WINTER 2026 NATURAL REFRIGERATION REVIEW
The Natural Refrigeration Review issues are available as a PDF downloads for both lIAR Members and Non-members, or as individual article posts below. Click the button below to view the full issue, or scroll through all the individual issue articles below.
IIAR began a closer examination of the federal General Duty clause, Process Safety Management and Risk Management programs for ammonia refrigeration systems, built a new website section to highlight member resources, automated its peer review process for technical papers, and expanded events in Latin America in 2025.
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A new research project funded by IIAR’s Natural Refrigeration Foundation has validated a key calculation used in the ANSI/IIAR CO2-2021 Safety Standard for Closed-Circuit Carbon Dioxide Refrigeration Systems. The calculation is used to generate a formula that determines the CO2 relief valve sizing recommendations in the CO2 safety standard.
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IIAR’s annual conference will deliver a tech-heavy program this year, featuring two auxiliary training and certification programs from the Refrigerating Engineers & Technician’s Association, RETA, and the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council, NASRC, as well as thirty one sessions comprising six educational tracks and expanded exhibit hall hours.
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Heat pumps, real life stories from PSM coordinators and the use of AI in refrigeration and waste heat recovery for data centers are a few of the hot topics slated for discussion at IIAR’s 2026 conference in San Antonio. This year’s papers will address several categories spanning safety, CO2 optimization, heat exchangers, cold storage, ammonia charge and more. In addition, a series of panels and workshops will address many of the industry’s focus areas. This year’s papers will address several categories spanning safety, CO2 optimization, heat exchangers, cold storage, ammonia charge and more.
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IIAR’s Natural Refrigeration Foundation unveiled a new fundraising effort intended to make the foundation financially secure as it funds scholarships and industry research into the next decade and beyond. The foundation said the new Legacy 100 Fund will be built by contributions of $100,000-each to induct 100 leaders of the refrigeration industry into the Club.
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A new conference session format is brewing ahead of the IIAR annual conference in March according to IIAR conference planners. The session, which will take place during the event’s closing day will include a lively jeopardy-style question and answer format and will focus on IIAR’s standards.
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In many closed-circuit ammonia refrigeration systems, water contamination can occur over a period of time and the effects of that contamination can easily go unnoticed. One thing water contamination can do is cause an aqueous ammonia solution to be formed, which then replaces anhydrous ammonia refrigerant. This problem can become continuous if it isn’t resolved and will increase over time if the source is not identified.
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I am sure that many of us have seen ammonia refrigeration systems that have operated for several decades, with equipment and system components functioning well past recommended operating life. This is a credit to manufacturers, installers, service technicians, and operators. Aging equipment and piping at some point will eventually require replacement. Or the system or portion of it may be decommissioned due to a business discussion.
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In January 2026, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced the creation of a new voluntary program called Safety Champions which has been added to the suite of cooperative programs (such as the OSHA Challenge and Voluntary Protection Program) administered by the agency.
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Welcome IIAR members and guests to the 48th IIAR conference, and welcome to San Antonio. While we’re still two years away from our truly historic 50th anniversary, I’d argue we’re entitled to start celebrating now. So much of the work we, and IIAR’s past leaders, have put into advancing natural refrigeration, is paying off these days.
Read MoreIn 1926, ammonia was the dominant refrigerant for large-scale refrigeration applications. Leading up to that point, ammonia refrigeration played a key role in the industrial revolution, earning itself, along with other natural refrigerants, a reputation for being a “century-proof” technology. Spanning the late 1800s, when steam engines gave rise to the first basic mechanical refrigeration systems -- to 2026, when natural refrigerants and specialized equipment are able to deliver precise temperature control -- the natural refrigeration industry underpins many of the most important advancements of modern life.
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