Refrigeration System Equipment Room Design by Dave Guckelberger, Applications Engineer with Brenda Bradley, Technical Writer The Trane Company, La Crosse, WI 54601Contents i Introduction .. Standards and Guidelines. © ANSVASHRAE 34-1992. Numbers, Names used with Retigerants - Safely Group Ciassifcations. ....... +. a 3 4 4 (© -ANSVASHRAE 15-1992. 0.0... 16 Safety Group Classification Li 6 6 7 7 7 8 Occupancy Classification... ~ Refrigerating System Classtcation - System Probabifly ...... Refrigerant Quantity Fules ‘System Application Requirements .. Equipment Room Design . . © Refrigeration System Placement .. (© Ventilation . wees 10 Volume Requirements - 10 Natural Ventilation 1 Mechanical Ventiation 1" Location of Vents . i 12 MER Doors, Passagaways and Acoess 13 (© Long-Term Monitoring cece Sensor Location and Quantity... 4 Height Location : : 15 Plan Location . 15 © Open Fiame Devices 16 © Prossure-Filief Piping ........-.0.10++ 18 Purge Discharge. © General Requirements . . ceceeees 7 Equipment Room Monitors...... © Saygen Deprivation ve, Reigorant SONSOIS. oo. eee eeeeeeeseeeeeees 19 ° Long ve. Short-Term Montonng.. ce 19 2 Multichannel Scanners . . 19 > Monitor Characteristics... : . 20 Alarm Relay Output .....-- vee Bt Falluro Relay Output... tees 21 Remote Reset Input ..... 21 Reftigerant Sensor Analog Output Signal... 21 Building Automation Systems............. 22 ‘Sample Equipment Room Design Checklist... A. General MER Design. B. General Nondesign Requirements. ©. Ventilation 1D, Monitors. E. Alarms .. F. Optional Features... . RRERBBB Glossary of Acronyms .. ae a eeIntroduction While mechanical refrigeration systems satisfy a \wide variety of cooling needs, the cherricals, (‘efrigerants) used in these systems are potentially detrimental to one's heath i improperly handled. To address this concer, this manual provides information on the design of mechanical equipment rooms containing refrigeration systems. its primary intent is to promote design practices that provide a safe envitonment for personnel involved in the operation and maintenance of refrigeration systems, ‘The foundation for this manual is the ASHRAE Standard entitled “Safety Code for Mechanical Refrigeration,” ANSVASHRAE 15-1992. However, while Standard 18 covers the full spectrum of mechanical refrigeration systems and includes Standards and Guidelines ‘The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and ‘Ait Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) is an ‘organization whose members come from all aspects ofthe heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigerating (HVACaA) business. Together, the members draft Standards and Guidelines to assure safe distribution and use of HVAC&R products. ‘These standards can be considered state-of-the-art design practices, and are frequently adopted by state and local authorities and written into state and local codes. Until this occurs, itis the owner! designers prerogative to specify design according tothe Standards; however, in the event of a mishap, the legal system often refers tothe state-of-the-art design practices available at the time the building was designed ‘Two ASHRAE Standards deal with the use of tefigerant in an equipment room: Standard 94-1992 and Standard 15-1992, Both are referenced throughout this manual; for your ‘convenience, a brief summary of each Standard follows, In adaition to these two Standerds, ASHRAE Guideline 3-1990 and Addendum 82-1992, “Reducing Emission of Fully Halogenated systerns ofall sizes and refrigerants of all types — ‘this manual focuses specifically on centrifugal and helcal-rotary refrigeration systems that require ‘mechanical equipment rooms. As described in the Standards and Guidelines section of this manual, ASHRAE Standard 15-1992 clearly defines when a ‘mechanical equipment room is required, ‘Some refrigeration systems use ammonia as the refrigerant. Though similar to other reftigeration systems, there are enough significant exceptions in the standards and design practices to make it dificult to discuss both types of systems ‘concurrently; therefore, ammonia systems are not addressed in this manual. Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) Refrigerants in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Equipment and Applications,” recommend practices and procedures {for reducing CFC refrigerant leakage during operation and maintenance of HVAC equipment. Although Guideline 31990 and Addendum a~1992 are not discussed in this manual, they contain valuable information and should be reviewed by owners and designers of refrigeration systems, ANSVASHRAE 34-1992: “Number Designation and Safety Classification of Refrigerants” As stated therein, ASHRAE Standard $4-1992's purpose is twofold: “... to establish a simple means of referring to ‘common refrigerants instead of using the chemical name, formula, or trade name, It also‘Standards and Guidelines establishes a uniform system for assigning reference numbers and safety classifications to refrigerants.” This statement of purpose is further defined by the declared scope: “This standard provides an unambiguous system for numbering refrigerants and assigning composition-des{gnating prefixes for refrigerants. Safety classifications based on toxicity and flammability data are included.” Numbers, Names Used with Refrigerants Standard 34-1992 very clearly explains the format for refrigerant numbering. Table 7 (lacing page) shows the chemical names and proper number designators for common reftigeranis, The number can be preceded by an “R” (@.g., R-11, R-22), or by ‘a more descriptive prefix that designates the presence, respectively, of hydrogen (H), bromine (®), chlorine (©), fluorine (F) and carbon (C). So, Refrigerant 11 — which contains chlorine fluorine ‘and carbon — is designated as "CFC-11" or R-11," ‘while Rettigerant 22 — which contains hydrogen, chlorine, fluroine and carbon — is identified as "HOFC-22" or "R22." Both number designators are ‘equally acceptable, as is using either the number with the word "refrigerant? ora tradename.” "tis good practice to use one of the proper hhames when referring to refrigerants to avoid confusion and misunderstandings. Safety Group Classifications Standard 341992 also defines Safety Group Classtfications for refrigerants according to their toxicity and flammability. Toxicity classifications are based on the Threshold Limit Value®Time Weighted Average (TLV-TWA) established for each refrigerant. TLV-TWA is defined in Standard 34-1992 as: “.. the time-weighted average concentration for ‘a normal 6-hour workday and a 40-hour work week, to which nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed, day after day, without adverse effect.” Figuire 1 ASHRAE Standard 34-1992 Refrigerant Safety Classifications > Higher Fammoabiity Group As Lower Flammability No Flame Propagation sNenessN RaMBEITe CREAN TORE om Lower Toxicity — Higher Toxicity Note: Table 1 (facing page) shows a partial lst of tho (args egated forest ozs) eR ve NPT ‘Dra Ve Equipment Room Design system should have discharge lines piped according tothe requirements for relief piping Generally, the most convenient way to properly exhaust the purge discharge to the atmosphere is to route it into the relief valve (rupture disc) vent pipe. ‘The purge discharge line must not contain any liquid traps, and should be sloped away from the purge unit to prevent quid from collecting at the purge unit. Connect the purge discharge pipe on the chiller side of any vibration isolation as shown in Figure 9. ‘Consult the manufacturer of the purge equipment for proper sizing of the purge discharge line. Purge-related refrigerant loss should be kept as low as possible to minimize refrigerant discharge to the atmosphere and avoid the expense of replacing lost refrigerant. To minimize purge-related refrigerant loss: © Choose a purge unit with a low refrigerant-o- noncondensable-gas discharge ratio that can operate while the chiller is off. @ Routinely moritor the refrigeration system for leaks and promptly repair any that are found. Routine logging of purge operation and chiller run time provides an excellent indicator of system integrity. © Choose a purge unit that contains a safety system to prevent excessive purging due to malfunction ora large leak. General Requirements A number of important issues — applicable to all refrigeration systems and all refrigerant types — are addressed in Section 13, "General Requirements,” of Standard 15-1992, While these requirements do not directly affect MER “design,” they are an integral part of safe equipment room environments. For your ‘conveniiencs, the section is reproduced in its entirety ‘on the next page (shaded inset) Note that Subsection 13,7, "Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus,” refers to the refrigerant quantity rules provided in Section 7.4, “System ‘Application Requirements,” of the Standard. (See . 