The Natural Refrigeration Review is a quarterly publication that contains technical articles, regulatory and code updates, industry news and information about IIAR activities and publications. It is distributed by email to all IIAR Members and IIAR Contact lists.
SUMMER 2026 THE NATURAL REFRIGERATION REVIEW
The Natural Refrigeration Review issues are available as PDF downloads for both lIAR members and non-members, or as individual article posts below. Click the button to view the full issue, or scroll through all the individual issue articles below.
Natural Refrigeration Foundation Annual Golf Tournament a Success
The Natural Refrigeration Foundation has raised more than $73,000 at its annual golf tournament. The foundation promotes the climate-positive, safe, reliable, and efficient use of natural refrigerants through research and scholarships to develop industry talent, academic alliances, and outreach.
Read MoreIndustrial Refrigeration Faces Significant Cybersecurity Risks
The use of technology in the industrial refrigeration industry continues to increase, and automation and internet control of facilities are becoming commonplace. The benefits of automation and control are massive, but there is also a downside. The systems can be vulnerable to attack, making cybersecurity measures essential to protect against cyber threats.
Read MoreHeat Pumps Hold Potential in Household and Commercial Applications
Heat pumps can significantly reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, and the adoption of heat pumps is continuing to increase in both household and industrial applications as technology advances.
Read MoreWork Continues on IIAR Standards
The Standards Committee is continuing its work on revisions of several standards, which must be reviewed and revised a minimum of every five years by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for IIAR to remain as an accredited Standards Developing Organization (SDO). Updates for each standard were given during the IIAR Standards Committee Meeting at the IIAR 2023 Annual Conference in Long Beach.
Read MoreIIAR Remembers Members for Their Service and Contributions
IIAR’s success hinges on the involvement of its members, and the association would like to pay tribute to several members who have passed away. These members generously shared their time and expertise with IIAR and the industry, and they will be missed.
Read MoreIIAR, RETA Work to Increase Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Industry
Industrial refrigeration has long been a male-dominated industry with women being few and far between, whether it be at the enduser, contractor, or manufacturer level, but that is changing.
Read MoreKeeping Up by Dr. Janet Lapp
The increase in the volume of work resulting from regulatory changes is superimposed on a backset of a) unprecedented instability and b) an increasing and overwhelming number of decisions we are forced to make daily. Generative A.I. is compounding the overwhelm. The number of decisions every day has increased tenfold over the last three years (74%), 78% are bombarded with more data than ever, and 86% say the volume of data is making decisions much more complicated.
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OSHA Nears Completion of Final Rule on Injury and Illness Recordkeeping Requirements
On April 7, 2023, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) submitted its latest injury and illness recordkeeping proposal to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). Submission to OIRA usually marks the last step in the rulemaking process before a Final Rule is published. Injury and illness recordkeeping has been the subject of regulatory attention by the last three administrations.
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Weighing the Choice between NCIAL Taxable and Tax-Free Bonds
If you're considering the purchase of an individual bond or even a bond mutual fund, one of your first concerns will be its yield. However, when comparing various yields, you need to make sure you're not comparing apples to oranges. The yield on a tax-free bond may be lower than that paid by a taxable bond, but you'll need to look at its tax-equivalent yield to compare them accurately.
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Lesson Learned: Bad Decommissioning Mistake
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. Due to various conditions, it may become necessary to decommission a system or portions of it, which is defined in ANSI/ IIAR 8- 2020 – Decommissioning of Closed-Circuit Ammonia Refrigeration Systems as: “The permanent deactivation of a closed-circuit refrigeration system.”
Read MoreBenefit of Ammonia Heat Pump Implementation in the Industry and for District Heating
Over the last 15 years the market for high-temperature ammonia heat pumps has been growing in Europe and now it is also taking off in North America. That period in Europe has yielded many lessons as higher pressure and temperature present new challenges in refrigerant design. This paper explains where heat pump installation differs from refrigeration installation through three case studies of installations in Europe.
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President’s Message by Gary Shrift
The International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration is growing, both within the United States and abroad, thanks to the use of natural refrigerants, and nowhere is this more evident than at the IIAR annual conference. This year, we’ll meet in person in Long Beach, California to discuss everything from HFC phaseouts to the AIM Act, to new technologies.
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Chairman’s Message
As I wind up my year as chairman of our International Association of Industrial Refrigeration, 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. First on my list is the newly formed IIAR AIM Act Task Force. The American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (AIM) Act is expected to increase the long-term use of natural refrigerants and bring significant new opportunities to the natural refrigerant industry.
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High Growth For Low Charge
The pace of adoption of low-charge and packaged systems continues to increase as government regulations, sustainability initiatives, safety precautions, and technology advance. “There has been a drive to reduce refrigerant charge in all refrigeration,” said John Collins, industrial sales manager for Zero Zone. “The synthetic refrigerants containing HFC compounds are being regulated. Current and proposed regulations set definite limits which are driving system design for those types of systems and driving low-charge systems and more packaged unitary equipment because they’re trying to get the charge down.”
Read MoreIIAR Annual Conference Heads to Long Beach
The International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration 2023 annual Natural Refrigeration Conference & Expo will take place in Long Beach, California, March 12th15th with a Foundation Golf Outing on March 11th and the first ever Foundation Pickleball/Cornhole Tournament on March 12th. The event provides four days of technical knowledge, networking, and industry-sponsored events for those involved in the natural refrigeration industry.
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Identifying Hazards Using Appropriate Assessment Techniques
The United States EPA National Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program implemented several national compliance initiatives (NCIs) effective for FY2020-2023. One of these NCIs is titled “Reducing Risks of Accidental Releases at Industrial and Chemical Facilities”. IIAR has received notice from the EPA and several end-users that one area of their focus is to determine whether facilities using hazardous chemicals have conducted a hazard analysis.
Read MoreTechnical Papers Provide In-Depth Thought Leadership at the IIAR Conference
During the annual IIAR Industrial Refrigeration Conference & Exhibition, industry experts will come together to present technical papers at the IIAR Technical Program. This year’s papers will address several key categories, including carbon dioxide, security, and safety.
Read MoreUpdate on IIAR Standards: 2023
IIAR is the world’s leading advocate for the safe, reliable, and efficient use of ammonia and other natural refrigerants as well as an ANSI-accredited standards developer. IIAR is currently the only organization writing design and operation standards specifically for ammonia and other natural refrigeration systems. All IIAR Standards are developed to meet essentialrequirement criteria set by ANSI. All IIAR Standards must be re-affirmed every 5 years.
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EPA Proposes HFC Phase Down Rule for Refrigeration Sector
On December 9th, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposed rule under the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act to advance the transition to more efficient heating and cooling technologies by restricting the use of hydrofluorocarbo and refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump equipment beginning in 2025. EPA has listed entities potentially impacted by the rule to include companies that manufacture, import, export, package, sell or otherwise distribute products that use or are intended to use HFCs, such as refrigeration and air-conditioning systems, heat pumps, foams, and aerosols.
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The Secure Act 2.0
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancements (SECURE) Act increases saving opportunities for Americans. SECURE Act 2.0 was recently passed and contains roughly 90 separate provisions, many of which became effective on January 1, 2023. Below is a summary of some of the more substantial changes:
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