Author: developer

It’s a New World

Early in March, I was at a training meeting for Search & Rescue in my county. One of the first topics discussed was the upcoming training. In early March there were only 2 people who had tested positive for COVID-19 in the county. Still, I felt we should be proactive, and postpone training for March […]

IIAR, ASTI, Developing Emergency Safety Guidance

fter an ammonia incident occurred in 2012 that resulted in the loss of life, the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration took steps to enforce procedures employees must follow when performing rescue or medical duties. Following up on that action, the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration has partnered with the Ammonia Safety Training Institute and […]

IIAR’s Academy of Natural Refrigerants Certificate Program

JOE FAZZARI, P.E., SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, COLMAC COIL MANUFACTURING, INC s a recent graduate of an IIAR Academy of Natural Refrigerants (ANR) to share some details of my experience with you. Overall, it was a great experience and I hope that after you read this article you will also be motivated to register for an […]

Regulatory Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The current COVID-19 pandemic is having significant impacts on< individuals and businesses across the globe. While many businesses continue to be closed, or their operations changed or restricted, companies designated as part of the critical infrastructure have maintained operations throughout the crisis. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has designated essential businesses and workers needed […]

International Activities Continue Remotely, Despite Pandemic

ue to the COVID-19 outbreak, the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration has post-poned its international activities, with conferences scheduled in Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador all moved to the winter and spring of 2021. But Yesinia Rector, chair of the International Committee, said that doesn’t mean efforts to engage with the international community have ground to […]

A Reminder of the Past and Present

First and foremost, I want to thank all IIAR members for your past support of IIAR through your participation in all the activities and programs that make our industry safer and more successful than ever before, especially for your most recent financial support and participation with IIAR’s first-ever virtual conference. IIAR’s first-ever virtual conference. Your […]

Nothing is More Constant Than Change

We are very happy to report that the IIAR-6 Standard for Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Closed-Circuit Ammonia Refrigeration Systems is ready to go. A lot of effort went into the development of the Standard and now the class, by many volunteers on the Standards Committee and the IIAR Staff. In my opinion, the three […]

ONSITE TO ONLINE. HOW THE PANDEMIC IS CHANGING TRAINING AND SUPPORT

s the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps across the globe, stay-at-home orders and social distancing have changed the way businesses operate. Every business function has been affected, including training, which is a critical component of the natural refrigerant industry. In response, people in the industry have turned to virtual options, leveraging technology that is already available and […]

World’s First Natural Refrigerants Virtual Conference a Great Success

n March 11 – just three days before the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration annual conference was scheduled to begin – the World Health Organization announced COVID-19 was officially a global pandemic. Immediately following that announcement, IIAR’s board voted, for the safety of members and exhibitors, to cancel what would have been IIAR’s 49th annual […]

IIAR Congratulates 2020 Award for Presentation Excellence Winners

he coronavirus pandemic forced International Institute for Ammonia Refrigeration to tune in for an unprecedented virtual national conference, and IIAR officials said everyone from the conference attendees to the educational program presenters turned out to make the online conference one of the best. Perhaps it was the prospect of ad-hoc entertainment such as intrusive pets, […]

End Users Eye Natural Refrigerants

nd users are increasingly looking to natural refrigerants to boost efficiencies and reduce their carbon footprints. In his educational session at the IIAR 2020 Virtual Conference and Expo, Augusto Zimmermann, Senior Manager at Alternative Systems Global Center of Excellence, said there are several factors driving end users to consider installing natural refrigeration systems or using […]

Managing Change

efrigeration facilities are not static entities. Changes to personnel, equipment, technology and procedures can all impact the operations. To ensure the safety of employees and the overall success of the operation, change must be managed appropriately. Speaking at the IIAR 2020 Online Conference and Virtual Expo, Bill Lape, a Project Director for the Risk Management […]

Foundation Leaders Report Record Fundraising, New Initiatives

espite the global health crisis and the International Institute for Ammonia Refrigeration’s switch to an all-virtual annual conference, leaders of the Ammonia Refrigeration Foundation said they are optimistic for the future and steadfast in the Foundation’s mission. Incoming chairman Bruce Nelson said the pandemic has not affected the Foundation as it relates to its core […]

How can I find water?

