it would
months in total.
also comply with a much higher minimum yield strength
A further cost
requirement. No explanation could be given by industry
during this period
experts for the apparent importance of the 350MPa figure,
was incurred by
nor could they explain why SCC arose when stress values
the need to use
were significantly lower than that figure.
rental chillers for
s (EAT TREATMENT WAS HELPFUL BUT NOT ESSENTIAL
a portion of the Crack surface.
There was no uniformity of opinion on heat treatment. Some
heat load during
purchasers insisted on it, others required it of high side
the shortfall in capacity. In addition the system efficiency was
vessels, or in some cases high pressure receivers only. Most
significantly poorer during this period because to get the dairy
did not seem to have any opinion at all. There is clearly a
water to the right temperature the rental chillers worked on a
cost and time penalty for taking the vessel to a large furnace.
glycol loop with an extra heat exchanger for chilling the water
These also vary widely from place to place, and are heavily
to 34°F.
dependent on the size of vessel. As mentioned above there SCC continued on page 43

Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration 15

Department of Homeland Security Update
DHS Chemical Security Workshop
and Update
A
t the 2008 Annual Conference and Exhibition in
Colorado Springs, Amy Graydon, Chemical Sector
Brach Chief at the Department of Homeland Security
(DHS), provided an overview of the sector influencing the
regulation of ammonia refrigeration facilities. The Department
has several layers of management above the one directly
responsible for the chemical sector, including the Office of
Infrastructure Protection. This office holds the responsibility
for the security of the nation’s critical infrastructures and key
resources. Below this level is the Sector Specific Agency for
chemical facilities.
The recent promulgation of the Chemical Facility Anti-
Terrorism Standard (CFATS) brought renewed interest in
ammonia refrigeration facilities by the federal government. In
January 2008, all facilities with greater than 10,000 lbs of
ammonia on-site were required to register with DHS through
their online submission form. It is anticipated that only a few
ammonia refrigeration facilities will be required to continue
with this process, after being designated “higher risk.”
IIAR is a member of the Chemical Sector Coordinating
Council which interfaces with DHS in the development and
implementation of these new regulations. Working this closely
with DHS, IIAR is making sure that our members receive timely
updates and our portion of the industry is well represented.
The Chemical Sector Coordinating Council also includes
organizations such as the Compressed Gas Institute and
American Petroleum Institute. The Council is responsible for
identifying protection priorities, implementing the National
Infrastructure Protection Plan, prioritizing critical infrastructure
and key resource protection plans, and examining
interdependencies within other sectors. Above the Council,
DHS coordinates with other government agencies at the
federal, state and local levels.
The federal government’s vision for a secure, robust
Chemical Sector is: An economically-competitive industry that
has achieved a sustainable security posture by effectively
reducing vulnerabilities and consequence of attack to
acceptable levels using risk-based assessments, industry best
practices, risk-based protective measures, and comprehensive
information sharing between industry and government.
Among the top goals for the Chemical Sector is a risk
profile of assets that supports risk-based prioritization. This is
16 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
why the CFATS process will not designate many ammonia
refrigeration facilities as “higher risk.” Most facilities pose little
danger to the surrounding neighborhood, even under the worst-
case scenarios. In keeping with this goal, the CFATS threshold
was set to 10,000 lbs of ammonia; similar to the PSM/RMP
threshold but with a slight difference. The CFATS regulation
adds up all the ammonia which is on-site, whereas PSM/RMP
only specifies an amount that is in a particular process. For
security screening purposes, it does not matter exactly which
process your ammonia is in, only that you have that quantity
somewhere on-site where it might affect your neighbors or be
disrupted in some manner.
Another goal of the Chemical Sector is to produce a
protective program that reduces sector risks without hindering
economic viability. DHS provided a lot of guidance for free
to facilities completing the CFATS screening process, and
also provided IIAR with more information to pass along to our
members. While the information collection may have been
time-consuming for some facilities, the goal was to use as much
existing PSM/RMP data as possible to minimize the amount of
new data that needed to be collected.
Among the most important goals of the Chemical Sector
is information sharing. To this end, the Homeland Security
Information Network was developed.
For facilities that want or need to improve their site
security, the Department offers several different training
programs such as “chemical boot camps” where participants
learn ways to make their facilities more secure. Some
facilities may be interested in the seminar on vehicle borne
improvised explosive devices and how to deter these types
of attacks. There is also a web-based chemical security
awareness program for facilities with limited funds for
traveling and attending seminars. As you can see from all of
these options, DHS is committed to maintaining information
sharing and training facility operators and managers to
improve site security.
The Annual Chemical Sector Security Summit will be
held July 21-23, 2008 in Washington DC. This is a good
opportunity for ammonia refrigeration personnel to come and
meet some of the DHS people involved in the Chemical Sector
and learn about the latest updates to the CFATS process. IIAR
will be represented at the meeting.
 HSIN-CS – A Security Information
Communication Network
The Department of Homeland Security provides a web-based
portal, free of charge, to its security partners to encourage
information sharing. The Chemical Sector Coordinating Council
(SCC) has chosen to utilize the Homeland Security Information
Network -Chemical Sector (HSIN-CS) as the primary information-
sharing platform for the Chemical Sector. The portal is available
to both public and private Chemical Sector stakeholders and is a
key tool for maintaining situational awareness and sharing security
information. Access to HSIN-CS enhances the ability of users to
receive information and communicate during operationally significant
situations within and concerning the sector and/or their commercial
enterprises. The portal provides alerts and incident bulletins are
posted regularly.
Participation in HSIN-CS is open to all individuals who are
employed by companies that belong to trade associations that are How do I gain access to HSIN-CS? Interested individuals
members of the Chemical Sector Coordinating Council (SCC), and should contact Emily Miller, at Emily.Miller@associates.dhs.gov,
to staff for such associations. Access may be granted in unusual with a request for nomination that includes a name, company, and
cases where an individual is employed by a company that (i) does email address. Email addresses must match the company name.
not belong to one of these associations, but (ii) the Sector concludes Email addresses from public ISPs such as AOL, Yahoo, Earthlink,
is a part of the nation’s critical chemical infrastructure. etc. will not be accepted. Once nominated, registrants will
Members of the IIAR are invited to join the HSIN-CS network and receive an electronic link generated by HSIN to an application
gain access to valuable Chemical Sector security information. for completion.

2008 Chemical Sector Security Summit WHERE IS THE SUMMIT LOCATED?

July 21–23, 2008
The 2008 Chemical Sector Security Summit, co-sponsored
by IIAR and other members of the Chemical Sector
Coordinating Council and the Department of Homeland
Security, will offer presentations on chemical security
standards, maritime security transportation regulations, security
assessments and best practices.
IIAR member companies are invited to register for the 2008
Chemical Sector Security Summit. There is no registration fee
associated with this event. Space is limited and we expect
high interest again this year, so please register early!
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Chemical and related industry professionals involved with:
s Corporate and facility security
s Environment, Health & Safety
s Transportation and distribution of chemical products
WHY SHOULD I ATTEND?
s Better understanding of the Regulations covering High-Risk
Chemical Facilities
s Meet and interact with key Department of Homeland
Security and other relevant government agency officials
s Discuss options for meeting Risk-Based Performance
Standards from your peers and experts in the field
s Network with your industry peers on best practices
Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, 5701
Marinelli Road, Bethesda, MD 20852 | Reserve a sleeping
room and mention you are attending the 2008 Chemical
Sector Security Summit | Online: http://www.marriott.com/
hotels/travel/wasbn-bethesda-north-marriott-hotel-and-conference-
center/ | Phone: 301-822-9200 or 1-800-859-8003
HOW DO I REGISTER?
The registration form is available at www.dhs.gov. Email the
form to chemicalsummitreg@dhs.gov.
s Form requires the name of the registrant(s), organization,
job title, phone number, and email
s Due to space constraints, each organization and company
will be limited to two registrants. Please provide a list of
registrants in order of preference for entry. The first two
names listed will be given priority registration, while the
other(s) will be placed on a waiting list.
s If your participants wish to be placed on an attendee list
that will be distributed at the 2008 Summit, please indicate
your agreement to be included on the roster. The attendee
list will not include your email or phone number.
s Please note, registration is not confirmed until you receive
a response email including a confirmation number.
QUESTIONS?
Please contact Amy Graydon or Aprilgrace Aytona at
chemicalsector@hq.dhs.gov.

Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration 17

www.iiar.org is your website.

A
s a member of IIAR, the website is where you will
find many web-based member benefits. In this new
column we will take you on a tour of the re-designed
IIAR website. This month we feature the On-Line Membership
Directory.

Hjg[^c\Vi
Before we look at the Directory itself, this would be a good
time for you to make sure that your membership information is
up-to-date. To update your member information, first log in to
the website. You will need your member ID and password.
This will take you to an on-line form that will allow you to
review the contact information currently on file for you on the
website. Make any changes that need to be made on this form
and click submit. The on-line Membership Directory will be
updated after your modifications have been reviewed by an
IIAR staff member.

Click on the My IIAR button, and then click on the Member

update tab on the pull down menu.
To look up the contact information for an IIAR Member, click
on the Membership Directory button on the navigation bar on
the left side of the members home page. You will know you
are logged in by the Welcome Back message in the upper left
corner.

18 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration

 Your search results will come up in a window that looks like this.

This screen allows you to search for your fellow members by

name, location, company or member type. You can narrow Verify the name of the person you are looking for and click
the search down to a specific State in the United States or on the link. It will open up a page like the one below that
province in Canada, or by other countries around the world. contains all of the contact information for that individual.
You can sort through a complete list of member companies, or
narrow the search based on a specific member category like
contractor, end user or manufacturer. In this example, we are
searching all companies and all membership categories based
on the member’s last name.

The On-line membership directory is available exclusively to

IIAR members. It contains the most up-to-date information, and is
significantly more current than the old printed directory replaced
by this site several years ago. New members are added monthly,
and you can update your own information at any time.

Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration 19

A
workshop presented at the
2007 IIAR Conference
and Trade Show in
Nashville, Tennessee described
Relief
Valve
relief valve testing methods
and how IIAR is advancing
this issue in the industry. A
spreadsheet was presented
that IIAR members can utilize
when testing their relief
valves. IIAR members are
encouraged to review
Testing
the spreadsheet (see
figure below) and submit
By Jack Piho,
comments on its content.
Piho Engineering
The goal of the program is to
develop a consistent test method
for the industrial refrigeration industry, so
that data may be compared between different types of service, Pressure relief devices are commonly one of two types:
temperature loads, frequency of use, type of equipment it rupture discs or spring loaded valves. Rupture discs are
protects, and other environmental factors. The debate has membranes which burst at a set pressure and cannot reseal.
raged over whether tested valves should be placed back Once ruptured, these membranes must be replaced. The spring
in service after testing. Many different factors can affect the loaded valve opens to relieve pressure when a set pressure
life and operation of your relief valves, too many to list here. is exceeded; when the pressure falls the valve closes again
Major effects can be seen if the valves are sprayed during (but should thereafter every six months be checked for leakage
wash-down, if moisture seeps in from the outdoors, or if the as resealing may not be complete). In some relief valves, the
valves sustain mechanical damage. spring loaded pressure element is a replaceable cartridge form.
The IIAR Research Committee Chaired by Bruce Nelson was Pressure relief devices shall be visually inspected every six
charged with re-examining the relief valve testing issue after months for corrosion or accumulation of scale and for leaks.
the 2006 IIAR Annual Meeting. The committee’s scope was Vent lines shall be inspected to ensure that they are clear,
to review the wording in Bulletin 110 Start-up, Inspection and that they discharge to a safe place and are protected against
Maintenance of Ammonia Mechanical Refrigeration Systems, ingress of moisture, which could freeze.
Section 6.6.3 and to consider revising the 5 year replacement At least every five years pressure relief valves (or cartridges)
policy. shall be removed and replaced with new or with overhauled
and recalibrated valves (or cartridges).
OSHA Citations
Relief valves that have discharged in service due to temporary
The provision stating that relief valves shall be replaced
excessive overpressure should be replaced at the first opportunity
every five years in the absence of a “component reliability
even though they may be, temporarily, maintaining a pressure
program” or manufacturers’ recommendations to the contrary
tight seal. Valves may be returned to the manufacturer for
has resulted in OSHA citations issued to IIAR members alleging
reconditioning and re·setting service if available.
violations of the mechanical integrity provisions of the Process
All replacement pressure relief devices shall be correctly
Safety Management standard, 29 C.F.R. § 1910.119. In
selected in accordance with ANSI llAR 21992 (see 7.1) and
addition, IIAR members have had a difficult time proving to
ANSVASHRAE 15-1992 (see 7.2).
OSHA that they have an adequate component reliability
The IIAR Board of Directors approved a revision to Bulletin 110,
program because verification of “relief valve functionality” does
Section 6.6.3 on November 2, 2001, which stated in part:
not typically include pressure testing or disassembly of valves.
When a component reliability program is in place to verify
In other words, when an IIAR member is performing their yearly
relief valve functionality and longevity by history, testing,
MI, how can they determine that the relief valve is OK and
disassembly and inspection, and periodic statistical review of
does not need to be tested or replaced until its 5 year interval?
these activities, relief valves may be replaced at any interval
First: Some History of Bulletin 110 Section 6.6.3.
justified by the findings of such a program. In the absence
The original wording from 1993 of Section 6.6.3 reads in part:
of such a program, each relief valve shall be replaced at the

20 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration

frequency recommended by the relief valve manufacturer. In 3) The manufacturer’s recommendations on replacement
the absence of both a component reliability program and frequency of pressure relief devices shall be followed.
manufacturers’ recommendations, relief valves shall be replaced Exception: Relief devices discharging into another part of
every five years if not indicated earlier at annual inspection. the closed-loop refrigeration system are not subject to the relief
The IIAR Board of Directors approved another revision to valve replacement practices. All replacement pressure-relief
Bulletin 110 Section 6.6.3 on May 24, 2007. This is the devices shall be correctly selected in accordance with current
current version of the Bulletin, including the modification, which editions of ANSI/IIAR 2 and ANSI/ASHRAE 15.
states in part:
ASME National Board Part RB -In-service
Pressure-relief devices are generally one of two types:
Inspection of Pressure-Retaining Items
rupture discs or spring-loaded valves. Rupture discs are
The Bulletin 110 Section 6.6.3 is based in part on ASME
membranes that open at a set pressure and cannot reseal.
National Board Part RB -In-service Inspection of Pressure-
Once ruptured, these devices must be replaced. Spring-loaded
Retaining Items Section RB-8410 Recommended Inspection
relief valves open to relieve pressure when a set pressure is
and Test Frequencies. Section RB-8410 States in part:
exceeded. After opening, these valves are designed to re-seat
Frequency of test and inspection of pressure relief devices
when pressure in the protected component drops below the
for pressure vessel and piping service is greatly dependent
valve’s closing pressure. If a spring-loaded relief valve opens,
on the nature of the contents and operation of the system
the valve shall be replaced or recertified in a safe and timely
and only general recommendations can be given. Inspection
manner. If re-seating is not complete, the valve shall be taken
frequency should be based on previous inspection history.
out of service immediately.
If valves are found to be defective or damaged by system
Relief valve vent lines shall be visually inspected annually
contents during inspection, intervals should be shortened until
to ensure that the vent line piping is intact and that vent outlets
acceptable inspection results are obtained. Where test records
terminated to atmosphere are unobstructed and piped to
and I or inspection history are not available, the following
prevent foreign matter from entering the vent line piping. If
inspection and test frequencies are suggested: Pressure Relief
equipped, drip pockets shall be checked for water accumulation.
Valves in Combination with Rupture Disks (5 Years), Propane,
Pressure relief devices shall be replaced or recertified in
Refrigerant, (5 Years).
accordance with one of these three options:
Typically IIAR Members do not disassemble, inspect, and
1) Every five (5) years from the date of installation. IIAR
recertify their ASME relief devices after 5 years. They will
originally recommended (in 1978) that pressure relief valves
simply replace the valves because it is more cost effective.
be replaced every five years from the date of installation.
This recommendation represents good engineering practice Relief Valve Task Force Update
considering the design and performance of pressure relief The task force reviewed the history of relief valve testing and
devices; or replacement history and discovered that the 5 year inspection
2) An alternative to the prescriptive replacement interval, i.e., five
years, can be developed based on documented in-service Relief Valve Testing continued on page 33
relief valve
life for
specific
applications
using
industry
accepted
good
practices of
relief valve
evaluation;
or

Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration 21

2008 AMMONIA REFRIGERATION CON

22 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration

NFERENCE & EXHIBITION COLORADO SPRINGS, CO

Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration 23

IIAR Members
Zhao, Shriver — IIAR
Members of the Year
IIAR recognized two industry leaders
as Members of the Year at the 2008
IIAR Ammonia Refrigeration Conference
& Exhibition in Colorado Springs. Zhao
Lianjie and Bob Shriver were honored
for outstanding contributions to the
ammonia refrigeration industry through
extraordinary service to IIAR during the Bob Shriver
course of the past year.
“These two men have been
enthusiastic and active contributors to
the success and growth of IIAR,” said
2007-08 Chair Jeff Welch.
Zhao Lianjie was recognized for the
key role he has played in the rapidly
developing relationship between
IIAR and the Chinese Association of
Refrigeration (CAR).
Zhao Lianjie
“Lianjie has been IIAR’s ambassador
on the ground in China, organizing meetings, coordinating
special seminars and successfully promoting the adoption of
IIAR’s standards by the CAR,” Welch added.
Bob Shriver was recognized for his work as Chair of the
IIAR Standards Review Committee (SRC).
“Bob holds one of the most important positions in IIAR,” said
Welch. “As a technical organization, IIAR relies heavily on the
work done by the SRC. As Chairman, he has lead a significant
re-write of IIAR 2 which we expect to publish later this year. At
the same time, he has lead the committee in the development of a
suite of standards that will soon be released for public review.”
“Unfortunately, Bob Shriver was unable to attend the
conference in Colorado Springs. We wish him well and look
forward to seeing him next year in Dallas,” said Welch.
Nambudiripad Named
IIAR Honorary Life Member
Honorary Life
membership in IIAR was
extended to Godan
Nambudiripad at the 2008
IIAR Ammonia Refrigeration
Conference & Exhibition
held in Colorado Springs
at the Broadmoor Hotel.
24 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
“Honorary Life Membership in IIAR is an award extended to
individuals whose services to the organization extend well beyond
the traditional terms of office and who contributions exceed well
beyond those expected of the most dedicated members,” said
2007-08 IIAR Chairman Jeff Welch (right). “These awards are
not made every year, but today I am very pleased to present
honorary life membership to an individual who has made
immeasurable contributions to the ammonia refrigeration industry.”
Nambudiripad, a long time member of the IIAR Safety Committee,
has been a tireless worker. He has authored several technical
papers and championed IIAR, promoting membership in the
organization both inside and outside the company he worked for.
Nambudiripad, who recently retired from his position with
General Mills, also played a key roll in the organization of
the first End User corporate engineering meeting ever held in
conjunction with an annual IIAR meeting.
Blasquez Elected
to IIAR EXCOM
Adolfo Blasquez, President of A.
Blasquez E. Refrigeracion Industrial
has been elected to the IIAR Executive
Committee. The election was held
during the 2008 IIAR Ammonia
Refrigeration Conference & Exhibition
in Colorado Springs.
Blasquez joins the Executive Committee as Treasurer of IIAR.
The Executive Committee also includes Chairman Brian Marriott,
Frick/JCI; Chair-elect Don Stroud, Kraft Foods Global; Vice-
chair Peter Jordan, Senior Principal Engineer for MBD Risk
Management; and Immediate Past-chair Jeff Welch, Freeze-Pro.
Blasquez has been a member of IIAR for 28 years. He
obtained the title of professional engineer (P.E.) in Mexico in
1977 when he graduated from the Ibero-American University.
He has served for three years on the IIAR Board of Directors
and has been working since 2005 on the strategic plan
objective to increase awareness of IIAR in Mexico and
promote the benefits of implementing programs such as the
ARM (Ammonia Refrigeration Management) program. He has
also promoted IIAR standards and guidelines for the ammonia
refrigeration industry in Mexico. Blasquez has also worked on
several IIAR task forces and Committees.
Dennis Halsey, Nick Kawamura, Joe Paul, Kem Russell,
Mark Stencel, Doug Sweet, and Gary Webster were elected
to serve on the IIAR Board of Directors. Jim Marrella was
elected to his second term on the Board.
2008-09 IIAR Board of Directors
Seated: Peter Jordan, Vice-Chair;
Don Stroud, Chair-Elect; Brian
Marriott, Chairman; Adolfo
Blasquez, Treasurer; Jeff Welch,
Immediate Past Chair.
Second row: Bob Port, Joe
Mandato, Rudy Nechay, Mark
Stencel, Doug Sweet, Nick
Kawamura, Gary Webster,
Bruce Badger
Back Row: Joe Paul, Dennis
Halsey, Jim Wright, Jim Marrella,
Tim Facius, Marcos Braz, Larry
Gilliland, Chuck Taylor, Kem
Russell, Bob Czarnecki, Ron
Miller, John Collins, Paul Bishop,
Bruce Nelson, John Ansbro
(Absent: Bob Shriver)

