As we ring in the new year, the phase down and production of high Global Warming Potential (GWP) HFC refrigerants continues to accelerate for 2023. By the end of September 2023, the consumption of HFCs will decrease by 10% of the baseline 303.9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent to 273.5 MMTCO2e. This means less R-134a, R-410A, R-404A, R-407C, and many other common gases used today. This phase down will bring along a transition to new solutions but will ultimately drive-up price in the short term as the supply of HFCs decrease and demand continues.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), directed by the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (AIM Act), is addressing HFCs by facilitating the transition to next generation technologies through industry sector GWP restrictions and focused efforts on maximizing reclamation and minimizing releases of HFCs. This refrigerant transition will move HVACR away from HFCs and shift us to new A2L refrigerants. A2L refrigerants operate with substantially lower GWPs but do come with an increased risk of flammability. It is more important than ever that technicians become familiar with these industry changes, identify appropriate trainings around A2L refrigerants, and equip themselves with appropriate tools to support an evolving market.

MSA will continue to monitor the AIM Act to provide updates as the transition progresses. We can provide solutions that help facilitate the transition including refrigerant identifiers and leak detection systems. Refrigerant Identifiers allow technicians to confirm refrigerant prior to recovery which helps reduce recovery contamination. This allows our industry to continue to reclaim and reuse refrigerants keeping a manageable level of HFC’s for older equipment. Just as important is the installation of fixed gas detection systems to proactively identify refrigerant leaks, minimizing system loss, and reducing costs associated to refilling systems. Refrigerant monitoring can also help facilities reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption as corporations look to meet Net Zero carbon emissions.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic brought about unprecedented challenges for businesses worldwide, disrupting operations and limiting face-to-face interactions. As MSA Safety’s process analysis experts, we responded to these challenges with innovation and flexibility, demonstrating our ability to adapt and evolve in the face of adversity. For this success story, MSA Safety was able to leverage remote video conferencing tools to facilitate live, real-time interaction for a prescription medical equipment manufacturer. We’re proud to have implemented solutions that have enabled us to continue serving our customers and maintaining high standards of quality and safety.

When the pandemic first hit, we prioritized the health and safety of our employees, customers, and partners. Our company policies prohibited in-person contact with anyone, and social distancing measures were mandated for all personnel required to be on-site. However, we recognized that many of our customers still required critical services and support, and we sought to find new and innovative ways to meet their needs.

Typically, for larger plant-integrated systems where Final Acceptance Testing (FAT) is required, the customer would send a representative to inspect and witness the verification testing in person especially where there are individual calibration and testing procedures for the subassemblies that are performed before final assembly. A final system test is generally performed by Production, along with an inspection carried out by Quality Control to ensure the product meets design and performance specifications.

These documents are typically provided to the customer ahead of time, and in some cases, in lieu of the FAT. The customer may also provide additional equipment to be installed in the analyzer enclosures to communicate with their Building Automation System (BAS). Point-to-Point wiring is often part of the initial testing and verification prior to the FAT.

We realized that we needed to find a new way to conduct these tests that would meet our high standards of quality and safety, ensuring the health and well-being of everyone involved along with providing the customer with the confidence that their system would operate as planned.

Solution

Our team responded with agility, innovation, and flexibility, developing a remote video conferencing solution that allowed us to conduct live or recorded meetings, training sessions, and FAT procedures. In one case, we successfully conducted the FAT remotely for two multichannel analyzer assemblies used to monitor oxygen in a prescription medical equipment manufacturing process. These analyzers monitor the oxygen levels inside barrier enclosures used to manufacture contact lenses and maintaining low oxygen levels is critical to the production process. They are also used to confirm that a safe breathable atmosphere is present when workers need to access the enclosures for cleaning or to perform maintenance.

Using a laptop with a camera and a cell phone, we were able to provide a dynamic and detailed presentation of the testing. The laptop was positioned to show the analyzer display readings on the front panel, while the cell phone provided close-up views of the wiring and point-to-point testing. The customer witnessed every I/O and alarm point testing visually and was extremely pleased with the outcome. They felt that the remote presentation was just as effective as an in-person visit, and it reduced the risk to their employees while providing significant cost savings for travel and expenses.

