analysis

®
VOLUME ONE NUMBER ONE

HVAC

I S S U E S A N D A N S W E R S F O R T H E C O N S U L T I N G / S P E C I F Y I N G C O M M U N I T Y

In this issue...
What standards should be ASHRAE 15 – 1994: Implications
adhered to when designing
and upgrading mechanical
equipment rooms? Many of
for Mechanical Room Design
the primary answers are
found in ASHRAE Standard Introduction conditioning industry and At the time of this legisla-
15-1994: Safety Code for First issued as a safety its customers have been tion, neither ASHRAE nor
Mechanical Refrigeration. code (Standard B9) in 1930, faced with The Clean Air ARI safety standards had
While there is no substitute the same year that CFC Act Amendments of 1990, been updated to address the
for reading the document (chlorofluorocarbon) refrig- which legislated the phase- new alternative refrigerants
itself, ASHRAE 15-1994 is erants were introduced in out of CFC production at that were already appearing
written in code language, the United States, ASHRAE the end of 1995. Although in the marketplace. Thus,
which is sometimes complex Standard 15 has undergone the regulations permit the ASHRAE 15 was revised in
and difficult to understand. unusually rapid change over responsible use of these 1992 and again in 1994.
Your best strategy is to obtain the last half-decade. During refrigerants, intentional The current standard is
a copy of the standard and this same period, the air venting is strictly prohibited. now being used to formulate
read it thoroughly, then use
this newsletter as a point
of reference.
ASHRAE 15-1994 is a
guideline, but it is being
used to formulate codes for
the safe installation and
operation of mechanical
refrigeration systems in the
United States and beyond.
To find out how the stan-
dard is being adopted in
your area, invite your local
Carrier representative to
discuss ASHRAE 15-1994...
before you design or imple-
ment any mechanical room
changes.
Educate Your Customers: The high-
lights of ASHRAE 15-1994 are summa-
rized in Carrier’s SYNOPSIS newsletter,
which is written specifically for building
owners and managers. To receive copies
at no charge, call 1-800-CARRIER and
request SYNOPSIS, Vol. 1, No. 1.

