RAGAGEP UPDATE Douglas Reindl, Director, IRC 2016 IRC R&T Forum
What s the point? Process safety information (d)(3)(ii) The employer shall document that equipment complies with recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices. Mechanical integrity (j)(4)(ii) Inspection and testing procedures shall follow recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices. (j)(4)(iii) The frequency of inspections and tests of process equipment shall be consistent with applicable manufacturers recommendations and good engineering practices, and more frequently if determined to be necessary by prior operating experience.
Relevant standards - big picture ASME Section VIII Div. 1 Pressure Vessels B31.5 Refrigerant Piping ASHRAE Standard 15 Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems IIAR Standard 1 - Definitions Standard 2 - Equip, Design, & Installation Standard 3 - Valves Standard 4 - Installation IIAR (cont) Standard 5 - Start-up and Commissioning Standard 7 Operating procedures Standard 8 - Decommissioning 3
Principal Codes & Standards for Ammonia Refrigeration ASME B&PV Code (Pressure vessels) B31.5 (Refrigeration Piping) IIAR IIAR 1, IIAR 2, IIAR 3, IIAR 4, IIAR 5, IIAR 7, IIAR 8 ASHRAE Standard 15, Standard 34 Codes International Mechanical Code or Uniform Mechanical Code Other State & Local Codes RAGAGEP 4
IIAR 2 Purpose: to specify minimum requirements for the safe design of closed-circuit ammonia refrigeration systems Scope: Applies to closed-circuit refrigeration systems using ammonia as a refrigerant. Excludes: ammonia absorption, replacements of machinery, equipment, or piping with functional equivalence, and existing systems 5
IIAR 2 Contents: Part 1 General Part 2 Design and installation considerations affecting construction Part 3 Equipment Part 4 - Appendices 6
IIAR 2 Table of Contents 1. Purpose, scope, applicability Part 1 2. Definitions 3. Reference standards 4. Location of ammonia refrigeration machinery 5. General system design requirements 6. Machinery rooms 7. Refrigeration equipment located in areas other than machinery rooms Part 2 7
IIAR 2 Table of Contents 8. Compressors 9. Refrigerant pumps 10. Condensers 11. Evaporators 12. Pressure vessels 13. Piping 14. Packaged systems & equipment 15. Overpressure protection devices 16. Instrumentation & controls 17. Ammonia detection and alarms Part 3 8
Select definitions Machinery room An enclosed space that, where required by this standard to contain equipment, must comply with the requirements set forth in Chapter 6. Equipment An assembly, subassembly, accessory, or component of a refrigeration system. Principal machinery room door A door leading to the exterior of the machinery room designated by the owner or designee as the primary emergency egress door from the machinery room, which has required placarding. 9
Select definitions Monitored A means of continuous oversight, such as notification of staff, a thirdparty alarm service, or a responsible party. Restricted Describes a premises or piece of equipment that is permitted to be accessed by authorized personnel and specifically excludes public access. Authorized personnel Persons who, by virtue of their training and job description, have been specifically granted permission to enter a restricted area, specifically granted permission to perform restricted tasks or both. 10
Egress & Doors NOT COMPLIANT IIAR 2 (2014) 6.10.1 - General For machinery rooms greater than 1000 sq ft, requires at least two exit doors Doors shall be separated by a horizontal distance equal to or greater than half the maximum horizontal dimension of the room All portions of the machinery room shall be within 150 ft of an exit door 6.10.2 Door Features From machinery room to production. From production to machinery room. Self-closing and tight-fitting with panic hardware and door hinged to swing in the direction of egress for occupants leaving the machinery room
Machinery rooms Room access IIAR 2-6.3.4 Access shall be restricted to authorized personnel. Signage on door shall comply with 6.15 Protection from physical damage IIAR 2-5.17.1 Where ammonia-containing equipment is installed in a location subject to physical damage, guarding or barricading shall be provided. 12
Machinery Room Ventilation
Emergency ventilation Exhaust requirements Machinery room exhaust shall vent to the outdoors not closer than 20 ft from a property line [6.14.3.4] discharge vertically upward with a minimum discharge velocity of 2,500 ft/min at the required emergency ventilation rate [6.14.3.5] Power Emergency ventilation shall be powered independently of equipment within the machinery room [6.14.7.3] A monitored location shall be notified upon a loss of power to the emergency ventilation system [6.14.7.4] 14