BY KEM RUSSELL Thinking about water LESSON and where to find it, I go back a few years ago to when one of my daughters and I were hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). We planned to do a north bound hike, which starts at the U.S./ Mexico border east of San Diego and heads […]

SECURE Act Legislation Includes Retirement Plan Changes

The end of year SECURE Act legislation along with the recent economic stimulus package includes significant changes to retirement plans. The following provides a summary of the impact. THE SECURE ACT he Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancements (SECURE) Act increases saving opportunities for Americans, with many of the provisions becoming effective January 1, […]

Critical Tasks for Emergency Action Planning – IIAR’s new Guidance Document

hen handled correctly, ammonia is one of the safest gases to work with, Gary Smith, president and CEO of the Ammonia Safety and Training Institute, said in his presentation at IIAR’s Virtual Conference and Expo. Over 5 million tons are used every year in approximately 7,000 facilities across the country with significantly fewer incidents per […]

EPA Announces Termination of Enforcement Discretion, Region 1 Reports Results of GDC Pilot Program

TERMINATION OF EPA COVID ENFORCEMENT DISCRETION POLICY On June 29th, EPA announced the termination date of its temporary enforcement discretion policy contained in a March 26th memorandum entitled: “COVID-19 Implications for EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program”. The policy was instituted with the recognition that travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders may impact the ability of […]

IIAR’s International Activity Grows Despite Pandemic

he global health crisis has impacted nearly all aspects of the refrigeration industry, and by extension, the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration and its committees have had to adapt to the changing landscape. Against this headwind, IIAR’s International Committee, led by Yesenia Rector, has been working to expand the Institute’s footprint beyond North America. Activity […]

Case History: A Study of Incidents in the Ammonia Refrigeration Industry

Peter R. Jordan, Senior Principle Engineer, MBD Risk Management Services, Inc. ABSTRACT In June of 2005, the author initiated a project to collect data related to ammonia incidents using information from publicly available sources. For the past 14 years, the data have been input into an Excel spreadsheet every day. This information was analyzed and […]

Moving Forward While Sitting Still

This month, IIAR’s big news is that our IIAR 2021 Natural Refrigeration Conference & Heavy Equipment Expo originally scheduled to take place March 28-31, 2021 in Palm Springs, California, has been rescheduled to be held June 20-23, 2021, in Palm Springs, California. This change was first announced by our IIAR Chairman, Dave Schaefer, and I’d […]

Chairman’s Message By Dave Schaffer

As we all know Covid 19 has affected almost every corner of the globe. It’s been a very active year for everyone because of the pandemic. Our IIAR staff worked very hard to pull off, among other things a very successful industryfirst all-natural refrigerant virtual conference. Our committees have also been very active despite meetings […]

Growing GREEN. HOW NATURALS ARE GAINING A SHARE OF NEW MARKETS

Hydrofluorocarbons occupy a market space that is very large and diverse ranging from residential through all types of commercial to industrial. While HFCs appear to be a good choice from a perceived safety benefit, they are still pollutants and increasingly regulated chemicals. Regulatory requirements are forcing HFC users to make a switch to lower global […]

IIAR Focuses on Year-Round Education, Prepares for 2021’s Annual Meeting

IAR has several educational offerings available for its members, ranging from online training classes and webinars to technical seminars at its annual meeting, and the association is continually working to improve and enhance all it offers. The past year put a spotlight on how content is delivered, and IIAR is engaging members and reviewing its […]

Why IIAR Needs Energy Performance Benchmarking More Than Ever

STEFAN JENSEN, SCANTEC ll industry sectors across the world ranging from utilities, manufacturing, food preservation through to comfort cooling, food storage and transportation face unprecedented challenges concerning energy efficiency improvements and emissions reductions. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has called for an improvement in the energy efficiency of air conditioners of 50% by 2030. The […]

