After 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.
Read MoreAs 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 ANR certificate course.
Read More
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.
Read MoreDue 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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
As 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 investing in additional tools.
Read MoreOn 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 Conference and Expo.
Read MoreThe 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.
Read More
End users are increasingly looking to natural refrigerants to boost efficiencies and reduce their carbon footprints.
Read More
Refrigeration 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.
Read MoreDespite 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.
Read More
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 to Canada. Hoping to avoid wet and cold weather (yes even in southern California), and to also avoid very dry conditions, we started hiking in midApril. Fortunately, and unfortunately, the year we hiked it was one of the driest on record.
Read More
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancements (SECURE) Act increases saving opportunities for Americans, with many of the provisions becoming effective January 1, 2020. The SECURE Act contains 29 separate provisions; below is a summary of some of the more substantial changes.
Read More
When 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 facility when compared to other chemicals.
Read More
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 some facilities to meet certain compliance requirements during the pandemic.
Read More
The 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.
Read MoreIn 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 compared with historical incident data available from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Risk Management Plan database and a 2008 IIAR survey.
Read More
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.
Read More
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 that are now, of course, conducted remotely.
Read MoreHydrofluorocarbons 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 warming potential systems, and it is impacting different markets in different ways.
Read MoreIIAR 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 past success as it plans future content.
Read MoreCalifornia is on track to become the first regulator to address the global warming potential of refrigerants used in ice rinks. “That isn’t to say ice rinks aren’t covered in other regulations, but it’s the first to target ice rinks specifically, which could set a global precedent,” said Christina Starr, senior policy analyst for the Environmental Investigation Agency. “That’s why it’s so important to have a 150 GWP threshold, which sends the right signal about what is feasible in this sector.”
Read MoreAll 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.
Read MoreOur 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 requirements, employee health screening; visitor restrictions; the list goes on and on and on.
Read More
As 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 just part of the business. However, with some time spent on pre-emergency planning and emergency response, we can get ahead of this ever-looming vulnerability, making leaks a well-managed part of the business.
Read More
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 peaks in my area. Needless to say, COVID-19 stopped that activity. However, I was still interested in doing those peaks, several of which I had never done.
Read More
Utilizing (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.
Read More
IIAR 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.
Read More
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 accomplished simply through executive action.
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreAs 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.
Read MoreMaintenance 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, particularly with uninsulated valves and controls, that must be managed by those in the refrigeration industry,” said Bob Czarnecki, a member of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration board of directors.
Read More
To 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 efficient use of all the natural refrigerants – ammonia, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, air and water.
Read MoreIn 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.
Read MoreTrying 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”.
Read MoreThe 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 leaders give a summary of where and how project information is being produced and used.
Read MoreMachinery 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 cooled condensers.
Read MoreWe 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.
Read MoreOne 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 difficulties they’ve encountered and which natural refrigerants they should choose.”
Read More
You must be 70½ or older in order to be eligible to make QCDs. You simply instruct your IRA trustee to make a distribution directly from your IRA (other than SEP and SIMPLE IRAs) to a qualified charity. The distribution must be one that would otherwise be taxable to you. You can exclude up to $100,000 of QCDs from your gross income each year.
Read MoreWe 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.
Read More
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.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.
Read More
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 authority.
Read MoreHaving 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.
Read MoreAs 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.
Read MoreAgainst 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.
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreAt 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.
Read More
Energy 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.
Read MoreEach 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 with awards of excellence. Below are 2019’s recipients.
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreAt 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.
Read More
The 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.
Read More
An outright gift is one that benefits the charity immediately and exclusively. With an outright gift you get an immediate income and gift tax deduction.
Read More
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?
Read MoreThe 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 results in a calculation for the minimum thickness (Tmin) at various places on a vessel (e.g., shell, seams, heads, and nozzels).
Read More
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.