8 of this manual, All reftigeration systems large enough to require a mechanical equipment roo require the use of a self-contained breathing 7Equipment Room Design apparatus (SCBA), regardless of the type of refrigerant used. (A second SCBA is strongly recommended.) An SCBA provides a source of fresh alr that protects the wearer from exposure to ‘contaminated equipment room. Classified by the duration of ts fresh air supply, SCBA gear is generally rated for 30 or 60 minutes. Standard ‘15_1992's requirement of such a device is intended to permit rained personnel to safely enter the MER and correct a malfunction. For this reason, itis Sena important to postion the SCBA outside but nearthe MER entrance. ‘Since Itis unlikely that the SCBA will be used very often, it should be stored in a bright-colored, durable cease to protect it rom dir and damage, and maintain its visiiity. Use of SCBA’s is goveried by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); cortact OSHA fora lst of pertinent regulations and requirements, _Equipment Room Monitors Various monitors are avaliable for use in refrigerant detection applications, and they have different characteristics. The differences in design determine What type of applications best suit the monitor. This section of the manual is intended to help the designer select the proper monitoring system. It covets the characteristics of various monitors and discusses how they can be sed to provide a safe equipment room. Oxygen Deprivation vs, Refrigerant Sensors Monitors used in equipment rooms to detect refrigerant leaks are devised to detect either a loss ‘of oxygen in the room or a specific refrigerant gas. Both types are designed to warn the occupants of the room of a potentially hazardous situation ‘Oxygen deprivation sensors — which detect percent oxygen content in the air and alarm when the evel drops below a preset minimum — are required for systerns using Group At (ASHRAE 34-1992) refrigerants, Even though these refrigerants are classified as fow toxicity and no flame propagation, injury or death can oocur from oxygen deprivation, Clearly, one of the greatest hazards associated with refrigerant spilis is asphyxiation, Refrigerant gases are heavier than air and, if undisturbed, tend to fila room from the bottom up, displacing the air. Refrigerant sensors — which detect the specific refrigerant in use — are requited for systems with refrigerants classified other than Group A1: Groups 31, B2, BS, A2 and AS (ASHRAE 24-1992). For these refrigerants, the monitor must be adjusted to alarm at not more than the corresponding TLV® (Threshold Limit Value). ASHRAE 15-1992's monitoring requirements for Group Ai refrigerants can also be met with a refrigerant sensor. Though more expensive than an, ‘oxygen deprivation sensor, the refrigerant sensor has the advantage of providing much faster detection of refrigerant leaks, and can minimize the loss of valuable refrigerant. The additional cost of the sensor may be quickly repaid in refrigerant savings. Any equipment room containing a mixture of Group At and B1 reltigerants must meet the requirements of each system individually. For example, if an ‘equipment room houses an R-11 chiller and an e128 chiller, it must also contain both an oxygen deprivation sensor anda refrigerant vapor monitor. (Alternatively, two refrigerant vapor sensors — one for A-14 and one for R-128 — could be used.) Long vs. Short-Term Monitoring Ifa monitor is used to continuously sample the air in ‘an equipment room, it should have several qualities that short-term or leak-checking monitors do not require. These include fow zero drift or an “auto-zeroing” capability, outputs to trigger external alarms, and a long service life. Monitors that are ‘only used for a shor time, as for leak-checking a * chiller, must be able to withstand large doses of ‘efigerant, have rapid response and clearing time, and be portable, Monitors used for leak-checking must be sensitive to the refrigerant being monitored; however, they do not need to be reftigerant-specific, Continuous monitors shouldbe reftigerant-specific to prevent nuisance alarms. Monitors with poor selectivity will alarm on compounds other than refrigerant, such as cleaning agents or paints. Multichannel Scanners To adequately monitor a large refrigeration system, ‘an equipment room with several chillers or an equipment room with two or mote levels, it may be necessary to sense refrigerant concentration at ‘multiple locations. A multichannel scanner connected to a single monitor provides an alternative to mounting several individual monitors in the equipment room. 19Equipment Room Monitors ‘Typically, samples are drawn through hoses that ‘can be routed from the scanner to other parts of the room. See Figure 10. The length of each run and ‘the number of runs possible depends on scanner design. The scanner connects the hoses to the ‘monitor, one at a time, on a rotating basis. Monitor Characteristics Devices used for long-term monitoring should: (© be stable over the range of temperatures, voltages, humidities and barometric pressures to which they will be exposed; © require tittle maintenance; © have alarm limits that correspond to the refrigerant being monitored; and ... (have the outputs required to signal alarm conditions and start auxiliary equipment. Calibration stability is a very important aspect of monitors used for long-term monitoring, Stability