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CFC MANAGEMENT PLAN

 

1.0  PURPOSE

This plan describes Radford University's preparation for the phaseout of CFCs. Strategies for maintaining, converting, or replacing existing equipment with appliances that use alternative refrigerants are described.

 

2.0  EQUIPMENT USING R-11

1. Only one piece of equipment at the university uses R-11; a chiller located in Muse Hall.

2. The chiller in Muse Hall will be replaced by October 15, 1994 with a unit using R-22. The R-11 will be given to Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech will send the R-11 to a reclamation center prior to use.

3. All stocks of R-11 (approximately 400 lbs.) at the university will be donated to Virginia Tech after the chiller is replaced.

4. Records of all transactions involving R-11 transfers will be maintained by the Refrigeration Manager.

5. The university does not plan to purchase any additional equipment that uses R-11.

 

3.0  EQUIPMENT USING R-12

1. The university has the following R-12 units:

  • Refrigerators- 125
  • Water Coolers- 103
  • Air dryers- 28
  • Ice makers- 12
  • Beverage dispensers- 8
  • Air conditioners- 4
  • Food preparation refrigerators- 4
  • Ice cream freezers- 5
  • Salad bars- 3
  • Environmental chambers- 2
  • Beverage dispensers- 8
  • Incubators- 2
  • Desert bars -3
  • Hot/cold storage cabinets- 1
  • Freezers- 1
  • Portable salad bars- 3
  • Reach ins- 4
  • Dehumidifiers- 2
  • Display cases- 2
  • Sandwich prep- 1
  • Walk in coolers- 4
  • Walk in freezers- 1
  • Explosion proof refrigerators- 6
  • Automobile air conditioners- 54

2. The university has several refrigerators that use R-12. The State is not purchasing refrigerators that use alternative refrigerants at this time. Existing R-12 refrigerators will be maintained for the useful life of the refrigerator.

3. The university will continue to purchase refrigerators using R-12 until alternative refrigerants are available on State contract.

4. Existing R-12 refrigerators will not be converted to alternative refrigerants.

5. The R-12 from disposed equipment will be recovered and recycled into operating equipment.

6. The following units will be maintained as long as possible with R-12 and replaced with R-22 units when a major breakdown occurs:

  • Water coolers
  • Air dryers
  • Air conditioners
  • Refrigerators
  • Ice makers
  • Food preparation refrigerators
  • Salad bars
  • Environmental chambers
  • Incubators
  • Desert bars
  • Freezers
  • Portable salad bars
  • Reach-ins
  • Explosion-proof refrigerators

7. The following units will be replaced with a unit that uses alternative refrigerants should a breakdown occur:

  • Air dryers
  • Air conditioners
  • Ice cream freezers
  • Hot/cold storage cabinets
  • Dehumidifiers
  • Beverage dispensers
  • Displace cases
  • Sandwich prep units

8. The following units will be converted to use alternative refrigerants if a breakdown occurs:

  • Walk in coolers
  • Walk in freezers

9. The following units will be maintained with R-12 for as long as possible and converted to R-134a if warranted, should a major breakdown occur:

  • Automobile air conditioners

10. Maintaining, replacement or conversion of equipment to alternative refrigerants will be made on a case by case basis taking into consideration the age of the equipment and cost of repair.

 

4.0  EQUIPMENT USING R-500

1. The university has eight water coolers that use R-500.

2. When these units break down they will be replaced with water coolers that use R-22

 

5.0  EQUIPMENT USING R-502

1. The university has the following R-502 units:

  • Beverage coolers- 1
  • Ice maker-1
  • Walk-in freezer- 3
  • Freezers- 1

2. These units will be maintained as long as possible then replaced with units that use other refrigerants, probably R-22.

3. The university will recycle R-502 from units that are disposed.

 

6.0 EQUIPMENT USING R-22

1. The following equipment at the university uses R-22:

  • Air conditioners- 167
  • Chillers- 22
  • Heat pumps- 8
  • Water coolers- 8
  • Dehumidifiers-5
  • Air dryers-1

2. The university will continue to use and purchase equipment containing R-22. Old R-22 units will be replaced with new units using R-22.

3. Alternatives to R-22 will be sought; however the university must purchase equipment that is on the state contract.

 

7.0  EQUIPMENT USING R-134a

1. The university currently has five automobile air conditioners that use R-134a.

2. New automobiles will contain air conditioners that use R-134a.

3. If available, the university will consider purchasing equipment that uses R-134a to replace units using R-12.

4. The amount of equipment using R-134a will rise in the future.

 

8.0  REFRIGERANTS IN STOCK

1. The university has the following refrigerants in stock:

  • Four 125-lb cylinders of R-22
  • One 100-lb cylinder of R-22
  • One-half 100-lb cylinder of R-22
  • Three 100-lb cylinders of R-12
  • Four 50-lb cylinders of R-22
  • One 30-lb cylinder of R-22
  • Four 30-lb cylinders of R-12
  • Two drums of R-11
  • 25-lbs of R-502
  • No R-500
  • No R-134a

2. R-11, R-12, and R-22 are purchased on State contract through Refrigeration Sales Inc, New York.

3. R-502 and R-134a are purchased on State contract through Booth Refrigeration Supply, Inc., Richmond, Va.

4. Refrigerants are stored in several equipment rooms on campus. Plans are to stockpile all refrigerants in the warehouse in the near future.