PSM Safety and Compliance in the Age of Pandemics

BILL LAPE, SCS ENGINEERS ur world has turned upside down in 2020: close to 9.5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S; over 233,000 deaths in the U.S.; people being quarantined or sheltering in place; social distancing; non-essential businesses shut with skeleton crews; essential businesses having to implement enhanced sanitation procedures, social distancing, PPE […]

Pre-Emergency Readiness is Well Managed Business

s much as we don’t like to admit it, ammonia leaks happen. Even in systems we feel we manage and care for exceptionally well. But with increasing turnover resulting in less experience on off-shifts, where management presence is the lightest, and increased wear and tear from heightened demands being put on aging equipment, leaks are […]

Real or Virtual?

BY KEM RUSSELL Life during the past sev- LESSON eral months has been a challenge when deciding if something might be done “for real” or must be done “virtually”. This past July I was scheduled to be a back-up guide for groups of young men as the various groups attempted to hike up nine prominent […]

The Mathematics of Filling Tax Brackets

tilizing (or “filling”) the lower tax brackets is a simple, yet often overlooked, tax planning strategy. Consider the fictional case of Chuck and Debbie to help you better understand the mathematics of filling the lower tax brackets in order to improve your overall tax situation. Chuck and Debbie both recently retired at the age of […]

IAR Works with Allies Across the Globe on Committee Work and Standards

IAR has expanded the number of memorandums of understanding (MOU) it has with countries, with Spain and Australia becoming the last two countries to become IIAR’s Allied Organizations. Other countries with MOUs include Columbia, Chile, China, and Costa Rica. As part of the MOU with Spain, the Association of Cold Companies and their Technologies (AEFYT), […]

Policy Implications of a Biden Presidency

While there are still some uncertainties about the final results of the 2020 elections, including key runoff elections for two Senate seats in the state of Georgia, it is important to look at the potential policy implications of a Biden presidency. As with all presidential administrations, there will be some policy changes that can be […]

President’s Message by Dave Rule

The International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration is growing, both within the United States and abroad, thanks to the use of natural refrigerants and IIAR’s efforts to bring awareness of their value to other countries. This year’s annual IIAR Natural Refrigeration Conference and EXPO, convening March 3-6 in Phoenix, is both a reflection of that growth […]

Chairman’s Message by Mike Lynch

As I wind up my year as chairman of IIAR, I look back and see all the wonderful accomplishments that you – our members and committees have achieved, setting the stage for even more in the year ahead. I am excited about the dedication of our incoming chair, Bruce Nelson, and the prospects for continued […]

OLD GAME, NEW CARDS

Corrosion Resistance Gets Renewed Attention as Stainless, New Coatings Move into Market aintenance costs, particularly for labor, are increasing, and the traditional material specified for piping and valve systems – painted carbon steel – is changing as end users search for solutions to minimize maintenance and increase reliability. “The presence of corrosion creates specific issues, […]

The Sustainability Challenge

BY BRUCE NELSON o date, activities within the International Institute for Ammonia Refrigeration have dealt exclusively with ammonia safety and ammonia refrigeration systems. That’s who we are, where we come from and what we’ve done well. Recently, however, it has become clear that IIAR needs to take up the challenge of promoting the safe and […]

Costa Rica Adopts IIAR Standards

n late January Costa Rica officially adopted several standards from the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration to govern ammonia refrigeration facilities in the country. Costa Rica is the first to take such a progressive move in Latin America, and others in the region are taking note. “Because of what’s happening in Costa Rica, other Latin […]

Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) of Manually Operated Hand Valves

rying to understand and properly apply standards and regulations is not only a time consuming effort, but also challenging. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has Standard 29 CFR 1910.147, titled “The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout)”, which is commonly referred to as “Lockout/Tagout”. In Section 1910.147(a)(1)(i), it states, “This standard covers the servicing […]