is prow tyte cece wedtorcanwesen (Gh output. in general, the electronics must be able to ‘correctly interpret sensor output under all equipment room conditions, stich as changes in temperature ‘and humicity. Follow the manufacturers instructions tor periodic calibration checks, Monitors should also have a method of setting the "zero" reference point. Those used on a long-term basis should either have a very small zero drift (arts per milion, ppm, between inspections) or an “auto zero” feature. ASHRAE Standard 15-1992 requires that the monitor be able to “actuate an alarm and start ‘mechanical ventilation”. This corresponds to the basic function of the monitor, which isto alert personnel in the equipment room thet the refrigerant level is above the TLV® or AEL (Acceptable Exposure Limit). Several of the features currently available on monitors are described below, along with application suggestions for their use. Figure 10 Typical Multichannel Scanner Application IH eats retigwantAlarm Relay Output This relay energizes when the TLV®, AEL or oxygen limit is reached, It can be used to trigger an alarm light or bell, signal the condition to other pars of the building, and energize the ventlation system to purge the room, Equipment room alarm signals and start-up of mechanical ventilation systems should be done directly by the monitor: Remote alarm indicators can be connected through the Building ‘Automation System (BAS). ‘Some monitors provide several relay outputs that can be set to trigger at various levels of refrigerant ‘concentration, These can be used to more clearly define the danger of exposure. The first stage of alarm must occur at the TLV of AEL (.., the exposure for 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week, to Which nearly all employees can be exposed — day after day — without adverse effect). At this level, ppurge rate ventilation of the space should be Initiated. Cocupants cati remain in the room i they are working to contain a leak: use of NIOSH- approved respiratory protection is recommended but nol required. (NIOSH is the National Institute for ‘Occupational Safety and Health ) ‘The next level of alarm should be Set at the ‘Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL) or 3 times the TLV or AEL. The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) allows. brief exposure (up to 30 minutes) at this level in a work shift. This level of alarm indicates that the room should only be occupied by personnel, properly equipped with respiratory protection, intent on eliminating the refrigerant source. AA third level of alarm — ot altemate second level — is the Emergency Exposure Limit (EEL). The EEL defines a concentration that a worker should only be ‘exposed to rarely in aiifetine, but will not cause permanent adverse health effects or interfere with escape. An exposure times is generally given with the concentration —e.g,, 1000 ppm for 1 hour, however, at this level it should be mandatory that all ‘occupants of the space exit immediately. This level ‘would only be expected when a major spill has ‘occurred, Equipment oom Monitors Failure Relay Output This rélay energizes when the monitor detects a failure in is operation. Examples of failures include ‘ow airflow through the monitor, circuit allure, and a saturated or absent sensor signal. Loss of the monitor's supply power can also be detected ifthe alarm contacts of the monitor ate normally powered ‘open. This output should signal an alarm condition 10 the building operator so that the monitor can be checked and retumed to operation. The operator ‘shold bting a;portable monitoring device to the equipment room when checking the permanent monitor to ascertain the level of reftigerant in the MER: : Remote Reset Input Often, the alarm condition initiated by a monitor will trigger-a fatching alarm that requires manual reset. ‘Some monitors contain a remote reset input that allows the-alarm condition to be reset from a remote location. Ifthe tnonitor contains this feature, the reset switch should be located outside the ‘equipment room door so that an operator can reset the alat{before entering the room. I the alarm can be successfully reset, the build-up of refrigerant has cleared.