1

Mechanical Room Safety Check
Location of inlet
vents in relation
to exhaust outlets ?
Purge
vents to
Rupture disc
outlet locations ?
outside ?
Are drain valves connected
to evacuation devices ?
Are there any
pit areas in the
room ?
codes for the safe installation
and operation of mechanical
refrigeration systems through-
out the United States and
beyond.
Code Compliance
and Safety
ASHRAE Standard 15-1994
was intentionally written in
code language so it could be
adopted nearly verbatim, if
desired, by model code asso-
ciations. The primary goal
of this standard is to mitigate
safety risks to the environ-
ment, to mechanical room
operators and, ultimately, to
the general public.
With the introduction of
alternative refrigerants such
as HCFCs (hydro-chlorofluo-
rocarbons), HFCs (hydroflu-
orocarbons), and mixtures of
refrigerant compounds
known as blends, new refrig-
erant safety classifications
have been added under the
ASHRAE 34-1992 Standard,
Number Designation and
Safety Classification of
Refrigerants. Allowable
exposure limits for the vari-
ous refrigerants range from a
low of 10 ppm (parts per mil-
lion) to a cap of 1,000 ppm.
Some blends are comprised
of one or more flammable
compounds, introducing yet
another safety concern.
Using ASHRAE 34-1992 as a
starting point, ASHRAE 15-
Location of roof drains ?
Is there a tight
seal on doors ?
Are safety rupture
lines the right size ?
Is access to mechanical
room restricted ?
Is there self contained
breathing apparatus
outside of the room ?
Where do the
floor drains
empty to ?
1994 and its subsequent
addenda have been written
to help professionals mini-
mize risk and promote safety
stewardship.
The purpose of this article
is to provide a basic overview
of mechanical room safety
issues in relation to the
ASHRAE Standard. It is not
intended to be a comprehen-
sive review of all require-
ments. While this is by no
means a substitute for read-
ing the document itself, it
will help you to know what to
look for when reading the
standard.
Mechanical Room
Safety Check
For many building owners,
mechanical rooms are virtu-
ally unknown portions of the
property. “Out of sight, out
of mind” rings true in far too
many cases. Most owners
understand only that the
equipment in the mechani-
cal room supplies chilled
water for air conditioning.
Equipment may be ten, 20,
30 or even 50 years old –
each unit installed to comply
with the codes of the day.
Given the new ASHRAE
Standard and the approach-
ing CFC and HCFC produc-
tion phaseout, now is the
right time for owners, opera-
tors and engineers to con-
duct a complete mechanical
room safety check and review
potential liability problems.
The following checklist high-
lights the many important
items to look for (Fig. 1):
*#@&(*)
Are exhaust outlets located
near inlet vents? Safety relief
devices on chillers are typi-
cally vented to the outside,
most often through the roof.
It is important to know how
close this vent is to the air
intakes on the roof and to
insure that there is at least 20
FIGURE 1 feet between them.
Are roof drains vulnerable
to collecting refrigerant? If
you lose refrigerant from an
exhaust outlet and it vents a
few feet above a flat, curbed
roof, the refrigerant could
very well lay across the roof
and find the first exit – prob-
ably down the roof drains.
Most roof drains lead directly
to a sewer system.
Where does the purge
vent? A conventional purge
(not a new, high-efficiency
model) loses three to 20
pounds of refrigerant for
every pound of noncondensi-
ble air it removes from the
system. Most vent directly
into the mechanical room,
which may invite unnecessary
problems. All purges should
vent outside.
Where are safety rupture
disk outlets located? On a
CFC-11 or HCFC-123 chiller,
the safety device is a thin car-
Safety Group Examples
High A3
Flammability Propane
Low A2
Flammability R-142b, 152a
A1
No Flame
Propagation R-11, 12, 22,
114, 500, 134a
Lower Toxicity
bon rupture disk that’s
meant to shatter at 15 psig,
allowing the charge to safely
exit the system. These disks
are often vented through the
roof or side of the building.
Yet in climates with warm
days and cool nights, mois-
ture often condenses in the
pipes before it can evaporate
off. Then, along with the
rust and other accumulations
in the pipe, it ends up “sit-
ting” on the rupture disk.
Over time, it may corrode
the joint and result in failure
of the seal.
Are rupture lines the right
size and length? For conve-
nience, safety devices some-
times run into a common
header. However, an