Foundation Research Projects Summary

he Ammonia Refrigeration Foundation is dedicated to furthering the advancement of the knowledge and technology that drives the growth of natural refrigerants. The Foundation’s three ongoing research projects are helping the industry address and solve specific technical problems as well as contribute new information to the code and regulatory communities. Here, the Foundation’s research project […]

Machinery Rooms in Europe and USA: Sprinkler Systems

BY MONIKA WITT, EURAMMON achinery rooms are enclosed zones with mechanical ventilation, separated from public space and accessible only to authorized personnel. They serve primarily as dry and protected places for the components of a refrigeration system, mainly compressors and pressure vessels, but also additional equipment, for example in secondary systems the evaporator and/or water […]

Welcome to the 2019 IIAR Natural Refrigeration Conference & Exhibition!

e are coming off of a very successful conference in Colorado Springs last year where we celebrated our 40th IIAR Annual Conference. This year we are pleased to return to Phoenix after many years. The last time we were here was in 1981 and the conference, our organization and our industry looked very different. At […]

IIAR’s Conference Tech Papers Expand to Include Commercial Sector

ne main focus of the technical program this year was to help educate commercial decision makers and designers. “Commercial end users are starting to become more interested in natural refrigerants,” Eric Smith, IIAR’s vice president and technical director, said. “Now people are beginning to wonder about their applications – how well it’s been going, the […]

Charitable Contributions from IRAs

The Pension Protection Act of 2006 first allowed taxpayers age 70½ and older to make tax-free charitable donations directly from their IRAs. By making a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) from an IRA directly to a qualified charitable organization, older IRA owners were allowed to exclude up to $100,000 annually from gross income. These gifts, also […]

John Yencho Retires from Hansen

e respectfully announce the retirement of one of Hansen’s most dedicated and long-term contributors – John Yencho. John has been a key contributor to our success over his 34+ years of service and the industry. Although he is officially retiring, we expect him to remain involved with Hansen’s on-going innovation efforts. John has shared his […]

Was it Communicated?

BY KEM RUSSELL Some may recall the statement made in the 1967 “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.” Clear and understood communication is important in almost all interactions we have. As important as good communication is, we still have challenges in making it happen. Communication of information has changed a lot in just […]

Supreme Court Declines to Hear HFC Case, EPA Proposes Removing HFC Leak Requirements

On January 18, 2019, President Trump signed legislation to extend the authority for the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program. CFATS, administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), was set to expire on January 19th unless legislation was enacted to continue its authority. Industry and DHS called for reauthorization to prevent a lapse in […]

President’s Message by Dave Rule

Having just returned from IIAR’s exciting 2019 annual conference, I’m even more committed to the importance of our association and the many advantages of membership. The conference, held in Phoenix in March, was another record-setter in terms of attendance and the span of our technical program. The 2019 conference included a duel industrial-commercial technical track […]

Secondary Systems Offer IIAR Opportunity For Expansion

As your IIAR chairman for this year, I would like to thank and congratulate everyone who made our 2019 annual meeting in Phoenix a great success, and especially to welcome all our new IIAR members. Your participation and spirit of volunteer leadership is essential to helping our industry meet the many challenges that lay ahead. […]

Future-Proofing Refrigerants

Naturals Reach Wider Markets as Environmental Incentives Increase gainst a shifting regulator landscape, with restrictions of hydrofluorocarbon synthetic refrigerants growing by fits and starts, use of natural refrigerants is increasing among a widening range of companies seeking to ensure that their investments will be viable in the future. In industries ranging from biotechnology and pharmaceuticals […]

IIAR Releases New Standards and Updates

he IIAR presently has eight American National Standard Institute (ANSI) approved standards at this time and three additional new standards that are presently in development making a total of 11 standards overall. ANSI/IIAR approved standards are reviewed entirely from cover-to-cover, at a minimum, every five- years for periodic maintenance. In addition to the five-year periodic […]

Putting Funds to Use to Drive Innovative Solutions for the Industry, Foundation Members

t ARF, our mission, as a nonprofit research and education foundation, is to promote, fund and provide scientific and educational projects that are related to the use of ammonia, natural refrigerants and industrial refrigeration. It’s not only our mission, but it is our reality. As members of our organization, the industry and the community, we […]