Anderson Recognized for Tenure at IIAR Helm

M. Kent Anderson was recognized during the annual Anderson also played a key role in IIAR regulatory affairs
Business Meeting at the 2008 IIAR Ammonia Refrigeration activities. For the past two years, Anderson represented IIAR
Conference & Exhibition for his service to the International on the Chemical Sector Advisory Council which serves as the
Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration. Anderson sounding board for the Department of
was recognized with a plaque and posed for Homeland Security in the development
a photo with the the Past Chairs of IIAR and of the new chemical facility anti-terrorism
Honorary Life Members of IIAR. Anderson security (CFATS) regulation.
announced his retirement in December 2007 Kent Anderson accepts a plaque to
and currently holds the position of President commemorate his service to IIAR from Bruce
Badger, Anderson’s successor as President.
Emeritus with IIAR. Anderson was also
honored with a video tribute that recognized
his contributions to IIAR.
During Anderson’s tenure, first as Executive
Director and later as President, IIAR membership grew nearly
five fold. Membership benefits have expanded to include the
largest on-line technical resource library, publication of the
Piping Handbook and the Ammonia Data Book. IIAR also
developed a training library of 12 DVDs, of which almost
half of them are also available in Spanish, the Process Safety
Pictured Left to Right – Seated: Will Stoecker, Jeff Welch, Morris Eisert, Bill Bowles,
Management and Risk Management Program, and the training Kent Anderson, Hank Bonar, Chuck Toogood, Anders Lindborg, Don Ballou.
guideline. Standing: Don Siller, David Grong, Larry Basel

Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration 25

26 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
beyond
Energy Efficiency
PART 2 speech, “sustainability is not
only the right thing to do...
By Bruce Badger, IIAR President it is also good business...it
contributes to an improved

I
n the last issue of the Condenser, we bottom line.”
reported how consumers are increasingly At IIAR headquarters,
demanding products that are our publications and
manufactured, designed and mailings are printed by a
distributed in a sustainable local company, HBP Inc.
manner. In this issue, we address This company is yet another
how the sustainability marketing example of how you can bring
scheme can benefit your sustainable options to your customers,
business, whether you are a while still increasing your bottom line. HBP
refrigeration design engineer, is a member of the Rainforest Alliance and
contractor, end user, operator the Forest Stewardship Council. These
or manager. organizations work together with suppliers
As the concept of and customers to generate environmentally-friendly
sustainability becomes more popular and more printing options. This issue of the Condenser is printed on
widely-recognized, more high profile examples exist in paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, making you
the marketplace. At the 2008 IIAR Ammonia Refrigeration a part of the sustainability trail already. By doing our part at
Conference and Exhibition in Colorado Springs, the keynote IIAR, we are hoping to facilitate improvements in our members’
speaker, Steve Yucknut, VP of Sustainability for Kraft Foods, businesses.
provided some examples of this concept already being For example, this issue of The Condenser uses 1525 lbs of
implemented in the consumer marketplace. His examples paper which has a postconsumer recycled percentage of 25%.
included concentrated laundry detergent, reduced plastic By selecting the paper it is printed on, IIAR preserves 2.69
beverage containers, and trees for the future, saves 1,143 gallons of wastewater flow,
high efficiency light bulbs. conserves 1,905,488 BTUs energy, eliminates 126 pounds
These products have of solid waste that would have otherwise been deposited in a
found marketing success landfill, and prevents the release of 249 lbs
based on a sustainability net of greenhouse gases.
message and The Mechanical Contractors Association of America has
environmentally-friendly also started a website www.greencontractors.us that gives
designs. This model can real options to building contractors for how they can make
be applied to marketing their buildings more green. The US EPA has started a program
ammonia refrigeration called GreenChill in which they are helping supermarkets
as the sustainable option reduce their impact on global warming. Several IIAR members
for your facilities which are founding partners of the GreenChill project. These
also enhances your programs along with Energy Star Partners are great ways to
product’s position in the market the sustainability side of your business.
Steve Yucknut, consumer market. As
VP of Sustainability for Kraft Foods Yucknut mentioned in his Sustainability continued on page 41

Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration 27

 2009 IIAR Industrial Refrigeration
Conference & Exhibition

March 22–25, 2009 E Hyatt Regency Dallas E Dallas, Texas

www. iiar. org

28 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
2008 IIAR
Conference & Exhibition
Rated Big Success

B
y all standards, the 2008 IIAR Conference &
Exhibition was a tremendous success. Attendance
was up over previous years and the attendees gave
the annual meeting very high marks.
As a non-tradeshow, attendance at the annual event
in Colorado Springs was up almost ten percent over the
conference in Reno. Total attendance topped 1,030, which
represents about a minimum of an 8% increase in attendance
over each of the past five non-tradeshow events.
“We are very pleased with the success of the conference,”
said Conference Chair Don Stroud. “And it appears that
attendees feel the same way. According to the post-conference
survey, almost everyone who responded to the survey gave the
conference a rating from good to excellent.”
A total of 172 conference goers responded to the on-line
email survey, a response level of 17%. More than 90% of the
people who responded to the survey gave high marks to the
workshops, technical papers, technomercials, exhibit hall, and
Plenary Speaker Steve Yucknut of Kraft Foods.
Of the 66 respondents who identified themselves as exhibitors,
97% rated the conference as good or better, 42% rated the
conference as very good and 30% gave it an excellent rating.
Each year, IIAR conducts a post conference survey to
assist with planning future meetings. The decision to move
the Conference Banquet to Monday night and the Exhibitor’s
Reception to Tuesday evening was based on previous surveys.
The change was well received by this year’s attendees: 90%
of those responding approved of the change to the Banquet
schedule and 94% approved of the Tuesday Night Reception
schedule. In both cases, more than 60% of attendees rated the
change as very good or excellent.
“The survey identified some areas that we do need to
focus on for next year,” said 2009 Conference Chair Peter
Jordan. “While most attendees like the change in the banquet
schedule, there was some concern about the banquet format.
We will take that into consideration when we plan next
year’s event.”
“The survey also identified significant support for changes
to the exhibit hall in Dallas. Almost half of the people who
responded to the survey said they wanted larger exhibits in
Dallas. The support was pretty even across the board from end
users, contractors, engineers, consultants, and manufacturers.
“We don’t plan for a complete tradeshow next year, but we
do plan to look at our rules to allow larger booths and larger
exhibits for those companies that want to participate to that
extent. We’ll review our ideas with members of the exhibitor
advisory committee and announce any changes in the coming
weeks. We are also considering a plan to add more exhibit
hall hours without conflicting with the technical program,”
Jordan concluded.
The 2009 IIAR Industrial Refrigeration Conference &
Exhibition will take place in Dallas on March 22-25, 2009 at
the Hyatt Regency Dallas.

CALL FOR PAPERS

IIAR 2009 Industrial Refrigeration Conference & Exhibition 2009 IIA
R Industri
al
Conferen Refrigeration
ce & Ex
hibition

March 22–25, 2009 | Dallas, Texas

You are invited to share your unique insight and perspective on a topic of interest
to the industrial refrigeration industry. Abstracts are being sought for papers
March

defining ideas and techniques that have successfully been used to advance the
22–25, 200
9 E Hya
tt Regenc
y Dallas
E Dallas
, Texas

state of the art in refrigeration design, installation, operation and maintenance. w w w.

i i a r. o
rg
Submit your abstract online at www.iiar.org
The primary author of each accepted paper receives a “complimentary” conference registration. The two highest rated presentations receive the
Andy Ammonia Award and the primary author receives a complimentary registration for the following year. IIAR also requests proposals for technical
papers to be presented in Spanish. You may also fax your proposal to 703-312-0065. For additional information, visit www.iiar.org.

Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration 29

Wiencke Wins Andy Ammonia Award

E
T K
he Andy Ammonia
Award, created to
recognize excellence WIE N
in the IIAR annual meeting
program, was presented to
Bent Wiencke, Corporate
Engineer for Nestlé USA, Inc. and
Nestlé Canada, at the 2008 IIAR
Ammonia Refrigeration Conference
& Exhibition. His presentation of a
Technical Paper, A Case Study of
Pipework Fracture due to Hydraulic
Shock in an Ammonia System, received the highest score
on the evaluations forms submitted by those who attended
the sessions.
“By all standards, this year’s Andy Ammonia Award Bent Wiencke, Corporate Engineer for Nestlé USA, Inc. and Nestlé Canada
accepts Andy Ammonia Award from 2008 Conference Chair Don Stroud of
winner stands head and shoulders above all of the other Kraft Foods.
presentations,” said Conference Program Chair Don Stroud.
“The evaluation form comments included words like insightful, “Bent’s presentation received an almost perfect score from
courageous, and eye-opening.” attendees. Some even attempted to give the presentation a
The paper was presented twice during the conference. The six on a scale of 1–5. In our memory, that hasn’t happened
combined total attendance at both sessions was almost 400, since the initial Andy Ammonia Award was presented to Milt
which is about 40% of the total conference attendance. garland in 1996,” Stroud added.