Conclusion

The solution demonstrated our commitment to our customers’ needs, even in the face of unprecedented challenges. We were able to adapt and evolve, leveraging new technologies and approaches to continue providing critical services and support. Since implementing our remote FAT solution, we have successfully conducted testing for an additional two systems, providing cost savings for our customers while allowing both parties greater flexibility in scheduling the meetings. Looking ahead, we plan to continue utilizing remote video for pre-inspections, technical service and support, and even commissioning.

At MSA Safety, we take pride in our ability to innovate, adapt, and evolve in the face of challenges. Our experience during the pandemic has only strengthened our commitment to providing exceptional service and support to our customers, no matter the circumstances. We’re confident that our remote FAT solution is just one example of the agility, flexibility, and innovation that sets us apart, and we look forward to continuing to serve our customers with the same level of dedication and excellence.

MSA Bacharach’s industrial process analysis experts are available to help in a variety of applications. For assistance, provide project details at myBacharach.com/GAsurvey and one of our application engineers will help to optimize your process where the measurement and control of oxygen level is critical.

Refrigerant management is the efficient, safe and cost-effective operation of your refrigeration equipment. Complying with evolving legislation, ensuring product quality and the safety of colleagues and customers, reducing operating expense and improving margins, while striving for 24/7/365 equipment uptime are all essential divisions in refrigerant management. Whether you’re an equipment owner or refrigeration contractor, responsible for single-site analysis or full enterprise deployment and reporting, you know the importance of refrigerant tracking and compliance.

6 Key Features of the MSA Parasense Refrigerant Tracking & Compliance Platform

The MSA Parasense Refrigerant Tracking & Compliance Platform is robust, effective, and easy to use.

Want to Learn More?

Take a look at our free product demonstration and discovery sessions.

Preparing your household for winter can help reduce utility bills, keep you safe, and protect your house from low temperatures.

What can you do to protect your home as temperatures drop?

In most cases, the only way of knowing there’s a refrigerant leak in a supermarket is when the equipment fails. At this point, it’s too late to avoid the loss of food quality, damaged stock, and replacing the costly refrigerant.

It doesn’t have to be like that. The MSA Parasense Enterprise Leak Detection (ELD) Platform provides early, low level refrigerant leak detection and notification which means as soon as a leak is found, rapid repairs can be arranged, saving stock, refrigerant, and revenue.

One classic example of a refrigerant leak was recently witnessed at a large US supermarket chain’s store. Usually, these Volcano Refrigerant Leak Patterns start as a very small pin-hole leak that slowly grow unnoticed over time. Eventually, the leak grows so much that it ‘erupts’, releasing the circuit’s remaining refrigerant charge, with the refrigeration equipment failing along with other consequent damage.

The MSA Connected Solution proved highly effective, drawing on the power of industry-leading low level leak detection equipment, with detection down to 1 ppm (parts per million). Combined with the ELD platform, MSA provides a complete turnkey hardware and software connected solution, enabling low-level detection, 24/7 remote monitoring, and notification support, for rapid response and repairs.

This true incident is scary enough to spook any HVAC tech! Read ahead – if you dare.

Why is this tale so horrifying?

Even though the solution was straightforward, this situation was extremely dangerous for the occupants, and easily preventable. A furnace running with a clogged air filter is starved for ventilation and produces high levels of carbon monoxide (CO) – a colorless, odorless gas than can be fatal for humans and their pets. A clogged air filter can also increase the chances of a fire, further advancing the safety concerns in this home.

Clogged air filters prevent furnaces from running properly and reduce the life of the system. The blower, heat exchanger, burners and other components are all crucial for heating your space. A clogged system puts unnecessary stress on these components, and heating systems are not cheap to replace.

Additionally, furnaces will run longer to compensate a clogged air filter. This increases fuel usage, resulting in higher gas bills and wasted natural resources.

Education is Key

Learning more about your heating system can help you be prepared if something goes awry. Carbon monoxide is often called the silent killer because of its tasteless, ordorless, and invisible qualities. Educate yourself and your family on the signs of CO poisoning so you’re prepared if anything feels wrong. Common symptoms include headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach or chest pain. If everyone in your home feels sleepy at an odd time of day – it may be a sign. In these situations, immediately remove yourself from the home and call 911.