Well-attended Auxilary Session at IIAR Phoenix Conference Explored Energy Efficiencies

nergy efficiency was the focus of a well-attended and extensive auxiliary educational program at the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration annual conference, held in March in Phoenix. Sponsored by CIMCO Refrigeration, the event brought together engineers to discuss a wide variety of topics related to the design, maintenance, operation and retrofitting of refrigeration systems to […]

IIAR Announces Awards for Presentation Excellence

ach year, some of the best minds and top talent in the industrial and commercial refrigeration industry gather from around the world at the IIAR Natural Refrigeration Conference & Expo. These experts present technical papers at the IIAR Technical Program in conjunction with this event, and each year the best, most informative presenters are honored […]

International Committee Focuses on Standards Adoption

he International Committee of the IIAR is working across Latin America to educate leaders in several countries in the region, helping them adopt IIAR standards to better promote safety, sustainability and international commerce. Yesenia Rector, director of the IIAR, said all of the IIAR’s standards have now been translated into Spanish, and these documents were […]

IIAR, NASRC, Partnership Delivers New Technical Track

t this year’s IIAR Natural Refrigeration Conference and Expo, held in Phoenix, the IIAR announced its partnership with the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council. Through this partnership, educational programming at the conference was expanded to include a Commercial and Food Retail education Track. Launched in 2015, NASRC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing and […]

Safety Committee Working on Hazardous Energy Lockout Standard for Manual Valves

he IIAR’s safety committee is continuing its efforts to draft a guideline for the application of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Standard 29 CFR 1919.147, more commonly called “the control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout),” or LOTO for short. The project includes a second survey to IIAR members that pays particular attention to actual refrigeration-industry […]

Charitable Giving

Charitable giving can play an important role in many estate plans. Philanthropy cannot only give you great personal satisfaction, it can also give you a current income tax deduction, let you avoid capital gains tax, and reduce the amount of taxes your estate may owe when you die. There are many ways to give to […]

Who’s Prepared?

I have been in the industrial refrigeration industry for, well, a long time. Over the decades LESSON I have seen many changes in technology and regulations. However, one thing that in more recent years really stands out is who is prepared to take over a position? The industrial refrigeration field has been a fairly secure […]

Corrosion Allowance

he latest version of IIAR 2, Standard for Safe Design of Closed-Circuit Ammonia Refrigeration Systems will soon be published as “IIAR 2-2014, with Addendum A”. Among other important changes to the standard, there will no longer be a requirement for an additional 1/16” corrosion allowance (CA) on ammonia refrigeration vessels. The design of pressure vessels […]

Green New Deal and Climate Policy

Climate policy is taking center stage with Democrats in Congress who gained control of the House of Representatives after the 2018 elections and the over 20 candidates vying for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. The debate, and rhetoric, is heating up and looks to continue as we head into the presidential election next year. […]

President’s Message by Dave Rule

Once again, our industry is facing a major decision as to the preferred refrigerant that will provide appropriate performance and efficiency while considering the impact on the environment and public safety. This is a complicated question that must address the many diverse applications that are required for industrial and commercial refrigeration, many types of process […]

Hydrocarbons — A Natural Next Step For IIAR

Many hydrocarbons such as Propane, Propylene, and Iso-Butane, make great refrigerants. They are natural, have zero ODP, GWP less than 4, and are categorized as non-toxic. Compared to the HFC’s and HFO’s (also known as “F-Gases”) they have: High COP High Latent Heat Low Liquid Density Low Cost Similar Working Pressures The hydrocarbons are compatible […]

Future Focus

AS SECONDARY REFRIGERANTS EVOLVE, END USERS SEE OPPORTUNITY IN NEW TECH s refrigerants with highglobal-warming potential are phased out, natural refrigerants are being considered for new applications, and the industry is seeing increased use of secondary refrigeration units that allow users to lower their ammonia charge. Ken Mozek, refrigeration sales manager for Air Treatment Corp., […]