improperly sized header can
exacerbate problems in an
emergency, when the dis-
charge capacity of safety lines
is put to the test.
Are chiller drain valves
secured? More often than
not, chiller drain valves are
an easy way for an inexperi-
enced technician to get into
trouble. Make sure the
valves are locked off.
Is access to the mechanical
room restricted? Most
mechanical rooms have nei-
ther a door nor anything to
restrict people from entering
unsupervised. (There may
be a fire door, but it is typi-
cally left open.) Not only are
B3
B2
Ammonia
B1
R-123, SO2
Higher Toxicity
FIGURE 2
2
 tion phaseout has raised the model codes. As this pro-
critical issue of what to do gresses, the updated codes
Discharge Capacity of Pressure Relief Devices with an existing CFC chiller. will ultimately be passed
Each solution – containment, down to state and municipal
C=f DL conversion or replacement – levels. For this reason, it is
brings with it new concerns. always a good idea to meet
C = minimum required discharge Yet it is important to under- with your building inspector
capacity of relief device in pounds
of air per minute (kg/s)
stand that if the type of up-front, before mechanical
refrigerant in a chiller is room changes have been
D = outside diameter of vessel in feet (m)
changed or if the chiller made. Find out what’s hap-
L = length of vessel in feet (m) itself is replaced, ASHRAE pening to codes in your area,
f = factor dependent upon type of refrigerant 15-1994 applies. Section 5.3 then decide how to proceed.
of the standard reads:
“A change in the type of ASHRAE 15-1994
refrigerant in a system shall
FIGURE 3
not be made without the Overview
mechanical rooms potential- These are some of the notification of the authority A walk through ASHRAE
ly hazardous places, they many factors to consider having jurisdiction, the user 15-1994 begins with a gener-
contain systems critical to a when evaluating the safety of and due observance of safety al look at the property in
building’s operation. your mechanical room. For requirements. The refriger- question and its mechanical
Restricting access is only potential building owners, ant being considered shall be refrigeration systems. The
common sense. The the condition of the mechan- evaluated for suitability.” type of occupancy – institu-
mechanical room door ical room and its equipment The cost of mechanical tional, public assembly, resi-
should have a tight seal to are significant considerations room upgrades – typically 11- dential, commercial, large
isolate the room in case of in the decision to purchase a 13% of the total chiller con- retail, industrial or mixed
an emergency. particular property. version/replacement project occupancy – determines
Is a self-contained breath- cost, depending on the which system application
ing apparatus (SCBA) locat- Applying ASHRAE room’s age and location – rules apply.
ed outside of the room? In should be factored into the The next step is to identify
an emergency, a properly- 15-1994 refrigerant planning cost the type of refrigerant system
used SCBA can mean the What is your compliance analysis. On the other hand, involved: Direct or Indirect.
difference between life obligation to ASHRAE 15- the addition of containment Direct Systems are those in
and death – but not if it’s 1994? If you’re a profession- devices to your existing CFC which the chiller sends
stored inside the room al engineer, a manufacturer equipment does not trigger refrigerant out into the cool-
where the contamination or an owner, you are liable application of the standard. ing coils near the occupied
is likely to occur. for ASHRAE 15-1994 simply Building Code spaces. In Indirect Systems,
Are there any pits (low by being aware of the stan- Compliance. The major U.S. the refrigerant runs only
areas) in the room? Check dard. Compliance to the building code jurisdictions through the chiller and
the condition of any pits or standard is also mandated in are currently in various chilled water in a separate
other areas below floor level. the following situations: stages of incorporating circuit produces the cooling
They may house a host of Contracts. The specifica- ASHRAE 15-1994 into their in the airside system.
unwanted chemical residues tion that equipment and ser-
such as acids, spilled refriger- vice “must be in compliance
ant, cleaning solvents, etc. with the latest ASHRAE 15”
Discharge Capacity of Rupture Member
Where do the floor drains has become standard con-
empty? Most floor drains tract language for installa- C = 0.64 p1 d
2