By continuing to care for your heating system and staying attentive, you help increase the safety of your home while keeping you and your family comfortable.

Want to learn more? Check out our robust line of combustion analyzers here. 

The true story and clogged air filter photo above was provided by Kevin Dorwart, MSA Executive Field Sales Manager.

For most people, autumn is the season for hayrides, changing leaves and apple picking. For HVAC professionals, autumn is the season for combustion analysis. As temperatures begin to drop, residential and commercial spaces begin turning up their thermostats and an unchecked furnace or boiler may lead to safety hazards, financial loss and wasted time.

What is combustion analysis?

Combustion analysis is a careful test of the heat exchanger (the fueling sources mentioned above) in a furnace or boiler. The process of heating air involves the inevitable emission of harmful gasses, and combustion analysis is a way to check if the fuel-to-air ratio in the heat exchanger is safe and appropriate.

How often should I have a combustion analysis test completed?

HVAC professionals recommend having your heating system checked at least once a year, ideally before the start of winter. Annual tests are good for every space, however, regardless of the climate you live in.

What tools do I need to complete a combustion analysis test?

Trouble in a heating system can’t be found visually by looking at the flame, HVAC professionals must use combustion analyzers to study and measure the fueling sources. Each analyzer is different, and MSA offers a wide variety of handheld technologies that can ensure accurate readings and extensive reports.

Whether you’re testing a residential, commercial, or industrial area a regular combustion analysis practice is important for every space, and being diligent can only lead to increased safety.

Want to learn more about our complete line of combustion analyzers? Click here.

A large regional US food retail chain, with over 400 stores, strived to reduce refrigerant emissions across their sites as part of their environmental emissions reduction program. With an industry average refrigerant leak rate of 20-25%, the food retail chain wanted to drive their emissions down below 10% to meet their refrigerant compliance objectives. They needed a comprehensive, connected solution that paired best-in-class low-level refrigerant leak detection equipment with an effective IoT enabled remote monitoring platform for greater visibility and enhanced notification. MSA provided a complete turnkey hardware and software connected solution, enabling low-level detection, 24/7 remote monitoring and support, and portable leak detectors with pin-point accuracy for rapid repairs.

Food Retailers are taking customer demands and corporate social responsibility seriously and aligning to achieve net zero refrigerant emissions targets within the next 20 years. To achieve this, a close examination of the whole operation is needed, such as finding better cold chain solutions that require more efficient transportation and lower energy consumption. However, supermarkets must also consider the hidden carbon equivalent of refrigerant emissions, especially for high Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants and HFCs.

The average supermarket system contains thousands of pounds of refrigerant, and depending on the refrigeration system used, leaks an average of 20-25% of its refrigerant each year. The North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC) state, this adds up to “70 Million metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions each year just from supermarket refrigeration leaks. That is equivalent to the emissions from powering 12 million homes, which is roughly the number of households in the state of California”.

Beyond environmental costs, there are significant financial costs associated with refrigerant emissions too. Lost refrigerant needs replaced once the leak has been fixed – and with spiraling refrigerant costs due to the AIM Act phase down, as well as supply chain constraints, this is a constant challenge. What’s more, when refrigerant charges are below the optimum level, the equipment requires more electricity to maintain operations – adding extra financial cost and CO2e emissions. Additional financial costs of spoilage, lost sales, and customer dissatisfaction occur as well.

To tackle the refrigerant emissions issue for supermarkets, the United States Environmental Protection Agency developed a Corporate Emissions Reduction Program for food retailers; GreenChill. The voluntary partnership program works cooperatively with food retailers to help:

• Transition to environmentally friendlier refrigerants
• Lower refrigerant charge sizes
• Eliminate refrigerant leaks
• Implement best environmental practices
• Adopt green refrigeration technologies

Concern

As with most Supermarkets in the United States, intent on reducing refrigerant emissions to meet GreenChill certification objectives, the company wanted to achieve an unprecedented refrigerant emissions rate of less than 10%. For GreenChill, a food retail store can achieve Platinum, Gold, or Silver level certification. Each category calls for more stringent requirements that must be met. For example, Silver level store certification requires:

• Only non-ozone depleting refrigerants used
• Refrigerant must be accepted by the EPA’s SNAP program for food retail use
• Achieve an average HFC refrigerant charge of no more than 1.75 pounds per 1,000 BTUH load
• Store-wide annual HFC refrigerant emissions rate of 15% or less

The Supermarket’s requirement must therefore include a hardware solution capable of monitoring and detecting for background low level refrigerant leaks below 10 parts per million (PPM), a software solution that can immediately notify relevant people as soon as leaks are found, and a fast solution to effectively pin-point the leak. The complete, connected solution must therefore provide a rapid response to refrigerant leaks to support the supermarket’s overall emissions reduction targets.