Industry Research Leads to New Insight on Optimum Pipe Sizing

fter extensive research and analysis, IIAR’s Ammonia Refrigeration Foundation has released new information on the economics of piping selection and on the proper selection of ammonia wet suction risers, which can help end users prevent oversizing of piping and using more energy than is necessary. The research and analysis projects resulted in new information that […]

Curbing Confined Space Confusion

s code interpretations continue to change and improvements slowly morph into normal practice, when the time comes to tackle OSHA’s confined space standard, where do you start? SPACE EVALUATIONS: The first phase of tackling OSHA 1910.146, is identifying if you have confined spaces. This is done by performing space evaluations. Typically the details of how […]

Education Committee Reports Scholarship Program Growth

our Foundation’s scholarship program has been steadily growing since it was launched in 2016, helping address the industry’s growing need for specifically trained engineers. Mark Stencel, chairman of IIAR’s Education Committee, said that in 2016, the program had three applicants. The next year, it was seven. Then it grew to 10. In 2019, there were […]

Selecting the Right Compressors

or a refrigeration system to run at optimal energy efficiency, it’s important to carefully select the right type of compressors need to be selected, and the correct cooling method employed. There are three primary types of refrigeration compressors – rotary screw, reciprocating, and rotary vane. Understanding how they work is critical in running an operation […]

Shipping Bay: Safety & Reduced Energy Usage Overlap (a Win-Win)

While working as the utilities and facilities manager, to bring on a new major expansion at a large food manufacturing facility, “Safety Always” was part of the culture. The new expansion called for growing from a facility with eight lines of existing production to an immediate addition of sixteen production lines – and targeted to […]

IIAR Extends Safety, Education to Global Partners

IAR continues to be active internationally, participating in and sponsoring conferences and natural refrigeration education in India, Mexico, Chile, Argentina and Colombia, with the goal to share IIAR’s message to important global stakeholders. In several venues, IIAR is helping to promote the use of natural refrigerants and to develop training to familiarize regulatory bodies with […]

The Catch 22 of R22 Replacements

FREON AND BEYOND f you’ve recently googled “it’s almost 2020 and I still have R22” then hopefully this article grants you some timely insights. The world of refrigerants has become much more complex since you could refer to your refrigerant as “Freon” and not make an embarrassing social blunder because you were actually using a […]

IIAR Webinar Series Addresses Safe Work Practices

he International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration has researched and gathered information from several members over the past year to develop a series of seven “Permit to Work: Safe Work Practices” webinars to help members of the industry stay safe and remain OSHA compliant. The General Duty Clauses from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and […]

Health Savings Accounts: Are They Just What the Doctor Ordered?

re health insurance premiums taking too big of a bite out of your budget? Do you wish you had better control over how you spend your health-care dollars? If so, you may be interested in an alternative to traditional health insurance called a health savings account (HSA). HOW DOES THIS HEALTH-CARE OPTION WORK? An HSA […]

Knowing Without Looking?

BY KEM RUSSELL Recently, I was working with the main refrigeration operaLESSON tor at a facility when he stated something that I felt was not a good idea. Since I would be working with this person and company for some time over the foreseeable future I didn’t respond to his statement, but started thinking if […]

EPA Continues Compliance Focus on Ammonia Facilities

Compliance and safety in ammonia facilities continues to be a high priority for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In 2016, EPA announced a series of National Enforcement Initiatives focused on improving safety in a variety of high hazard industries. Among these initiatives was an effort entitled “Reducing Accidental Releases at Industrial and Chemical Facilities”. EPA […]

Operating Cost Comparison between Transcritical CO2 and Ammonia Recirculation Systems in a Cold Storage Warehouse

Chris Herzog, Principal Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Partners and Peter Lepschat, Director of Engineering Henningsen Cold Storage INTRODUCTION Henningsen Cold Storage Co. (HCS) is a public refrigerated warehousing company based primarily in the Pacific Northwest. In business since 1923, HCS operates more than 60 million ft3 of multi-temperature-controlled storage at 13 facilities. The company embraces a […]

Register Now, the IIAR Heavy Equipment Show is Just Around the Corner!