Temperature control Room temperature limit Air flow required to limit room temperature dry bulb to 104 F based on 1% design dry bulb [6.14.6.1] A reduced temperature control ventilation is permitted where a means of cooling is provided or room electrical equipment is designed to operate at an elevated temperature [6.14.6.1] 15
Machinery room ventilation Inlet air Make-up air provided to maintain machinery room under negative pressure not greater than 0.25 in H 2 O, relative to adjacent areas [6.14.5.1] prevent short-circuiting of make-up air directly to exhaust [6.14.5.2] positioned to draw in uncontaminated outdoor air [6.14.5.4] motorized dampers, if used, shall fail open on a loss of power [6.14.5.6]
Ventilation testing Testing A schedule for testing the mechanical ventilation system shall be established based on manufacturers recommendations, unless modified based on documented experience. Testing shall include operation of the ventilation system based on ammonia detection at and by manual control switch [6.14.8.1] the mechanical ventilation system shall be tested at least twice per year [6.14.8.2]
Ammonia detection IIAR 2-2014 6.13.1 Ammonia detection and alarm Machinery room shall be provided with ammonia detection and alarm in accordance with Sections 17.2-17.6 and provide the following: 1. At least one detector shall be provided in room or area 2. Detector shall activate an alarm that reports to a monitored location so that corrective action can be taken at a concentration of 25 ppm or higher 3. Audible and visual alarms shall be provided inside the room to warn that access to the room is restricted to authorized and emergency personnel. Additional audible and visual alarms shall be located outside of each entrance to the machinery room.
Ammonia detection IIAR 2-2014 6.13.2 Alarm response 6.13.2.1 Below 25 ppm no alarm 6.13.2.2 At or exceeding 25 ppm, activate visual indicators and audible alarms. Allows automatic reset if concentration drops below 25 ppm 6.13.2.3 At or exceeding 150 ppm, activate visual indicators and audible alarms and activate emergency ventilation when required by 6.14.7. Once activated, ventilation shall continue to operate until manually reset by a switch located in the machinery room
Ammonia detection IIAR 2-2014 6.13.2 Alarm response 6.13.2.4 At concentrations that exceed the detector s upper detection limit or 40,000 ppm, whichever is lower, activate visual indicators and audible alarms, emergency ventilation in accordance with 6.14.7. Once activated, ventilation continues to operate until manually reset by switch in the machinery room. In addition, automatically de-energize: refrigerant compressors, refrigerant pumps, and normally-closed automatic refrigerant valves that are not part of an emergency control system.
Emergency controls IIAR 2-2014 Clearly identified emergency shut-off switch with tamper-resistant cover adjacent to the designated principal machinery room door. Switch provides off-only control of refrigerant compressors, refrigerant pumps, and normally-closed automatic refrigerant valves located in the room. Function of switch shall be clearly marked by signage near controls. [6.12.1] Clearly identified control switch for emergency ventilation with tamper-resistant cover adjacent to the designated principal machinery room door. Switch provides on/auto override capability for emergency ventilation. Function of switch shall be clearly marked by signage near controls. [6.12.2]
Safety systems Eye-wash & shower stations Each machinery room requires access to at least two eyewash/safety showers one located inside and one located outside machinery room [6.7.1] Additional eyewash/showers units located in the machinery room with a path of travel no more than 55 ft [6.7.1] Path of travel shall be unobstructed with no intervening doors [6.7.2] Eyewash/shower installations shall comply with ISEA Z358.1
Where do I relieve ammonia? Pressure relief devices discharging vapor to atmosphere No less than 15 ft above grade [15.5.1.2] Not less than 20 ft from windows, ventilation opening/intakes, or building exits [15.5.1.2] Not less than 7.25 ft above roof occupied solely for service and inspection [15.5.1.3] Not less than 7.25 ft above platform surfaces such as upper condenser catwalks that are occupied solely for service and inspection [15.5.1.4]
Where do I relieve ammonia? Pressure relief devices discharging vapor to atmosphere Termination directed upward and arranged to avoid spraying on persons in the vicinity [15.5.1.5] Discharge piping shall have a provision for draining moisture from the piping [15.5.1.6] Drip pocket
QUESTIONS?