were constructed to handle tion submittals and service

wash-water and empty into
the sewer system. But if your
chiller and occupied space
share the same floor, they
may also share drainage sys-
tems. Check to see if drains
in the occupied space (i.e.,
in restrooms) are connected
to those in the mechanical
room. Imagine losing a full
charge and “finding” it in
a restroom!
agreements.
Equipment Design. Manu-
facturers’ labels reference
compliance with the standard.
Safety Stewardship. Pro-
fessionals who can prove that
they have gone to the fur-
thest extent possible to pro-
mote safety will minimize
their legal liability.
Mechanical Room
Changes. The CFC produc-
d = 1.25(c/p1 ) 0.5
C = rated discharge capacity in pounds of
air per minute (kg/s) and
d = smallest of the internal diameter of the inlet
pipe, retaining flanges, fusible plug, and
rupture member in inches (mm)
p = (rated pressure psig [kPa gage] x 1.10)
+ 14.7 (101.33)
FIGURE 4

3
 tions. When blends leak, above, even the highest-effi-
Maximum Length of Discharge Piping the highest-pressure com- ciency purges lose some
pound exits first, mixed with refrigerant. When warm gas
L = 9 P 2d 5 / 16Cr2 the next highest-pressure hits a cold pipe it will con-
compound. The lowest-pres- dense down into the pipe,
C r = rated discharge capacity as sure compound, then, is depositing refrigerant
stamped on the device by likely to be left in the vessel, against the safety rupture
the manufacturer in pounds of and in this state the mixture disk. These disks are usually
air per minute (kg/s) may be flammable. A recent a 0.03” thick layer of carbon
d = internal diameter of pipe in inches (mm) addendum to ASHRAE 34- and are not tolerant of cor-
L = length of discharge pipe in feet (m) 1992 reflects the fact that rosive conditions.
the flammability classifica- Sizing of Relief and
tion of a blend may change Rupture Devices. ASHRAE
FIGURE 5
as it leaks. The addendum 15-1994 specifies the appro-
states that a blend will be priate sizing of pressure
Indirect systems include Refrigerant classified to reflect the high- relief devices based on a
Double Indirect Open Spray est potential flammability of minimum required dis-
Systems, Indirect Closed Classifications its components. charge capacity in pounds of
Systems and Indirect Vented In its 1992 update, air per minute. The equa-
Systems (all described in ASHRAE 15 introduced a Complying with tion, shown in Fig. 3,
ASHRAE 15-1994). refinement in the way refrig- includes an “f factor,” which
The probability of refrig- erants are classified for toxi-
ASHRAE 15-1994 is identified in the standard
erant reaching the occupied city. Refrigerant com- When examining a for most refrigerants (if not,
spaces depends in large part pounds were divided into mechanical equipment consult your equipment or
upon the type of system two groups, low-toxicity and room for compliance with refrigerant manufacturer).
involved. To characterize high-toxicity, designated by ASHRAE 15-1994, here are When converting a chiller to
the degree of risk, ASHRAE the letters A and B. some of the primary issues a new refrigerant, it is criti-
15-1994 introduces the Refrigerants with allowable to consider: cal to check the size of exist-
broad categories of Low- exposure limits (AELs) of Maximum Refrigerant ing safety devices to be sure
Probability and High- more than 400 ppm are Without a Mechanical they are suitable. The new
Probability Systems. Low- classed as type A (lower toxi- Room. In Table 1 of the standard also includes rating
Probability Systems are those city) refrigerants, and those ASHRAE Standard, formulas for Discharge Capa-
in which the leakage of with AELs of less than 400 allowances for all refriger- city of Rupture Members
refrigerant from a failed ppm are type B (higher ants are listed in pounds of and Maximum Length of
component cannot enter toxicity). refrigerant per thousand Discharge Piping (Fig.’s 4, 5).
the occupied spaces. ASHRAE 15-1994 further cubic feet of occupied space. Refrigerant Sensors.
Examples of Low-Probability classifies refrigerants accord- Often misinterpreted, the According to ASHRAE 15-
Systems include Indirect ing to their degree of flam- figures in Table 1 (of 1994, all mechanical rooms
Closed Systems, Double mability: (1) no flame prop- ASHRAE 15) represent the must have a sensor capable
Indirect Systems and agation, (2) low-flammabili- maximum refrigerant levels of detecting refrigerant loss.
Indirect Open Spray Systems ty, and (3) high-flammability allowable without a separate The sensor should be posi-
where the secondary coolant (Fig. 2). Ammonia, for mechanical equipment tioned in areas where vapor
pressure exceeds refrigerant example, is considered a room. If you have more from a refrigerant leak
pressure. low-flammability refrigerant, than the allowable amount would most likely concen-
Conversely, High- while refrigerants like of refrigerant, the system trate, thus providing person-
Probability Systems are HCFC-22 and HFC-134a must be housed in a sepa- nel with a means to avoid
described in the standard as have no flame propagating rate mechanical room. catastrophic refrigerant loss
those in which leakage of properties. Purge System and Relief (Fig. 6). Sensors should
refrigerant from a failed It should be noted that Devices. The standard spec- be calibrated so that the
component will enter the the ingredients R-600a and ifies that all purge systems, allowable exposure limit for
occupied space. High- R-1270a, found in some including high-efficiency sys- the refrigerant will not be
Probability Systems include blends, are flammable and tems, and other relief exceeded.
all Direct Systems as well as would fall into Class 2 or 3 if devices must vent outside. Rather than a refrigerant
Indirect Open Spray Systems they were used as single Note: It may be economical detector, the preceding stan-
where the refrigerant pres- compounds. Although their to tap into existing rupture dard, ASHRAE 15-1992
sure always exceeds the sec- flammability is mitigated disk lines, but do consider required an oxygen depriva-
ondary coolant pressure. when they are mixed into a putting a drain valve in the tion sensor for Class A1
blend, flammability may still line or wrapping the line in refrigerants. The standard
be an issue in leak situa- heater tape. As discussed stated that the sensor should