2008 Technical Paper Abstracts

T
hese papers will be available to IIAR members in the
eLibrary on Sept 1, 2008. The eLibrary is an on-line
resource at www.iiar.org that contains more than 400
technical documents that is available exclusively to IIAR
Members.
Tech Paper #1
Computer Modeling of Central Ammonia Systems vs. The
Economics of Impact-Tested Pipe and Fittings
Phil Golden and Reid McNally Jr.
This paper documents the requirements of the 2006 ASME
B31.5 Code for Pressure Piping, “Refrigeration Piping and
Heat Transfer Components,” related to piping and fittings. The
selection by the owner of: 1.) the currently followed industry
practices, or 2.) the alternative design guidelines set forth in
the ASME B31.5 piping code, will have a financial impact
on the cost of each project. In this paper we examine these
alternatives, review impact testing implications, examine
several money saving concepts that can be implemented in
the design and construction of refrigeration piping systems
and, finally, review the procedures required to comply with the
B31.5 piping code requirements.
Tech Paper #2
Energy Efficiency and Enhanced Performance by Applying
Variable Speed Drives to Rotary Screw Compressors
John Cosner
This paper covers the application of variable speed
drives to rotary screw compressors from two directions: 1)
energy savings through better part load efficiency and 2) the
enhanced performance provided by a variable speed drive in
regard to rapid and precise capacity control.