The end of the year is coming to a close quickly, and that means your IIAR staff at headquarters is busy preparing for the next annual conference, in March at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel and Resort in Orlando, Florida. I’m excited to announce many additions to this Heavy Equipment Show that are new in […]

Energy and Sustainability

I often think about the myster of human thought. How something unseen and metaphysical can affect and alter things that are seen and physical. The old saying is certainly true, that “Ideas have consequences”. As an engineer I was taught that entropy (disorder) unavoidably increases in the universe according to the second law of thermodynamics. […]

IIAR Moves Forward on CO2 Standard

he use of carbon dioxide as a refrigerant has continued to increase, and the IIAR is moving closer to finalizing a new CO2 standard, which will address several critical aspects of CO2 refrigeration, such as installation, startup, inspection, testing and maintenance. “It will be a document that end users, contractors and business operators can reference […]

Advancements in Refrigeration Equipment Require Advanced Lubricants

ny machinery with moving parts requires a lubricant, and the lubricant landscape within the refrigeration industry has gotten more complicated over the past 25 years as new types of equipment have entered the marketplace. A major factor driving the change has been regulatory requirements, which have led to increasing numbers of end-users seeking low-global warming […]

Foundation Sees Fundraising Success

he Ammonia Refrigeration Foundation is in the midst of its annual fundraising drive, and this year is already looking promising, said Joe Mandato, chairman of the ARF board of trustees. Your foundation has set a fundraising goal of $500,000. “I think that’s a reasonable goal,” Mandato said. “I anticipate we will reach the goal, but […]

Clean Evaporator Coils Reduce Energy Expenditure, Lower Costs

umerous factors can contribute to decreases in a refrigeration system’s energy efficiency, not the least of which is its cleanliness. Much of the time, when facility operators see a facility’s efficiency drop, they believe that indicates they must replace the systems with larger units, when in fact, they often simply need to clean the systems […]

ASME Low Temperature Requirements for Impact Testing

RICHARD MERRILL or those of us that didn’t major in metallurgy, steel was always a pretty simple material. It was pretty springy and flexible stuff. Just about any shape was possible. Steel could be loaded up to a point and it would bend, but when unloaded it would spring back to its original shape. If […]

From the Montreal Protocol to the Paris Agreement: How Refrigerants Have Felt the Chill of Global Environmental Regulations

EILEEN M. MCKEOWN, IIAR, VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING AND SALES nternational refrigerant related environmental regulation began in a laboratory at the University of California, Irvine, in 1973 when a postdoctoral fellow, Mario J. Molina, under the supervision of F. Sherwood Rowland, made a groundbreaking and controversial hypothesis that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) could destroy ozone (O3) in the […]

International Update: A Focus on Education in Latin America

n Chile, the International Committee of the IIAR has been working with the University of Santiago’s department of mechanical engineering along with the Chilean Chamber of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (CChRyC) to develop a diploma track specifically to prepare refrigeration engineers to work with ammonia systems. The first class – 14 engineers in total – […]

Understanding Bond Yields and the Yield Curve

hen it comes to investing in bonds, one of the first factors to consider is yield. But what exactly is “yield?” The answer depends on how the term is being used. In the broadest sense, an investment’s yield is the return you get on the money you’ve invested. However, there are many different ways to […]

Pre-emergency preparedness

Are you prepared? I think most of us think we are LESSON prepared, at least to deal with whatever we expect to happen. The trouble is that often what we come up against is not something we expected – therefore we are not prepared to deal with it. For ammonia refrigeration whether a system has […]

Regulatory Reforms Advance in Canada and U.S.