Read MoreA vessel containing liquid CO2 may form dry ice and be at a temperature below -100°F (-73.3°C) if a leak or control malfunction causes its pressure to drop to atmospheric pressure. If the upset condition is corrected and the vessel is repressurized too quickly with warm high-pressure CO2 , there is a possibility of brittle fracture if the vessel material of construction is carbon steel. The industrial gas industry has developed safe and acceptable methods of repressurizing carbon steel CO2 vessels that have lost pressure. These are described in the Compressed Gas Association guideline CGA-6.7.
Read MoreOnce 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 cooling requirements ranging from manufacturing needs to pharmaceutical production and the general comfort cooling needs of public buildings to residential.
Read MoreMany 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:
Read MoreAs 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.
Read MoreAfter 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.
Read MoreAs 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?
Read MoreYour 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.
Read More
For 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.
Read MoreWhile 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 expand to thirty-two lines of production within two more years.
Read More
IIAR 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.
Read MoreIf 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 halogenated hydrocarbon and not a fluorinated hydrocarbon mixed with an unsaturated fluorinated alkene.
Read More
The 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.
Read More
Are 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).
Read More
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 this is how many others feel.
Read More
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 has placed specific emphasis on ammonia facilities as a part of the initiative, which has subsequently been renamed a National Compliance Initiative (NCI).
Read MoreHenningsen 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 continuous improvement culture and has applied it countless times in designing new facilities and optimizing existing facilities.
Read MoreThe 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 2020 and highlight the many advantages of IIAR membership, so consider this your official invitation to another can’t-miss IIAR conference!
Read MoreI 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.
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreAny 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.
Read MoreThe 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.
Read More
Numerous 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 they’re currently using - particularly the evaporators.
Read MoreFor 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.
Read MoreInternational 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 Earth’s stratosphere.
Read MoreIn 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 – recently graduated.
Read More
When 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 calculate yield. Comparing yields can be a good way to evaluate bond investments, as long as you know what yields you’re comparing and why.
Read More
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 400 lbs. or 40,000 lbs. (or more) we should do pre-emergency planning and training.
Read More
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 that do not have well established regulatory schemes. In other cases, IIAR is working to advance regulatory reforms to reduce regulatory burdens while maintaining safety.
Read MoreThis 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 68) Risk Management PlanRule(1996), and the IIAR standards for Developing Operating Procedures for Closed-Circuit Ammonia Refrigeration Systems (ANSI/IIAR7-2013).
Read MoreIt’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 sponsors and exhibitors. It is their support that provides the backbone for this annual event, sponsoring food and coffee breaks, not to mention our exhibit hall – and everything else that makes this one of the premier events in our industry.
Read MoreIt’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.
Read MoreIce 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 at ice rinks across North America.
Read MoreIn Europe, the phase out of fluorinated gases with high global warming potential, known as F-gases in Europe and HFCs in the U.S., is resulting in severe shortages, causing prices to skyrocket and creating challenges for those that operate and maintain the systems.
Read MoreIt’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 friends and business partners at our industry’s largest event. Welcome to the 2018 IIAR Natural Refrigeration Conference & Exhibition!
Read MoreThe 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 all phases of their careers and combines well-developed on-thejob learning with related instruction.
Read MoreUtilizing 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.
Read More
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, delivering cost savings that fall straight to the bottom line.
Read More
When big things happe 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.
Read More
Financial Advisors are occasionally asked to provide an analysis of the potential results of claiming Social Security early and investing the proceeds versus delaying receipt for increased benefits, which can be claimed as late as age 70. The following are the reasons that delaying social security income can be a prudent strategy.
Read More
The 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.
Read More
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).
Read MoreIn the wake of the pending global phase-down of HFCs due to their contribution to global warming, users and owners of refrigeration systems are faced with decisions that at times appear difficult. These decisions relate to whether or not users continue to employ HFC-based refrigeration systems, switch to low GWP synthetic refrigerants or consider future-proof natural refrigerants such as NH3 , CO2 , hydrocarbons, water, or air in their new and/or expanded systems. In this decision-making process, one very important factor is often either overlooked or underestimated. This factor is energy performance—particularly the energy performance of low charge NH3 systems.
Read More