30 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration

Tech Paper #3
Ammonia as the Sustainable Refrigerant: A Comparison of
Central Ammonia and Packaged Halocarbon Systems
Jamie Horton and Alex Gooseff
When contemplating the question “Should our facility
utilize an ammonia or halocarbon refrigeration system?” an
owner should perform a detailed financial analysis of the
two systems. The first cost difference of the two systems may
be easily returned via the savings in operating costs and the
long term benefits can be significant. For the example Case
Study, the original investment of $208,000 for an ammonia
system resulted in a simple pay-back of about 1.7 years
and a total savings of about $4.9 million over 20 years. In
general the following rules of thumb apply for a distribution
facility application: Less than 50,000 sq. ft. refrigerated
space, halocarbon split circuit systems are normally accepted.
A 50,000 to 200,000 sq. ft. refrigerated space, both
halocarbon split circuit systems and central ammonia systems
are common. Over 200,000 sq. ft. refrigerated space, central
ammonia refrigeration systems are most common.
3PECIAL .OTE 4HIS PAPER IS AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON THE ))!2
WEBSITE IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE PROMOTION OF AMMONIA TO YOUR CUSTOMERS
Tech Paper #4
Saving Energy Using Variable Frequency Drives Applied to
Screw Compressors and Reciprocating Compressors
Gary Schrift and Greg Klidonas
With energy prices on the rise, more emphasis is being placed
on improving the operating efficiency of industrial refrigerating
systems with a focus on the largest energy users, the compressors.
As a result, the use of variable speed drives to control the
capacity of screw compressors is becoming more popular.
However, the use of a speed controlled screw may not be the
best solution as the potential efficiency gains are influenced by
many external factors. This paper will analyze and compare
those factors and their impact on energy saving practices being
recommended and applied to today’s compressor installations.
Tech Paper #5
Air Cooled Ammonia Condensers as an Alternative to
Evaporative Condensers
Heinz Jackmann and Ian Runsey
This paper provides an overview of the regions in which
ammonia refrigerating plants utilizing air-cooled condensers
are a possible alternative to evaporative condensers, based
on today’s technology. Different types of ammonia condensers
can offer advantages in ambient temperature limits for
ammonia refrigerating plants with air-cooled condensers
depending on the compressor type, application and region.
A comparison of energy and water consumption as well as
investment and operating costs in different regions is explored.
Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
Tech Paper #6 ANDY
A Case Study of Pipework Fracture AMMO
due to Hydraulic Shock in an Award NIA
Winner
Ammonia System
Bent Wiencke
In June 2007 a deflagration occurred at a frozen food
factory. The incident investigation identified a ruptured coil
located in a spiral freezer as the source of the ammonia leak.
Within a 20 minute time frame, the ammonia concentration
in the room surrounding the freezer enclosure increased to a
flammable level and subsequently a deflagration occurred.
The arcing found in a wire inside a drinking fountain was
the likely ignition source. This freezer design, including the
control valve group and liquid transfer vessel, is very typical
for the refrigeration industry. The freezer and its associated
refrigeration infrastructure were in operation for more than 10
years and underwent 3 Process Hazard Analyses. The incident
investigation concluded that a hydraulic shock caused by a
vapor propelled liquid slug generated enough of a transient
pressure spike to cause coil rupture. A detailed analysis of
the control valve group and liquid transfer vessel design and
system dynamics, in conjunction with a metallurgic fracture
analysis, was used to develop a mathematical model to
describe and reconstruct the mechanism of this incident. The
results are quite startling and support the fact that a seemingly
insignificant system upset has the potential of leading to
a catastrophic event. The incident investigation identified
additional safeguards that could have prevented this incident.
Tech Paper #7
Estimating Refrigerant Release Quantities
Todd Jekel PhD, P.E. and Doug Reindl PhD, P.E.
End users are continuing to make strides toward increasing
refrigeration system safety. Programs such as OSHA’s
Process Safety Management (PSM) standard and EPA’s Risk
Management Program (RMP) have provided a framework for
end users to drive continuous improvement in plant refrigeration
system safety. Nevertheless, incidents and accidents involving
the unintended and uncontrolled loss of refrigerant from
pressure-containing parts of a system can and do occur. In this
paper, we review techniques suitable for use in estimating the
quantity of refrigerant lost as a result of a leak. First principles
models are presented for vapor-only, liquid-only, and flashing
liquid leak scenarios. Qualitative indications as to what
constitutes a reportable quantity of ammonia lost during an
incident are also provided. The paper concludes by providing
a number of examples of leak quantity estimates for various
leak scenarios.
Technical Papers continued on page 32
31
Technical Papers continued from page 31
Tech Paper #8
Design Considerations for an NH3 System utilizing CO2
Brine in Tokyo, Japan
Kelly Sasaki, Kuniaki Kawamura, et al.
Ammonia is one of the oldest refrigerants in industrial
use today. It is a natural refrigerant with excellent thermal
properties. However, most ammonia refrigeration systems in
Japan are of the indirect type using secondary refrigerants
such as propylene glycol or water. Most of the conventional
secondary refrigerants have poor heat transfer characteristics
and high pressure losses at low temperatures thus offering
low system coefficients of performance (COPs). Carbon
dioxide is being promoted as a secondary refrigerant because
carbon dioxide is a natural refrigerant (ODP=0, GWP=1),
non toxic, non-flammable and has good transport properties
which results in low pressure losses in the pipes. The COP of
the system, therefore, can be improved. This paper reports
on development and application of a 2000kW ammonia
refrigeration system with carbon dioxide as the secondary
refrigerant which operates at three different temperatures.
Trabajo técnico #1
Integridad mecánica para recipientes de presión y tuberías
para sistemas de refrigeración con amoníaco
Ronald Cole and Godan Nambudiripad
Presentado por Manuel Alarcón Lopez
Integridad mecánica es un asunto que no se entiende
universalmente dentro de la industria de refrigeración con
amoníaco. La guía disponible actualmente para nuestra industria
sobre este asunto parece ser basado en la experiencia de la
industria química y petroquímica. Hay poca duda que nuestra
industria puede mejorar en esta situación, especialmente para
tuberías y recipientes. El trabajo incluye un caso de estudio
en el cual los autores abordaron todos los asuntos prácticos
relacionados con crear y desarrollar un programa de integridad
mecánica para instalaciones desde el comienzo hasta el final.
Entonces los autores revisan el método desarrollado utilizando un
acercamiento racional, y reparten partes significantes del mismo.
El trabajo muestra un programa rentable de integridad mecánica
diseñado específicamente para sistemas de refrigeración con
amoníaco, concentrando en áreas críticas y de alto riesgo.
Trabajo técnico #2
Tipos de deshielo para sistemas con dióxido de carbono
Andy Pearson, C.Eng., Ph.D.
Presentado por Juan Manuel Quintanar Quintanar
Para muchos sistemas de refrigeración no se requiere
un sistema de deshielo. Sin embargo, para sistemas con
refrigerante evaporando por de bajo de 0ºC (32ºF) donde el
evaporador está enfriando aire, un sistema de deshielo eficaz
32 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
y eficiente es una parte esencial del sistema. Algunos tipos de
congeladores también requieren un ciclo de deshielo para sacar
el producto al final del proceso de congelación. Este trabajo
describe sistemas refrigeración con dióxido de carbono donde
algunos métodos tradicionales de deshielo no pueden ser
usados. El empleo de una variedad de técnicas alternativas es
posible, cada una con ventajas y desventajas. La experiencia
práctica con algunos métodos de deshielo menos comunes es
descrita en este trabajo y se proveen consejos de diseño.
Trabajo técnico #3
Procedimientos de operación y entrenamiento
Lawrence F. “Tex” Hildebrand, Vern M. Sanderson
and Michael D. Axthelm, Presentado por Oscar Gomez
Mantener un buen equilibrio entre sencillez y meticulosidad
en descripciones de procedimientos de operación normales
(PONs) y también en entrenamiento de operadores puede ser
muy difícil. A veces, los PONs pueden terminar tan sencillos
que son peligrosos para un operador sin experiencia, o
alternativamente, tan minuciosos que no son prácticos para
usar. Este trabajo explica el desarrollo y la aplicación práctica
de PONs y los programas de entrenamiento para operadores.
Este trabajo utiliza un enfoque novedoso, en el cual, los
procedimientos de operación son tratados desde cuatro puntos
de vista: un consultor, un contratista, un usuario final, y un
auditor regulador. El trabajo revisa técnicas para reducir costos,
aumentar la seguridad, racionalizar operaciones, y ayudar
a mejorar la retención de operadores. Este trabajo también
sugiere lo que debe ser el contenido de los PONs, incluyendo
recomendaciones sobre niveles de precisión operacional,
que debe ser incluido, y lo que no debe ser incluido. La
discusión de PONs es seguida por una discusión de tópicos de
entrenamiento. Finalmente, el trabajo provee recomendaciones
prácticas sobre como, cuando, donde, quien, y cuanto entrenar
que los asistentes pueden implementar inmediatamente.
Trabajo técnico #4
Corrosión de equipo y tuberías bajo el aislamiento
Patrick J. Dunn and Richard Norsworthy
Presentado por Victor de la Fuente Salazar
Este trabajo trata de los principios básicos de corrosión
y métodos para moderar la corrosión. La corrosión bajo el
aislamiento es un problema grave, ya sea que la tubería u
otra estructura esté enterrada o en el exterior. Tres de los
cuatro elementos para que ocurra la corrosión están presentes
en cada metal. El cuarto elemento es un electrolito, que está
presente en aislamiento térmico húmedo. La utilización de
barreras de vapor, revestimientos y materiales aislantes de
buena calidad, técnicas de instalación, y mantenimiento
adecuados contribuyen al control de los problemas de
corrosión en las tuberías.
Trabajo técnico #5
Ahorro de energía utilizando impulsores de frecuencia
variables aplicados a compresores de tornillo y
compresores de pistón
Gary Schrift and Greg Klidonas
Presentado por Mauricio Quiroga
Con el incremento de los precios de la energía, más
énfasis se pone a mejorar la eficiencia operativa de un
sistema de refrigeración enfocándose en los usuarios
más grandes de energía en un sistema: los compresores.
Code Update continued from page 7
from machinery room ventilation was the source of off-site
consequences. Since treatment of ventilation systems is
very uncommon, even in newer facilities, it is unlikely that
any facilities reflected in this favorable incident history had
ventilation exhaust treatment systems.
Also, it is noteworthy that the simple way of avoiding the
requirement to provide machinery room exhaust treatment is to
place refrigeration machinery outside of the building, where
no such requirement applies. It simply makes no sense for the
code to penalize the safer condition of putting machinery in an
enclosed space by requiring treatment of room exhaust when an
outdoor installation is at greater risk of a release to atmosphere.
And finally, it’s is important to point out that scrubbing
ammonia to 150 parts-per-million won’t eliminate the
unpleasant odor that may result in an excessive emergency
response. The old concept of “if is smells bad, it must be
dangerous” still prevails today in the minds of many.
Relief Valve Testing continued from page 21
and replacement wording predates IIAR. We were unable
to determine a scientific basis of how the 5 year interval
was established. Further discussions with the National Board
resulted in the agreement that if IIAR can establish test criteria
and a suitable sample population, we can petition ASME for
revision of the National Board RB.
Several IIAR members have instituted testing programs to
comply with OSHA. The purpose of the IIAR task force is to
make these test programs uniform and adhere to established
test criteria. This will also allow IIAR to develop a scientific
basis for the interval between replacement/recertification.
The task force determined that the best approach is to
establish a common test procedure based on ASME Performance
Test Code PTC-25 Pressure Relief Devices. This uses the same test
procedure used by relief valve manufacturers, but only addresses
the opening or pop pressure as compared to the actual valve
setting. No flow data is required. In addition, IIAR needs to
know where a valve was used, years in service, condition and
manufacturing date (see figure).
Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
Consecuentemente, el uso de la velocidad variable para
controlar la capacidad de los compresores de tornillo está
llegando a ser más popular. Sin embargo, el uso de un
compresor de tornillo controlado por velocidad puede no
ser la mejor solución puesto que las mejoras potenciales de
eficiencia son influenciadas por muchos factores externos.
Este trabajo analizará y comparará esos factores y su
impacto en las prácticas de ahorros de energía que son
recomendadas y aplicadas a las instalaciones de
compresores actualmente.
The Fix
Having concluded that treatment of machine room
ventilation constitutes an excessive requirement for model
codes given the lack of substantiation for such a regulation,
IIAR proposed to the IFC, UFC and UMC to delete this
requirement for ammonia systems, beginning with the 2009
editions of these codes. I am pleased to report that code
development committees for overseeing all of these documents
have approved these proposals, and these actions should
soon be finalized, subject to ratification by the respective
memberships of the International Code Council, the National
Fire Protection Association and the International Association of
Plumbing and Mechanical Officials later this year.
IIAR recognizes that some owners and/or designers may
still choose to install ventilation treatment systems on a case-
by-case basis, and such voluntary decisions will remain
permissible regardless of whether ventilation treatment systems
are mandated by code.
The IIAR Research Committee is developing a document
to guide end users on how to test relief valves. Proper testing
ensures that the results can be compared fairly. Once this testing
method is complete, it will be circulated to IIAR members and
some consistent data can begin to be collected. As detailed in
the figure, three tests are conducted on each valve and the relief
pressure (when the valve begins to function) is recorded. The
condition of the valve, including the presence of stress cracks
is also noted. Recording the vessel type, ambient temperature,
and discharge location provides insight into why the valve
operates the way it does. A very corrosive environment or
outdoor discharge can explain why a valve may fail.
The data will be kept confidential and manufacturer’s names
and model numbers will not be distributed to members. Data
on relief functionality will be presented to the members. With
this data we can propose revisions to Bulletin 110, ASME
National Board Inspection Requirements, and have supporting
data for regulators on when relief valves need to be inspected,
recertified or replaced.
33
AMMONIA
SAFETY DAY
(The One Plan — Coordinating
Emergency Events Effectively)
By Gary Smith, ASTI President
T
he first Ammonia Safety Day organized by the Ammonia
Safety & Training Institute (ASTI) occurred 20 years ago.
Approximately 150 people showed up to learn about
the safety and emergency response concerns associated with
ammonia. ASTI — headquartered in Watsonville, California
— collaborated with the Montery Bay Chapter of the
Refrigerating Engineers and Technicians Association (RETA) to
host the first Safety Day at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.
This year, approximately 600 emergency response personnel,
refrigeration operators and technicians, and regulators will
come from areas within a day’s drive, from Sacramento
to Bakersfield to attend the event in Salinas which is now
organized by the Salinas Valley Safety Day Committee.
The Ammonia Safety Day sessions advocate release
prevention as the first line of defense. In the event of a release,
the next priority is to act quickly and effectively to control the
release and prevent it from getting out of hand. And always be
certain to wear the appropriate level of PPE when performing
service, maintenance, a leak investigation, and a response to
emergency events. The sessions also focus on the One Plan,
which coordinates emergency events effectively; promoting
the Incident Command System (ICS), and Unified Command
between facility and public safety responders.
For many years, the Industrial Refrigeration business has
recognized that ammonia is the best refrigerant for industrial
applications and many others. Over the past 25 years,
significant strides have been made to raise the designs and
34 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
installations to world class safety standards. However, all
refrigeration systems are dependent on human operation
and maintenance, and when accidents happen emergency
responders are called to the task.
“We as an industry have to convince the public, including
facility owners and code officials, that the risk associated with
ammonia is minimal AND a fair trade-off for the environmental
benefits of this “future proof” refrigerant,” said former IIAR
Chairman Jeff Welch (2007-08) “The best way to do that is
to minimize the amount of accidents and their consequences.
ASTI is on the cutting edge of that effort with their ONE PLAN
concept and it’s promotion through regional safety days. By
training the emergency responders, BEFORE an accident
occurs, they are better equipped and educated to respond
quickly and effectively. As we reduce the consequences
of ammonia accidents, the public perception of ammonia
WILL improve. Then the natural refrigerant will become the
overwhelming natural choice.”
Most emergency events last for an average of 3 hours and
some require the evacuation of downwind populations, the smell
of ammonia creates community unrest; this is unacceptable. A
prepared operator can stop most ammonia incidents through
preventative action. Should a release occur, the operator
(with proper PPE) can take steps to stop the incident when it is
small (incidental response mode). Should the incident become
an emergency event the relationship with public safety and
the regulators becomes very critical. Unified command and
appropriate incident action plans and safety plans should lead
to a safe and effective control of the emergency event.
Recently, the Ammonia Safety Day Training Sessions have
expanded nationwide through the support of the International
Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the International Association
of Refrigerated Warehouses (IARW), the International Institute
of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR), the Refrigerating Engineers
Technicians Association (RETA) and the support of a grant
from OSHA.
A Susan Harwood Safety Training Program grant from
OSHA will fund a minimum of twelve Safety Days across the
country. The agendas are organized by ASTI which also sets
up instructors and training simulations. The grant pays for
everything except the food; the sponsors and vendors work
together to cover that cost. The targeted Safety Day locations
are as follows: During the first quarter of 2008 Safety Days
took place in Portland, Oregon; Pasco, Washington; Yuma,
Arizona, and Salt Lake City, Utah; a total of over 850 people
attended these Safety Day events.
The training paid off as recently as April 28 when a report
of an ammonia release prompted an evacuation at Pacific
Cooling and Yuma fire Department personnel, including
Hazardous Materials Technicians and the Special Operations
Response Vehicle, responded to the scene. Hazardous
Baltimore/Washington Ammonia Safety Day s *UNE 
3HERATON "ALTIMORE7ASHINGTON !IRPORT (OTEL s  /LD %LKRIDGE ,ANDING 2OAD s ,INTHICUM -ARYLAND  s (Lunch and Snacks provided)
“Prevent Them All Or Stop Them Small”
Does your facility have an emergency action plan in case of an ammonia
release? Are your employees trained to recognize and respond to an
ammonia release? If an incident occurs, it will be handled effectively to
mitigate potential injuries and damage?
The 1st Annual Baltimore/Washington Ammonia Safety Day offers
the raining required to prevent or mitigate ammonia release incidents.
Instruction will focus on methods to:
s Prevent releases
s Recognize and determine the severity of a release
s Respond to a release
s Coordinate with emergency responders
s Learn what the requirements are of various regulatory agencies in
reporting a release.
Course Goals | Safely approach with proper PPE when performing
service, maintenance, leak investigation, and response to emergency
events | Use the “One-Plan” to coordinate the emergency event
effectively; promoting the Incident Command System (ICS), and “Unified
Command” between facility and public safety responders.
Why You Should Attend | You will receive a copy of the “Glove Box”
Emergency Response Cards (a checklist of key things to remember during
an emergency event) and a workbook full of great recommended methods
This seminar is FREE to all attendees, and is made possible by the generous support of the following companies and organization:
Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
Materials Technicians in fully encapsulated protective suits
entered the facility and turned off valves to stop the ammonia
flow and start ventilating the area.
“Due to proper actions by all involved, from the initial
detection of the leak to the closing of valves and ventilation,
there were no injuries,” said Mike Erfert, Public Information
Officer, City of Yuma Fire Department. “Situations like this are
the subject of frequent training, and the focus of the annual
Ammonia Safety Day training conference.”
During the second quarter of 2008, Safety Days are
scheduled in Los Angeles, California, May 14, 2008;
Baltimore, Maryland, June 18, 2008, and Mt. Pleasant,
Texas, August 23, 2008. Sponsors are being sought
fpr Safety Days in Chicago, Illinois; Gainesville, Florida;
Charlotte, North Carolina; Kansas City, Nebraska; New York,
Arkansas, Madison, Wisconsin; and St. Paul, Minnesota.
Contact Gary Smith at ‘garyws@charter.net’ or 831-724-7665
if you are interested in attending any of the Safety Days or if
you want to sponsor a Safety Day in your area.