Regulations are a major consideration for the industrial refrigeration industry in the United States, Canada and many other countries. IIAR has long worked to improve the regulatory climate in the U.S. and is now working to broaden its influence across the globe. In some cases, this takes the form of promoting IIAR standards in countries […]

Developing and Implementing Effective Ammonia Refrigeration System Operating Procedures

Michael Keller, CIRO PSM Compliance Specialist, Bassett Mechanical ABSTRACT This paper provides guidance on developing and implementing operating procedures for ammonia refrigeration systems. The regulatory information is based on the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Process Safety Management (29CFR1910.119) standard (1992), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chemical Accident Prevention Provisions’ (40 CFR part […]

President’s Message by Dave Rule

It’s that time of year again, and I’m happy to welcome all IIAR members back to our most important event – the IIAR annual conference and exhibition. Before I get into the exciting things we’ve got in store for you as an organization this year, I’d like to take a minute to recognize all our […]

Chairman’s Message by Walter Teeter

It’s amazing how quickly a year can go by. Our 2018 annual conference is here already, and while that means this is the last annual meeting during my term as Chairman, this year’s conference represents just the beginning of many exciting developments for IIAR and its members. In each membership year, the annual conference is […]

NH3 | CO2 TAKE GOLD

ICE RINKS ANSWER HFC PHASE OUT WITH NATURAL REFRIGERANTS BY MINDY LONG ce rinks from community recreation facilities to the National Hockey League are moving to natural refrigerants such as ammonia and carbon dioxide as they replace aging facilities and deal with the mandatory phase out of R-22, a hydrochlorofluorocarbon that has been widely used […]

CONFERENCE CHAIR’S MESSAGE

Welcome to Colorado and the 2018 Natural Refrigeration Conference & Expo Special thanks to every company who provided important financial support for IIAR through their conference participation It’s the beginning of a new annual conference for all of us at IIAR, and that means it’s time to meet new colleagues, network, and catch up with […]

ARF Message

Foundation-Led Apprenticeship Program Takes Off The International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration, in partnership with other industry leaders — including The Foundation, RETA, IIAR, GCCA, Lanier Technical College, and Fastport — has created an apprentice program for mechanics and technicians to help bolster the refrigeration workforce. The program is designed to train ammonia refrigeration technicians in […]

From Threat Assessment to Employee Engagement: IIAR Tech Papers Unveil Research, Analyze Data

tilizing bow-tie graphics to assess and prevent potential threats to an industrial ammonia refrigeration system, the importance of employee engagement and building relationships with first responders, and the benefits of ammonia scrubbing with C02 are among the technical papers and workshops that will be presented at this year’s annual IIAR Natural Refrigeration Conference and Expo. […]

Efficiency Can be Just Another Controllable Cost

Energy efficiency can be achieved in ways other than with new technology. It can also prove to be a controllable cost, just as with labor and equipment. By developing an energy management system that establishes clear, measurable goals for energy performance, end users of industrial refrigeration facilities can realize a significant reduction in energy consumption, […]

Little Details Add Up

BY KEM RUSSELL When big things happen they really draw our attention, but in most cases it’s the little things we miss that can result in unexpected and sometimes undesirable results. We might breeze along taking account of larger items, not realizing or taking time to think that little details can make a big difference. […]

Social Security: Claim Early and Invest Versus Delaying Receipt for Increased Benefits

The IIAR and ARF reserve investment funds are currently managed by Stifel Financial Services under the investment policy established by their respective board of directors. In this and subsequent issues of the Condenser, you’ll find a “financial tech tips” article from the firm on this page. Members of IIAR may use the financial services of […]

Using the Right Type of Monitor for CO2

he use of CO2 is becoming common in the industrial refrigeration industry, especially with cascade refrigeration systems. But many people are not as familiar with CO2 as they are with ammonia, some believing that the only respiratory issue with CO2 is that it is an inert gas like nitrogen or argon. While most people are […]

Appeals Court Denies Rehearing of Ruling Against EPA Regulation of HFCs

On January 26, 2017, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied petitions requesting a rehearing by the full court of a decision finding that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had exceeded its authority by regulating the use of HFCs through the Significant New Alternatives Policy program (SNAP). The petitions, […]