-if the alarm does not reset, additional stops should be taken before the room is entered. Such ‘tops right include additional ventilation, use of a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), and/or Use of a hand-held monitor to determine the concentration of refrigerant in the room. Refrigerant Sensor Analog Output Signal ‘Some monitors provide a 0-10 vDG, 4-20 mA or serial signal that is proportional to the level of refrigerant sensed by the monitor. This signal can bbe used to provide a remote indication of the refrigerant level in the equipment room, One use for this output isto drive a meter located outside the enntry door to the equipment room, This will help ‘operating personnel decide if self-contained breathing apparatus is necessary, ori the reftigerant in the room has been successfully purged by the ventilation system, ‘When tied to a building automation system, this ‘output can be used to alert operating personnel of a leak, initiate a ventilation purge of the room, and generate an electronic log of the refrigerant level in the equipment room, atEquipment Room Monitors Building Automation Systems Monitoring equipment room refrigerant concentrations with a building automation system (BAS) may eventually become commen practice for all refrigerants for a number of reasons. ‘This level of control not only monitors refrigerant level and initiates necessary alarms, it also autornatically dials out any alarms to the service company responsible for repair of the equipment. This provides an Inexpensive means of having a trained expert — one who can quickly respond to.@ problem — constantly oversee the operation of the equipment room. Refrigerant concentration in the equipment room can be logged electronically and documented. This can be helpful in a number of ways: © Tohelp employees fee! comfortable that they ‘are working in-a safe environment. © Todocument that refrigerant concentrations are maintained below the appropriate Allowable Exposure Limits (AEL). © To satisty the requirements for vetitication of ‘operating procedures that control CFC and HCFC equipment room emissions included in EPA regulations. Automated control reports offer unquestionable documentation that even ‘minute lavels of refrigerant concentrations have been measured and recorded. Reftigerant vapor monitoring provides an extra measure of safety for all refrigerants. The oxygen sensor required for Group At refrigerants by ASHRAE 15-1992 fs typically set to alarm when the ‘oxygen concentration drops below 19.5 percent (195,000 ppm), indicating the loss of a substantial ‘quantity of refrigerant. Using a refrigerant vapor monitor makes itis possible to provide early warning of refrigerant loss. Leaks are the number one cause of refrigerant foss from refrigeration systems. A refrigerant vapor monitor can be used for early detection of such a leak and may prevent significant refrigerant loss. Monitoring the purge unit with a BAS can also provide valuable information that could lead to early leak detection. Purge information can be ‘automatically logged and ploted in graph form to identify trends. In addition, an alarm message can be triggered to alert the operator ifthe purge rate exceeds some preset limit. © i)Sample Equipment Room e Design Checklist This section is provided as an example of how the current ASHRAE standards could be interpreted. It applies to low-probabilty refrigeration systems containing Group A1 or B1 refrigerants that require a mechanical equipment room. Itsed as a guide for specitying and designing an equipment room, check local codes to avoid any conflicts or deficiencies. A. General MER Design The design, installation and operation of the mechanical equipment room (MER) containing the refrigeration system shall meet ASHRAE Standard 15-1992 as a minimum design criteria. Adcitional ‘equipment and controls shall be added as required to protect the occupants of ttie equipment room from hazardous exposure to refrigerants. Access fo the e MER shall be restricted to authorized personnel. ‘An adequate number of doors shall be provided to ensure freedom of persons to escapie from the MER inan emergency. These doors shall be tightfiting and open outward. Doors leading to the building shall be self-closing, There shall be no openings to permit passage of escaping refrigerant to other parts, of the building, No open flames or apparatus to produce an open flame shall be installed in the MER. An exception is made for matches, lighters, halide leak detectors, and other similar devices. Combustion air for boilers. shall be ducted to the boiler from outside the MER. At least one approved self contained breathing ‘apparatus (SCBA) shall be provided outside of, but ‘lose to, the machinery room. (Availabilty of a second SCBA for back-up is strongly recommended.) B. General Nondesign Requirements ' Each refrigerating system erected on the premises shall be provided with an easily legble, permanent ‘sign — securely attached and easily accessible — indicating: () the name and address ofthe installer; (0) the kind and initial charge of refrigerant; and, (6) the field test pressure applied. ‘Systoms containing more than 110 ib of refrigerant shall be provided with durable signs having letters not lass than 0.6 inches in height, designating: {@) valves or switches for controling the