of preventing, mitigating, and preparing for an emergency event. At the
end of the day we will give you a certificate showing that you attended
the Safety Day production.
Free 8 Hour Course | For individuals likely to witness or discover an
ammonia leak; teaches “Defensive” response strategy and hands-on
participation, as well as classroom time. Topics Covered: Effects of
Ammonia & First Response, Shelter/Evacuation Plans, Assist in Decon and
Medical Zones, Connecting PSM to ERP, Downwind and Downstream
Effects, Fire & EMS Support, and ERP Reporting Requirements.
List Your Personnel Attending | Contact us with the names of those
attending or list them below and return by mail or fax by June 6, 2008.
(An acknowledgement will be sent back to you with an agenda, map and
more information).
Company Name ______________________________________________
Address ______________________________________________________
Name _______________________ Name ________________________
Name _______________________ Name ________________________
Name _______________________ Name ________________________
Please send to: Industrial Refrigeration Service, Inc., P.O. Box 70019,
"ALTIMORE -$  s 0HONE   
Or Fax to: (410) 686-4094
35
ARF Century Club Fundraising Campaign

T
he Ammonia Refrigeration Foundation Century Club ARF Reception at the Cheyenne Lodge
fundraising campaign is off and running. Since mid- in Colorado Springs, Colorado
October 2007 through May 1, 2008 the Foundation More than 100 people attended a special reception at the
has received donations totaling $208,500.00. The Century Cheyenne Lodge in Colorado Springs in conjunction with the
Club members are the first 100 contributors of $1,000 or annual IIAR Conference & Exhibition to launch the Ammonia
more to the Ammonia Refrigeration Foundation. Membership Refrigeration Foundation. In addition to honoring the members
in the Century Club is open to individuals and corporations of the Century Club, the reception celebrated the creation of
who believe in the future of the Foundation and recognized Will Stoecker and Evapco as
ammonia refrigeration and are the Foundation Philanthropists of the Year.
committed to the Foundation’s “I sat down at one time and said “what were the
goals. To date, the Century organizations that were important to me professionally?” One
Club has a total of them is the University of Illinois where I spent my career,
of 70 members. another organization is IIAR because there was the opportunity
for doing technical work and there was a need for it and I felt
ARF Golf Clinic at the Broadmoor Hotel some appreciation of it. I am just delighted that the Ammonia
in Colorado Springs, Colorado Foundation is getting started because I have seen many times
In appreciation for each Century Club donation of $1,000, when there is project work that could be done to benefit the
contributors were invited to play in the Inaugural Ammonia industry, but we didn’t quite have the money to do it then.
Refrigeration Foundation Golf Tournament that was scheduled To be able to have an endowment which would provide a
in conjunction with the 2008 IIAR Ammonia Refrigeration continuous source of money is a vehicle by which we can
Conference & Exhibition at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado advance the industry,” said Professor Will Stoecker who was
Springs. recognized as the 2007 Individual Donor of the Year.
Evapco was recognized as the 2007 Corporate Donor of
Foundation
Chair David the Year. “(We) made a $25,000 contribution to the Ammonia
Grong Refrigeration Foundation because we believe it will be a
(2007-08)
welcomes significant benefit to our industry. The mission of the Foundation is
Century Club to provide funding for scholarships and also funding for industry
Golf Clinic
related research projects which no doubt will benefit everyone
participants
involved in the industry. We also hope that by making our
contribution as we did, we would allow other people to reflect
on that and also consider making a significant contribution to the
Foundation,” said Evapco Senior Vice President Joe Mandato.

Corporate Contributors
A. Blasquez E. Refrigeracion Industrial
Century Club Golf AC & R Specialists
Tournament Chair Bill Airfoil Impellers
Bowles works on his putting
technique during the Century
ALTA Refrigeration
Club Golf Clinic American Refrigeration
Ammonia Safety Management
Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate. Instead of the
Baltimore Aircoil
golf tournament taking place, the Century Club contributors
C & L Refrigeration
participated in a Golf Clinic that was conducted by five golf
Carlson and Stewart Refrigeration
pros. The clinic matched up each golfer with other golfers of
CIMCO Refrigeration
the same skill level and analyzed every facet of their golf game
Colmac Coil Manufacturing
using state-of-the-art equipment and professional observation.
Delta Tee International
The golfers also took advantage of a massage in between
Engineered Refrigeration Supplies
swings!
36 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
Evapco
FES Midwest
FES Systems
Freeze-Pro Professor Will Stoecker accepts
Frick India the 2007 Individual ARF Donor of
Garden City Ammonia Program the Year Award from Foundation
Chair (2007-08) David Grong
Gartner Refrigeration
General Refrigeration
Hansen Technologies
Industrial Refrigeration Service
International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
(in memory of Chuck Kohlenberger)
Isotherm
LoTemp Equipment
MBD Risk Management Services
McNeil Refrigeration
Mid-States Refrigeration Supply
North Atlantic Refrigeration Specialties
Parker Hannifin
Realcold Milmech USA
Evapco Senior Vice President Joe Mandato accepts the 2007
Refrigerating Engineers & Technicians Association Corporate ARF Donor of the Year Award from Foundation Chair
Refrigeration Components Canada (2007-08) David Grong

Refrigeration Design & Service

Refrigeration Equipment Specialist
Refrigeration Systems Company 2008-09 ARF Board of Directors
Republic Refrigeration Seated: Dennis Carroll,
Stanton and Associates Treasurer ; Jeff Welch,
Star Refrigeration Chair; Brian Marriott,
Stellar Secretary.
Strong Refrigeration Consultants Standing: Bruce Badger,
UF Ammonia Services IIAR President; Jeff
United States Cold Storage Nank, Director-At-Large;
Vilter Foundation Bruce Nelson, Research
Wagner-Meinert Committee Chair; Gary
Individual Contributors Webster, Education
Anderson, Kent Grong, David Committee Chair;
Badger, Bruce Hendrickson, John (Absent: Chuck Taylor,
Bonar, Henry II Loyko, Lane Director-At-Large)
Bowles, JW Marriott, Brian Stoecker, Will
Braz, Marcos Nechay, Rudolf Taylor, Chuck
Carroll, Dennis Nelson, Bruce Tragethon, Don
Cole, Hinda Paul, Joe Williams, Randy ARF Mission Statement
(in memory of Ron Cole) Piho, Jack Yencho, John The mission of the Ammonia Refrigeration Foundation is
Eisert, Morris Siller, Donald to raise financial resources and to use these resources in the
Gilliland, Larry Sloan, Jeff support of educational programs and research that benefit the
Gooseff, Alex St. Jean, Bob industrial refrigeration industry.

Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration 37

 on Display in
C
hina Refrigeration 2008 in Shanghai brought together
HVAC&R companies from all over the world in one
of the largest trade shows ever. Over 900 exhibitors
packed 6 halls and 5 tents at the enormous Shanghai New
International Expo Center in Pudong.
Shanghai New International Expo Center.
Co-sponsor of the event Chinese Association
of Refrigeration (CAR) claimed it was their biggest
trade show ever, with more than 40,000 attendees
expected. Many booths contained an upper level
with a meeting room to make business deals right
there on the trade show floor. Lasting three days, the
show also provided a technical program, and several
IIAR member companies made presentations.
38
Shanghai
IIAR President Bruce Badger presented a special seminar
prior to the trade show on the NH3/CO2 cascade system
installed at the US Cold Storage facility in Bethlehem,
Pennsylvania. This seminar was sponsored by IIAR and CAR
and also supported by the National Electrical Manufacturers
Association (NEMA), the American Chamber of Commerce in
the P.R. of China, the United States Trade and Development
Agency, and the US-China Standards and Conformity
Assessment Cooperation Program.
Around 100 attendees, including Chinese engineers and
business owners came to learn about cascade technology in
the US. Many showed great interest in cascade systems and
how they can be implemented in China effectively. Members
of the IIAR Board of Directors also attended the trade show
and related events representing IIAR. Dennis Halsey of GEA-
FES Systems, Joe
Mandato of Evapco,
and Mark Stencel of
Vilter Manufacturing
met with leaders
of the CAR, further
solidifying the growing
relationship between
the two organizations.
Also making an
appearance at the
trade show were
IIAR President Bruce Badger gave a presentation on
cascade systems. the infamous ozone-
depleting, global
warming refrigerants R-12 and R-22. These refrigerants are
quickly being banned in China and throughout Asia, but were
Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
 IIAR member companies exhibited at
China Refrigeration 2008.

still being featured by some

companies.
To counterbalance
this, a presentation by
Greenpeace China and
several other organizations
promoting natural refrigerants
was very well attended.
Hydrocarbons, CO2
and ammonia featured
prominently in the developing
research and advocacy
R-12 and R-22 are still for sale in China. behind the drive for natural
refrigerants in all applications.
The Refrigerants, Naturally! Initiative was also featured during
this presentation. This initiative is a consortium of large food
companies who have made the switch to natural refrigerants in
their point of sale units. So far the initiative boasts The Coca-Cola
Company, McDonald’s, PepsiCo, Unilever, Carlsberg and IKEA
as members. This initiative is supported by the United Nations
Environment Programme and Greenpeace. It is not surprising that
several IIAR members are found in this list and their subsidiaries.
IIAR member companies exhibiting at China Refrigeration
2008: Alfa Laval, BAC, Bitzer, Danfoss, Dow Chemical,
Evapco, GEA Ecoflex, Guntner, Hansen Technologies, Henry
Technologies, Honeywell, Mayekawa, Munters, Parker
Hannifin, Tranter, and Vilter. Many also gave technical
presentations. This presence at the largest HVAC&R trade
show in Asia is just one example of how IIAR is expanding its
international influence, and helping our members grow their
businesses internationally.

Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration 39

 MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Look for a
FREE VIP Invitation
Monday – Wednesday to attend in the
November issue
January 26–28, 2009

The World’s Largest HVAC&R Marketplace

Returns to Chicago!