4

Examples of Sensor Locations
(examples not in standard)
Open Drive Seals
Refrigerant
Storage
Just Above floor
Next to Chillers
Pits
be capable of detecting a
.5% decrease in room oxy-
gen levels (air is typically
20% oxygen, so the sensor
would detect a drop to
19.5%). In this old scenario,
67,000 ppm refrigerant con-
centrations could accumu-
late before the sensor issued
a warning! Safety steward-
ship and refrigerant contain-
ment are better served by
using a quality refrigerant
sensor with all refrigerants.
Mechanical Ventilation to
the Outdoors. Mechanical
rooms must be vented to the
outdoors using mechanical
ventilation. The formula
ASHRAE provides for calcu-
lating ventilation capacity
requirements is shown in Fig. 7.
Access Restrictions. The
revised standard specifies
that access to mechanical
rooms should be restricted
to authorized personnel. In
addition, the room must
have tight-fitting doors that
open and close freely (i.e.,
no fire doors), and any other
opening that would permit
the passage of refrigerant
must be sealed.
Refrigerant Storage.
Section 11.5 of ASHRAE 15-
1994 reads: “The total
amount of refrigerant stored
in a machinery room in all
containers not provided with
relief valves and piped in
accordance with the stan-
Ventilation
Entrance / Exits
Drains
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
dard should not exceed 330
lbs.” This is designed to
allow owners to take sepa-
rate, approved storage tanks
and store adequate quanti-
ties of refrigerant for chiller
servicing. This is completely
allowable under EPA, and
many owners are opting to
contain their CFC chillers
and safely store service
refrigerant on-site. It should
be noted, however, that the
ASHRAE recommendation is
for a maximum of 330 lbs.
per system. Local building
and fire codes should be ref-
erenced for possible exceptions.
Self-Contained Breathing
Apparatus. The updated
standard requires that a self-
contained breathing appara-
tus (SCBA) be located out-
side of the mechanical room,
along with a second SCBA
for back-up. It’s a good idea
to check OSHA regulations
regarding SCBA use (i.e.,
SCBAs cannot be worn by
personnel with beards, and
potential users must pass a
pulmonary test). Another
issue is the optimum location
of the SCBA gear in applica-
tions where the mechanical
room opens to the outdoors:
Should the gear be housed
in an enclosure? Should the
enclosure be locked? How
does that affect access?
Be sure to purchase a
SCBA with an adequate air
supply. Large mechanical appropriately sized mechani-
rooms may require an cal room as one that allows
extended air supply in an access to all equipment,
emergency situation. including adequate space for
Relief Discharge Location. service and maintenance as
The discharge location of well as operation.
relief devices must be posi- Periodic Testing.
tioned at least 20 feet away Ventilation systems and sen-
from any ventilation open- sors must be periodically test-
ings, and not less than 15 ed in accordance with the
feet above ground level (to manufacturer’s recommen-
avoid spraying someone with dation and/or local jurisdic-
refrigerant). tion. This is particularly
Combustion Device (i.e., important for refrigerant
Boiler) Limitation. ASHRAE sensors that are detecting
15-1994 prohibits the loca- compounds with low allow-
tion in a mechanical room of able exposure limits. Many
any open-flame device using of these sensors require fre-
combustion air from inside quent recalibration.
the room. On the other
hand, an open-flame device Read ASHRAE
such as a boiler may be locat-
ed in a mechanical room if 15-1994
combustion air is drawn Clearly, there are many
from outside. Two accept- issues for professionals to
able alternatives are to duct consider in order to achieve
outside, sealed ventilated air compliance with ASHRAE
in or to install a sensor that 15-1994. Your best strategy is
shuts the flame off in the to obtain a copy of the stan-
presence of refrigerant gas. dard and read it thoroughly,
Most refrigerant sensors are perhaps using this article as a
multi-port, so they can run to point of reference.
several spots in the mechani- ASHRAE 15-1994 offers
cal room and be pro- many good, safe solutions.
grammed to shut the boiler Not only is it a good idea to
down if a chiller leak is follow the new standard, it
detected. Yet another option may very soon be the law in
(though not specified in your jurisdiction. To find
ASHRAE 15) is to isolate out how the standard is being
the boiler or open-flame adopted in your area, invite