refrigerant flow, the ventlation, and the ‘refrigerant compressor(s); and, {(b) the kind of refrigerant or secondary coolant contained in the exposed piping outside the machinery room. Piping identification shall be in accordance with ANSI A13. "Scheme for Identification of Piping ‘Systems,” or other industry-recognized guidelines, Legends indicating flow direction, function, temperature or pressure may also be used in accordance with accepted practice. A change in the type of refrigerant in a system shall rot be made without the permission of the approving ‘authority and the user, constitation with the manufacturers of the original equipment, and due ‘observance of safety requirements. Emergency shutdown procedures — including precautions to be observed in case of a breakdown ‘of leak — shall be posted outside of the machinery oom, immediately adjacent to each door. These - precautions shall address: (@) instructions for shutting down the system in case of emergency; (0) the name, address, and day and numbers for obtaining service; and, nt telephone (0) the name, address and telephone number of the municipal inspection department having‘Sample Equipment Room Design Checklist jurisdiction, as well as instructions to notity said department immediately in case of emergency. C. Ventilation ‘A sufficient part of the mechanical ventilation shall be: (@) operated, when occupied, at least at 0.5 cfm per square foot of machinery room area or 20 cfm per person; and, {0) operable, it necessary, for operator comfort, ata volume required to maintain ‘maximum temperature tise of 18° F based on all ofthe heat-producing machinery in the roorn ‘The ventilation system shall also be capable of purging the equipment room of a build up of Feftigerant, The exhaust air volume required for purging the equipment room shal be calculated as: Q = 100xG05 where, Q = the airflow in cubic feet per minute. G = the mass of refrigerant in pounds in the largest system, any part of which is located in the machinery room. Ifthe system is not run at the purge volume continuously, purge ventilation must be” automaticaly triggered whenever refigerant concentration above the TLV/AEL is detected in the ‘equipment room. Supply and exhaust ducts for the mechanical ‘equipment room shall serve no other portion of the ‘building. Air discharged from the MER shall be to ‘the outdoors and shall not cause inconvenience or danger. Sulficient inlet air shall be provided to replace the air being exhausted. Openings for the air inlets shall be positioned to avoid the intake of discharged air. Inlet air shall be treated as requited to.avoid equipment damage caused by freezing temperatures and/or large, rapid temperature swings. Ventitation inlet and outlet for the MER shall be placed to provide a fresh air sweep across the refrigeration equipment, Unit spacing and a positioning shall be coordinted with ventilation inlet(s) and outlets) to avoid areas of stagnation around the refrigeration equipment. Al exhaust fans used for purging the equipment room of refigerants shall have their inlets located no more than 4 feet above floor level. In addition, at least 50 percent of the air used for normal ventilation shall be exhausted from less than 4 feet above floor level. D. Monitors ‘Aminimum of one permanently mounted, continuously operating rettigarant vapor monitor (an ‘oxygen deprivation sensor is acceptable for At refrigerants) shall be mounted in the equipment room to detect the leakage of refrigerant from locations where the refrigerant is elther stored or in use, Multiple monitors or monitor pickup points shall be used to keep the distance from the sensor to the reffigerant source less than 50 feet. Pits, tunnels or trenches in the equipment room that are accessible {0 personnel shall also be monitored. All monitors shall be capable of continuously monitoring the MER for the reltigerant used in the system. The monitor design and construction shall be compatible with temperature, huridity, barometric pressure and voltage fluctuations of the MER operating environment. Monitor sensor(s) shall normally be located 18 inches above the floor in a location near the refrigerant source. The sensot should be located between the refrigerant source and the inletto the exhaust fan. E. Alarms ‘The refrigerant monitor shall provide an alarm relay ‘output which energizes when the monitor detects a refrigerant level at or above the TLV® or AEL. This relay shall be used to initiate the following events @® Energize an alarm consistent with other warning devices in tho building to signal the occupants of |), the MER. Suggested Implementation: Energizea light on or near the monitoring device; second light, outside the entrance to the MER, can be used to provide an ackitional waming. If the MER