   
1
 
1
  "

January 26-28, 2009

McCormick Place North & South Halls
Chicago, Illinois
For Information on Attending: www.ahrexpo.com
Co-sponsors: Honorary sponsor: Endorsed by:

1

1

1

1

1


1

 
1

1
! 
1
 
1
 
1
 
1


1

1

1
 
1
 
1

1


1

1

1

1

1
 

1

1
 
1

1
#*(&&

For Information on Exhibiting Contact: , 15 Franklin Street, Westport, CT 06880

Phone: (203) 221-9232 Fax: (203) 221-9260 E-mail: i,'- $)/&0.-%-+

40 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration

Sustainability continued from page 27
As a contractor, IIAR has prepared several different
resources for you to use when helping customers decide
whether they should install an ammonia refrigeration system
or a system with halocarbon refrigerants. At the 2008
conference, a paper was presented by two IIAR members
detailing the cost analysis of this dilemma.
The cost to keep
this ice cream frozen
with a halocarbon
system is $0.23,
but the cost is only
$0.16 with an
ammonia system. The
figures are based
on the assumptions
made in a technical
paper presented
at the 2008 IIAR
Ammonia Refrigeration
Conference &
Halocarbon System: $0.23 Exhibition in Colorado
Ammonia System: $0.16 *operating cost only,
Springs by Alex
based on Alex and Jamie’s paper assumptions
Gooseff and Jamie
Horton. The ammonia refrigeration system may cost more
initially, but with energy savings, the payback period is only
1.7 years! This paper is available free to the public through
the “About Ammonia Refrigeration” section of the IIAR website.
This cost savings also translates into environmental savings.
At an electricity rate of $0.08/kWh and a utilization factor of
75%, the ammonia system saves you $162,225 each year,
which is 309 kWh. This kWh savings keeps 650 pounds
of CO2 from entering the atmosphere if your electricity is
generated by coal!
As a manager of a refrigerated facility, you are in a unique
position to contribute to the sustainability of your company.
You probably have already been tasked with saving energy
because the refrigeration system can be a large energy
consumer. However, you can also promote sustainable
practices in other areas of your business.
As Yucknut pointed out in his keynote presentation, “the
time to act is now!” You may or may not have the resources
immediately available to devote to capital improvements in
your facility, but changing the mindset can go a long way.
Existing construction, maintenance, repairs and strategic
replacement of equipment are probably the areas you should
focus on. In addition to these, areas like employee training,
office normal practices, and general awareness can be first
steps in the process of greening your business and operations.
Refrigeration system design engineers and manufacturers
greatly affect the front-end of this process. Their products
Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
and specifications influence the way plants operate for the
lifetime of the equipment. Consequently, when a manufacturer
incorporates the basic ideas of sustainability into their
products, the entire industry can benefit. Yucknut talked about
how this process is happening with Kraft Foods in his keynote
address. They redesigned a product jar to be manufactured
out of plastic instead of glass and subsequently saved money
on manufacturing, shipping, storage space (the package was
smaller and lighter) and reduced greenhouse gases, all while
maintaining their customer base. The ability to transform the
back end of their production while satisfying customers on
the front end is a model that all manufacturers implementing
sustainable practices can follow.
One final example will give you inspiration to take the
sustainability plunge. Another IIAR member in Florida was
recently showcased in the magazine Sustainable Facility
for their upgrades that have lead to big savings. Tropicana
Products worked with the Florida Power & Light company
to utilize incentives for energy efficiency. The total dollar
value that Tropicana estimates it has saved by implementing
upgrades to lighting, higher efficiency compressors, and other
improvements is over $6.4 million! Take advantage of any
incentive programs your local utility company may be offering
to leverage these into big savings to your bottom line, and a
positive company profile.
Ammonia as the Sustainable Refrigerant:
An Ammonia-Halocarbon Comparison
by: Alex Gooseff, ALTA Refrigeration
and Jamie Horton, ElectroMotion Refrigeration
Presented at the 2008 IIAR Annual Conference & Exhibition
in Colorado Springs, CO
Abstract:
When contemplating the question “Should our facility utilize an
ammonia or halocarbon refrigeration system?” an owner should
perform a detailed financial analysis of the two systems. The first cost
difference of the two systems may be easily returned via the savings
in operating costs and the long term benefits can be significant.
For the example Case Study, the original investment of $208,000
for an ammonia system resulted in a simple pay-back of about 1.7
years and a total savings of about $4.9 million over 20 years. In
general the following rules of thumb apply for a distribution facility
application: Less than 50,000 sq. ft. refrigerated space, Halocarbon
split circuit systems are normally accepted. A 50,000 to 200,000
sq. ft. refrigerated space, both halocarbon split circuit systems
and central ammonia systems are common. Over 200,000 sq. ft.
refrigerated space, central ammonia refrigeration systems are
most common.
(Bob Armstrong, VP – Communications and Kirsten McNeil,
Deputy Director of Technical Publications also contributed to
this article.)
41
EPCS continued from page 11
Overpressure limit set point. Automatic crossover valves will
be required to automatically relieve excess system pressure to
a lower pressure zone if the pressure in a high or intermediate
pressure zone rises to within a predetermined set point for
emergency pressure-relief devices. Initially, in the 2006
editions of model codes, the predetermined set point was 15
psi below the rating of pressure relief valves (PRV); however,
that will be changed in the 2009 codes to be not less than
10 percent below PRV ratings. The 10-percent figure provides
a wider safety margin to allow an EPCS to operate before a
PRV, given that the pressure at which PRVs will unseat can vary
significantly from rated pressures.
Manual operation. When required by a local code official,
the emergency cross-over valves must be capable of manual
operation, presumably by an approved switch or button.
Although this was not regarded as necessary from a safety
perspective, the manual operation reference was provided
because it was recognized that some fire departments would
be reluctant to completely give up manual controls.
Operation of an automatic crossover valve and system
shutdown. Operation of an automatic crossover valve will be
required to cause all compressors on the affected system to
immediately stop. Dedicated pressure-sensing devices located
immediately adjacent to crossover valves are permitted as a
means for initiating operation of a valve. To ensure that the
automatic crossover valve system provides a redundant means
of stopping compressors in an overpressure condition, high-
pressure cutout sensors associated with compressors are not
permitted as a basis for triggering a crossover valve.
Overall, the intent of these provisions is for the emergency
pressure control system to have a fully redundant means of stopping
compressors. Although compressors are ordinarily provided
with their own automatic high-pressure cutout controls, fire code
requirements will not permit these controls to be used as a means
of initiating the EPCS. An additional set of controls is considered
necessary to serve as a back-up means of preventing a severe
overpressure condition that could result in operation of a PRV.
Overpressure control for the lowest pressure zone. In lieu of
a full EPCS, the lowest pressure zone in a refrigeration system
will be required to have a dedicated means of determining a
rise in system pressure approaching operation of PRVs serving
that zone. The maximum initiating pressure will be limited as
described in “Overpressure limit set point” above, and once a
severe overpressure condition has been identified, compressors
on the affected system must be stopped.
The approach to managing the lowest pressure zone is
different because this zone cannot be arranged to bleed
pressure to another system zone. Nevertheless, by providing a
redundant emergency stop control to disengage the compressor,
an overpressure condition in the lowest pressure zone should be
42 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
Emergency pressure control systems reduce the likelihood that pressure
relief devices will discharge flammable, toxic, or highly toxic refrigerants
or ammonia to the atmosphere. This is accomplished through the use of an
automatic cross-over valve, such as the one shown above, that internally
relieves excess pressure from high-pressure equipment to other portions of a
refrigeration system before an atmospheric release occurs. This photo illustrates
a “crossover” valve arrangement interconnecting the high-side with the low-side
after the pressure has essentially equalized.
automatically mitigated. The incident considered most likely to
cause a low-side overpressure incident was a control valve stuck
in the open position while transferring hot gas to defrost low-side
components. In such a situation, stopping the compressor should
disengage the pressure source for the defrost system.
Conclusion
Eliminating emergency control box requirements from model
fire codes favorably resolves long-standing industry concerns
regarding the potential for harm caused by an untrained
person operating valves in an emergency control box, as
well as concerns that such control boxes were not an effective
investment in safety. IIAR advocates that there is no condition
under which manual removal of refrigerant from a refrigeration
system by the fire service is considered advisable. In contrast,
automatic transfer of excess pressure to another zone of a system
in conjunction with stopping the pressure source (compressors),
through the use of an emergency pressure control system,
provides an effective means to safely mitigate an overpressure
condition that has not been intercepted by other safety controls.
It must be pointed out that elimination of the emergency
control box based on the addition of an EPCS does not
automatically eliminate other code requirements related
to water diffusion tanks. Such tanks may still be requested
or required in some cases by designers, owners or local
authorities for the purpose of diffusing releases from
overpressure relief devices.
IIAR is pleased to have had the opportunity to work
cohesively with fire, building and mechanical officials from
throughout the country who were willing to rethink more than 40
years of history to develop a modern-day approach to improving
refrigeration safety. This exercise truly emphasizes the ability
of industry experts and regulators to come together and craft
effective solutions for the betterment of public safety.
SCC continued from page 15
A photograph of the crack surface is shown. The brightly
coloured bands look like oil stains, but they were not removed
by detergent, and a mass spectrograph showed it to be a thin
layer of an unidentified oxide. The coloration is produced by the
same diffraction effect which produces rainbow colours when
oil is spilled onto water and indicates that the layer is only one
or two molecules thick. The diffractive surface layer was not
identified by either of the laboratories. Closer examination of
the crack surface reveals a series of striations – the beach marks
which are typically identified with fatigue failure. Unlike normal
fatigue however these marks are not circular but are extended
into an oval. This indicates that the failure was progressive,
Internal cracking along same crack line.
Depth of crack. Outer surface of crack.
like fatigue, but that it did not start from a single point. It was
generated from a line running parallel to the main axis of the
vessel shell. This starting line seems to be in the parent metal of
the shell, not in the shell-to-tubesheet weld or the heat affected
zone. As the crack propagated it spread through the weld
metal, creating a split which was 2” long on the inner surface of