 

9.0  REFRIGERANT NEEDS

1. To ensure that adequate stocks are available for future use, the university should have the following quantities of refrigerant on site:

  • Additional 500 lbs of R-12.
  • Additional 100 lbs of R-502.

2. Additional stocks of R-500 are not needed. Equipment using R-500 will be replaced with R-22 units.

3. Additional stocks of R-11 are not needed. The university has only one unit that uses R-11. This unit will be replaced soon with equipment that uses R-22.

4. Additional supplies of R-22 and R-134a are not needed because these refrigerants are not in limited supply at this time and are readily available.

 

10.0  HALONS

1. The university has the following halon 1301 tanks:

  • 360-lb tank piped to the computer lab in room 225, Davis Hall
  • 124-lb tank piped to main computer room 221, Davis Hall
  • 518-lb unconnected tank

2. All tanks are located in the mechanical room on the second floor of Davis Hall.

3. The connected halon 1301 tanks will be kept in service until they are activated.

4. The 518-lb tank will be maintained and used to refill the other tanks if they are activated.

5. If all the Halon 1301 is used the university will purchase a replacement chemical.

6. The new chemicals will cost $22-25 per pound and take twice as much as the old halon.

7. The brand names of the new chemicals are FM-200 Ansul and CEA 410 Pemall.

8. Marquis Bolton, State Surplus Property Manager, must be notified in writing when transferring any Halon products. The quantity and date of transfer must be included in the letter.

 

11.0  AUTOMOTIVE AIR CONDITIONERS

1. The university will maintain automotive air conditioners that use R-12 for life of vehicle if possible.

2. If a compressor unit goes out and the vehicle warrants the cost of a retrofit, conversion to R-134a will be considered.

3. One 30-pound cylinder is kept in the garage.

4. The garage has a refrigerant leak detector.

5. The garage uses the HVAC recycling/recovery units but may purchase their own unit in the near future.

6. Future needs of R-12 cannot be accurately predicted. Most air conditioners are relatively new. Leakage usually starts in four years. The garage should stockpile more cylinders to ensure needs can be met in the future when old air conditioners start to leak.

 

12.0  TECHNICIAN TRAINING

1. All automotive technicians have been certified through the Automobile Service Excellence (ASE) Refrigerant Recovery & Recycling Certification Program (703-713-3800). The program is EPA certified. The following technicians are certified:

  • Boomer Reeves
  • Nathan Mills
  • Jim Mason
  • Willy Ellison

2. Two HVAC technicians (Fred Caldwell and Kim Andrews) were certified by Newbern-Trane in Roanoke, Va. on September 17, 1993. Kim has a universal license and Fred has a Type I and II license (small appliances and high pressure equipment). Fred is not certified to work on low pressure equipment. The Newbern-Trane program is based on the Ferris State University program. It is expected to be "grandfathered" under the regulations and receive approval soon from the EPA. Verbal approval has already been received by Newbern-Trane.

3. One HVAC technician (Bryan Loop) and possibly another (Charles Custer) need to be certified.

4. Training classes are offered by the following company:

a. Newbern-Trane, Roanoke, Va. 703-563-2828, EPA approved, contact: Leah Coffman

The next class is offered on October 12, 13, 14, 1994.  Type I and II license (small appliances and high pressure equipment) will be offered on October 12 and 13; the charge is $300.  Universal license will be offered on October 12, 13, 14; the charge is $400.

 

13.0  RECOVERY/RECYCLING EQUIPMENT

1. The university has the following refrigerant recovery/recycling equipment:

a. Robinair Model 17500B, Robinair Division SPX Corporation, Montpelier, OH, Service Line 800-822-5561. The equipment was purchased from Virginia Refrigeration Supplies, Norfolk, Va., on April 23, 1991. The equipment is used for R-12, R-22, R-500, and R-502. An Acquisition Certification Form has been completed and sent to the EPA.

b. National Refrigeration Products (NRP) Model ULV1, Bridgeton, NJ. The equipment was purchased June, 1992, from Southern Refrigeration Corporation, Roanoke, Va.(703-342-2163). An Acquisition Certification Form has been completed and sent to the regional EPA office.

2. Since the equipment was purchased before November 15, 1993 it does not have to be certified by an EPA approved testing organization for use with all appliances except MVACs. However, the equipment must meet the standards in the first column of Table 1, page 5, in the Regulations Section.

3. The garage uses both units. The Robinair unit does not have to be certified for MVACs, since it was purchased prior to September 4, 1991. But it must be substantially identical to EPA approved equipment. The NRP unit must be certified for use on MVACs.

4. According to Southern Refrigeration Corporation both units are EPA certified.

5. Available recycling/recovery units owned by the university are not designed to handle R-134a but can be used occasionally to handle this refrigerant.

6. The garage plans to contract out any work involving R-134a.

7. The garage plans to buy its own recovery/recycling unit within the next two years.

8. The university should purchase a recycling/recovery unit designed to handle R-134a.

 

14.0  ASHRAE STANDARD 15

1. New chillers will be installed in accordance with ASHRAE Standard 15.

2. Existing chillers will be upgraded to ASHRAE 15 Standards if funds are available.