device with a wall or separate your local code inspector to
enclosure. discuss ASHRAE-15 1994...
Room Dimensions. The before you make any changes
new standard defines an to your mechanical room.
Mechanical Ventilation
0.5
Q = 100 x G
Q = the air flow in ft.3 per min.
(liters per second)
G = the mass of refrigerant in lbs.
(kgs) in the largest system,
any part of which is located
in the machinery room
FIGURE 7
5
Highlights:
• ASHRAE Standard 15 was revised in
1992 and 1994 to address the phaseout
of CFC production and the increased
use of alternative refrigerants.
• The Standard is being adopted nearly
verbatim by many model code associations.
• Professional engineers, manufacturers
and owners are liable for the Standard
simply by being aware of it.
• Owners and engineers can use the
Standard to conduct a complete
mechanical room safety check.
• If the type of refrigerant in a system
changes, ASHRAE 15-1994 applies.
Mechanical room upgrades typically
add 11-13% to the total cost of a chiller
conversion/replacement project.
• Which system application rules apply
depends on the type of building occu-
pancy, refrigerant system and refriger-
ant classification.
• The Standard specifies the maximum
amount of refrigerant that can be
stored on site with and without a
mechanical room.
• All mechanical rooms must have
a sensor capable of detecting
refrigerant loss.
• Mechanical rooms must ventilate to the
outdoors using mechanical ventilation.
• There is no substitute for reading the
standard itself. Obtain a copy and use
this newsletter as a reference.
® How are these classifications used in the Standard?
ASHRAE 15: Implications for Mechanical
Room Design in Different Types of Facilities
The type of occupancy of a building determines which system application
rules of ASHRAE 15 apply. For buildings that fall under more than one
classification, the Standard asks if the areas are isolated from the rest of the
building by tight walls, floors, ceilings and self-closing doors. If so, each
space may be treated as a separate area. However, if the occupancies are
not isolated, the classification with the most stringent rules applies for the
entire building.
ASHRAE 15 classifies buildings by the ability of people to respond to
potential refrigerant exposure as follows:
Education - An educational facility, such as a college or school, may contain
residential and/or public assembly spaces. Public assembly is defined as a
premise where large numbers of people congregate and cannot quickly
vacate. A residential structure is one that provides residents with complete
living facilities, including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating,
cooking and sanitation.
Health Care - Whether it is a hospital or an extended care facility, a health
care building is likely to fall under the institutional classification in
ASHRAE 15. This is defined by ASHRAE 15 as a building that occupants
cannot readily leave without the assistance of others.
Hospitality - Similar to an educational facility, a hotel or motel may contain
both residential and public assembly areas.
Manufacturing - A manufacturing facility may have both commercial and
industrial areas. A commercial space is one where people transact business,
receive a service or purchase products. This includes office space and work
or storage areas that do not qualify as industrial. Industrial areas are
defined as not open to the public and used to manufacture, process or
store goods such as chemicals, food, ice, meat or petroleum.
Office - Many office buildings will fall under the commercial space defini-
tion. However, they could also include areas of industrial or large mercan-
tile space.
Retail - Most big retail stores and shopping malls are considered to be large
mercantile by the Standard. This is defined as a space where more than 100
people congregate to purchase merchandise. A small retail establishment,
such as a restaurant, may be considered to be a public assembly space.
Apartments - Multi-family, multi-story dwellings are considered to be
residential premises.
Warehouse - Depending on the use of the facility and the types of goods
stored there, a warehouse may fall under the commercial or industrial clas-
sifications.
In addition, equipment (other than piping) located within 20 feet of any
building opening is governed by the classification of the building.
The classification of a building determines the refrigerant quantities and
types of systems allowed. Please refer to the Standard for more information.