the vessel and ¾” on the outside.
The other cracks which were identified by the analyses
had not grown beyond about 1.2mm deep. They were all at
approximately the level of the liquid surface and had appeared
at both ends of the chiller and on both sides.
There were no flaws in the weld metal and nothing in the
design, fabrication, installation or operation of the vessel to
indicate that SCC was likely. Oxygen levels in the ammonia
in the evaporator were low, but not less than 0.5ppm, and
Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
water levels, when sampled, were within the accepted range
for inhibition. Similar vessels had been in use for many years
all over the world. We also found that the actual yield strength
of the material was 370MPa and that the vessel had not been
post-weld heat treated.
What questions remained unanswered?
s 7HAT CAUSED THE INITIAL CRACKS TO FORM
The cracks seem to form almost as soon as the system is
charged with ammonia, with the rest of the time to failure
taken up by the crack propagation process.
s 7HY DID ONLY ONE CRACK GROW TO FAILURE
It was noticeable that all of the other cracks which we
identified were less than 1/16” (1.5mm) deep. If the crack
growth was random and was due to factors such as crack
tip radius then we would have expected to see each crack
at a different stage of growth, with some just forming and
others close to failure. Of course only one would reach failure
because the vessel is taken out of service as soon as the leak
occurs. Likewise if the crack initiation was a random event
which could happen at any time in the life of the vessel then
we would expect to see some surface cracks much less than
1/16” deep, but this was not the case.
s 7HY ARE THE CRACKS AT THE LIQUID LEVEL
If the end view of the chiller is compared to a clock face
then the cracks were all grouped around the 4 o’clock and
8 o’clock positions. We checked the manufacturing process
and found nothing in the construction of the chiller that would
explain this grouping, however we noted that the liquid level,
although fairly active, tends to lie in this region.
s 7HY DOES EXTRA WATER REDUCE THE RISK
The idea of water reducing the risk of corrosion is difficult to
take on board. Water is a reactive fluid, which is normally
seen as a source of corrosion. If water is making a difference
when added to the system, particularly in such small amounts,
then it must be because it is somehow involved in a chemical
reaction on the surface of the metal. However there was no
sign of rust or any other discoloration on the inside of the
vessel shell, only the diffraction coloring on the crack face.
The rainbow colors from diffraction were not evident on the
inside surface of the shell.
s 7HY IS HIGHER STRENGTH STEEL MORE LIKELY TO CRACK
Like the question about water, this is counter-intuitive. The shell
did not appear to be highly stressed, and higher strength
material in any event would be expected to improve the
situation. This also seems to point to the involvement of some
other material with different material properties.
s 7HAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT -0A YIELD STRENGTH
The questions about water and higher strength steel suggest
that there is another material, probably a compound of
SCC continued on page 44
43
SCC continued from page 43
ammonia, oxygen and iron, which forms on the surface. If so
then it is likely that 350MPa is significant for that material.
s 7HY DOES 07(4 MAKE A DIFFERENCE then post weld heat treatment is strongly recommended.
If the logical conclusion of the comments on water and yield
strength is that another material is involved in the process then
it is likely that the major benefit of post-weld heat treatment is
actually that it modifies the inner surface before the ammonia
gets there, and hence prevents the SCC mechanism from
getting started. This would explain why heat treatment is
effective irrespective of the level of stress placed on the vessel.
What did we learn?
One of the authors of the American-based researches of
the mid 1970s was Prof D.A. “Denny” Jones who worked at
that time for the Bethlehem Steel Company. Latterly he headed
a materials science team in the Department of Chemical and
Metallurgical Engineering at Nevada State University in Reno,
and published a text book titled “Principles and Prevention of
Corrosion,” in 1992 with a second edition in 1996.
In the second edition Denny Jones suggests that stress
corrosion cracking occurs when a corrosive environment creates
a non-reactive layer of corrosion product on the surface of steel.
If the yield strength of the layer is less than the yield strength
of the steel then “fissures” will immediately appear in the
layer, running perpendicular to the direction of applied stress,
provided the sum of the applied and residual stresses exceeds
the yield strength of the layer. As the layer is less reactive than
the steel it is possible for a galvanic corrosion cell to occur,
causing the crack to grow in line with the original fissure without
any widening or turning. In theory the galvanic corrosion will
continue right through the parent material, much like the pitting
corrosion caused by copper particles on galvanised steel tubes.
Where do we go from here?
s 07(4 GIVES TWO ADVANTAGES
– it reduces residual stress
– but it also scales the inner surface of the vessel
s 3PECIFY 07(4 FOR ALL SUSCEPTIBLE VESSELS WHERE PRACTICAL
Unfortunately some equipment cannot be exposed to the high
furnace temperatures required for post-weld heat treatment,
either because of incompatible materials such as the rubber
flow baffles used in plate and shell heat exchangers, or
because they would distort, or simply because they are too
large and there is no suitable facility within the area.
s 5SE STEEL WITH ACTUAL YIELD STRENGTH -0A
It is important to emphasise that this is the actual strength of
the material used, not the specified minimum value. It seems
to be harder than ever to source lower yield strength steels,
perhaps because steel mill quality control has improved so that
the yield strength of batches is much less variable than it used
to be. Unfortunately it is not possible for a steel plate purchaser
44 Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
to specify a maximum value for the steel, only a minimum.
The actual value can be checked – it will be found on the mill
certificate supplied with the batch of steel. If it is above 350MPa
s &URTHER TESTING OF THE COMPOSITION OF THE LAYER MATERIAL WOULD
HELP TO IDENTIFY ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS
If an alternative treatment can be identified that could be
used during manufacture to provide a protective layer on the
inner surface of the vessel then it will be possible to protect
vessels which are unsuitable for post-weld heat treatment.
s &URTHER RESEARCH INTO POSSIBLE REPAIR METHODS WOULD ALSO
HELP TO REDUCE THE RISK OF SERIOUS FINANCIAL LOSS
This would be great – unfortunately if a crack has grown to
the point that it produces an ammonia leak and it is evident
that there are other smaller cracks inside the shell it is unlikely
that an adequate repair mechanism can be found. Complete
replacement of the vessel on day 1 might be a cheap
alternative compared to regular callbacks to chase repaired
cracks or new leaks around the vessel. Studies in ammonia
storage spheres showed that they needed regular inspection,
and where cracked plates in the wall of the sphere had been
ground out and rewelded, fresh cracks appeared within a year.
s #ODES AND STANDARDS ALL ROUND THE WORLD NEED TO BE
UPDATED TO REFLECT THE TRUTH ABOUT 3##
Some of the information in official documents is wrong but
relatively harmless – in other cases it is wrong and could be
dangerous. In the European Standard for Refrigeration Pressure
Vessels EN14276 for example it states that “For vessels
containing ammonia, stress corrosion cracking does not occur
if vessels are made from steel with ReH a 360 N/mm2 and
the refrigerating system is designed, operated and maintained
according to EN378-1 to EN378-4.” The system installed by
Star Refrigeration in Leeds complied in all respects with parts 1
to 4 of EN378, which carry no reference to SCC, so the intent
of EN14276 is not clear. Most codes and standards are not
this far wrong – many of them, like EN378, simply don’t refer
to stress corrosion cracking.
Conclusion
The ARF Stress Corrosion Cracking project is an opportunity
for ARF to facilitate a major advance in the understanding of
stress corrosion cracking as it applies to ammonia refrigeration
systems, and to establish ARF documents as the foremost world
authority on the prevention of stress corrosion cracking in
refrigeration plants. Benefits to manufacturers, contractors and
end-users will be the reduction of the risk of failure and hence
avoidance of the severe financial consequences which usually
follow. A further benefit to all IIAR members is the chance for the
Institute to gain recognition for significant, novel research work
at a global level, with implications for industries far beyond
industrial refrigeration.
NEWS & NOTES
Breaking News!
Cascade System Installed in Supermarket
SARATOGA, N.Y. — A CO2 cascade refrigeration
system has been installed in a renovated Schenectady, N.Y.
supermarket. The system will be used for low-temperature
refrigeration in the frozen food and ice cream departments of
a Price Chopper Supermarket, according to Hill Phoenix, the
Conyers, Georgia-based company that supplied the system.
According to Hill Phoenix, advocated the system because
carbon dioxide is far less expensive than HFC refrigerant
(50 cents per pound compared with $7 or $8 per pound)
and enables the system to use smaller line sizes and less
copper piping. In addition, the global warming potential
for carbon dioxide is one, compared with that of 3,300 for
HFC refrigerant, enabling Price Chopper to reduce its carbon
footprint, said Hill Phoenix.
IIAR Seminar at ASHRAE Salt Lake City
IIAR is sponsoring a seminar at the upcoming ASHRAE
conference in Salt Lake City June 21-25. “Natural Refrigerant
Applications with IIAR” is a reformulated version of the old
“Taste of IIAR” session that features an in-depth look at
ammonia refrigeration design for the food industry and uses
of ammonia in air conditioning. An important application that
many may not be aware of is ammonia refrigeration in central
air conditioning plants. This seminar focuses on the central
plant of a community college in a major metropolitan area.
Both designer and end user present their experience with
the system. Come learn about how ammonia is playing an
important, environmentally-friendly role in our food safety cold
Condenser | May 2008 | A Publication of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
chain as well as comfort cooling. Sponsored by ASHRAE TC
10.1, Custom Engineered Refrigeration Systems. Tuesday June
24, 8am – 9:30am in Room D of the Salt Palace Convention
Center, Salt Lake City, Utah.
IIAR Passes 5 Year ANSI Audit
IIAR has received confirmation that our 5 year American
National Standards Institute (ANSI) audit has been approved
by the ANSI Executive Standards Committee, granting
re-accreditation as a standards-writing body. IIAR is accredited
by ANSI and follows their guidelines of balance, consensus,
openness and other principles in the development of industry
standards. Every 5 years ANSI audits the procedures of IIAR
standards development to ensure that these principles are
being followed. The successful completion of this audit confirms
that IIAR is developing standards in the recommended manner.
This audit was especially important for the organization as
we continue to develop our new suite of standards, the first
of which, IIAR 5 Start-up and Commissioning of Ammonia
Refrigerating Systems, should be published later this year.
Coming in the August 2008 Condenser
s Summary of the revisions in ANSI/IIAR 2-2008
s Troubleshooting Evaporators
s Post-harvest cooling in Saudi Arabia
s Optimizing refrigeration system operation for energy
savings.
s System controls and sustainability
s And Much More!
45
 KEEPING YOU
IN 'TOUCH' WITH YOUR
REFRIGERATION SYSTEM

FES Systems Inc.

3475 Board Road York, PA 17406
Tel: 800-888-4337
717-767-6411
Refrigeration Division Fax: 717-764-3627
sales@fessystems.com
www.fessystems.com