is not checked on a routine basis, this signal shall be sent to a remote location where it will be detected by a building operator, @® Energize all exhaust fans required to achieve the "Teigerant purge” rate of exhaust. Exhaust fans shall remain energized until manually ‘deactivated by an operator. F. Optional Features ‘The features listed in this section are not required by ASHRAE 15-1992 or ASHRAE ‘34-1982. They should not be provided unless they ate deemed to produce an additional benefit to the ‘owner. ® The rettigerant vapor monitor shall provide second-level alarm relay output which energizes when the monitor detects a retigerant level at or above the STEL or3 times the AEL. This relay shall be used to initiate the following event: (@) Sound an audible alarm in the equipment oom, This alarm signal must be aueible in all parts of the MER above the normal ‘equipment room sound level, and be consistent with the other building elarrs ‘used to signal mandatory evacuation. @® The refrigerant vapor monitor shall provide a. failure relay output, separate from those described above, that energizes when the ‘monitor detects a faut in its operation. Examples of faults include lov airflow through ‘the monitor, citcuit failure, and a saturated or absent sensor signal. This output shall signat an alarm conaition to the building operator so that ‘the monitor can be checked and retuned to operation, ® Acontroi panel containing the following items shall be located at all main entrances to the MER: (@) Ayellow light that is energized when the refrigerant monitor detects refrigerant vapor ® ‘Sample Equipment Room Design Checklist in the space equal or greater than the AEL (or TLV® for the refrigerant in use. (b) A red light that is energized when the refrigerant monitor detects refrigerant vapor in the space equal to or greater than the STEL or 3times the AELITLV. (©) A momentary pust-button used to reset the alarm at the monitor. This shall only reset a past alarm condition and shall not disable the monitor, The alarm must reactivate within 80 seconds i the alarm condition still exists inthe MER. (@) A separate shutdown switch for every chiller or refrigeration system compressor. A set of operating instructions detailing the calibration and maintenance requirements of the reffigerant vapor monitor in use shall be accessible to MER room maintenance personnel. Calibration and maintenance of the Tefrigerant monitor shall be included in the general maintenance procedures for the MER. When the building utiizes a Building Automation System (BAS), the following features shall be provided at the central controt (@) The refrigerant monitor shall provide an analog output (0-10 vDC or 4-20 mA) that corresponds to the level of refrigerant detected by the monitor. This signal shall be connected to the BAS where it will be used to generate an electronic fog of the refrigerant level in the MER. Any increase in the level shall trigger an informational diagnostic indicating that the refrigeration system should be checked for leaks. (0) The BAS shall monitor the alarm status of the refrigerant monitor and provide an alarm condition for each of the following: monitor ‘malfunction, refigerant alarm triggered at the AELITWA for the reftigerant in use, and refrigerant alarm triggered at 3 times the AELITWWA for the refrigerant in use. (©) The BAS shall be tied to the MER, ventilation system to provide control of both, normal and purge ventilation of the MER, This control shall be in parallel to the primary control of the fans by the refrigerant moniter.Glossary of Acronyms ACGIH ‘American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists: AEL Allowable Exposure Limit ANSI ‘American National Standards Institute ASHRAE. ‘American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers BAS Bul {ing Automation System. crc Chlorofluorcarbon EEL Emergency Exposure Limit EPA Environmental Protection Agency HVACSR Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigerating 1OLH Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health ( maximum concentration from which one could escape within 30 minutes without any escape- impairing symptoms or any irreversible health effects) 26 LFL. Lower Flammability Limit MER Mechanical Equipment Room Msps Material Safety Data Sheet NFPA National Fite Protection Association NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health ‘OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration PEL Permissible Exposure Limit SCBA ‘Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus STEL Short-Term Exposure Limit TLV? Threshold Limit Value; registered trademark ofthe ‘American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists TWA Time Weighted Average Printed by INLAND GRAPHICS SERVICES, La Crosse, WI