Solution

MSA Safety’s solution for the food retail chain in question included low level leak detection equipment for fast background detection of refrigerant leaks, enterprise driven detection software that provides 24/7 remote monitoring and support with immediate alarming and notification, and low-level portable equipment to quickly locate the leak with pin-point accuracy. This system enables rapid notification, response, and repairs to refrigerant leaks.

A GreenChill report on leak sources for a regional supermarket chain found that compressor racks were the most prevalent sources (39%) followed by display cases (21%) then remote air cooled condensers (12%). With various potential leak locations to monitor across large areas, an aspirated monitoring solution was the most cost effective.

Application

The Connected Solution provided by MSA Safety was put to the test at approximately 1:00 PM on October 25, 2021. Despite the foot traffic and subsequent airflow within the store, the Multi-Zone monitor began to detect refrigerant at the supermarket’s dairy refrigerated counter. Although the leak started small, the Multi-Zone’s technology was able to detect it at an early stage of development.

As the leak increased in intensity, the development was automatically tracked by the Parasense cloud-based ELD software. Once the alarm stage was triggered, the Parasense Connected Solution automatically engaged the nearest refrigeration contractor to rectify the leak.

With detailed analysis of the leak location and intensity before the contractor was on-site, the Parasense rapid response team was able to triangulate the leak’s location across the different sample points in the store. When the contractor arrived, the team directed the contractor to the refrigeration equipment. With the PGM-IR, the leak was then accurately pin-pointed and ready for repair.

Within just three hours, the refrigerant leak had been identified, located, and fixed. A perfect testament to the robust Bacharach® refrigerant detection equipment and the Parasense Connected Solutions refrigerant management suite. The store managed to keep downtime to a minimum and were delighted in how their refrigerant emissions reduction had been greatly reduced.

Conclusion

Through dedication to exceptional refrigeration management of the retail food store chain, and the implementation of MSA’s best-in-class connected refrigerant leak system, the retailer has achieved GreenChill certification and won several awards over the years. With average grocery store refrigerant leak rates around 20-25%, this chain exceeded all expectations after bringing its corporate leak rate down to 7%. Beyond the cost savings and positive return on investment, their commitment to operational sustainability helped safeguard people, places, and the planet. Reach out to MSA’s team of Gas Detection Experts to learn more about choosing the right system to achieve corporate emissions goals.

Inerting of vessels is typically associated with tanks directly involved in a manufacturing process, but that is not its only use case. In this application, inerting was needed after the manufacturing process was complete and the process tanks were being cleaned. Often, a tank must be cleansed to a level of purity that can only be achieved using flammable solvents, regardless of the components that were used in the manufacturing process. This article explores a successful solution for a similar application.

A well-known paint and coatings manufacturer’s plant, located in California, had several vessels used to produce water-based paints and coatings. Being water based, the manufacturing process posed no dangers of fire or combustion, and therefore had no need for inerting. Color matching paints between batches demanded strict tolerances and played an essential part in meeting quality control requirements. In order to achieve that quality standard, a very strict cleaning protocol for the vessels was developed by plant personnel to ensure that all residue from the previous batch was completely removed, even when the tank was to be used for a batch of the same color.

Concern

The strict cleaning process introduces the three parts of the fire triangle: Fuel – the cleaning solvent. Ignition – sparks may occur if the rotating metal nozzle were to make contact with the sides of the tank. Oxygen – air that entered the vessel as it had been opened. The Plant Safety Engineer determined the risks were too great during cleaning and denied approval of the procedure as it was originally proposed. A solution had to be found.

Solution

After careful consideration, the most effective solution identified was to outfit the tank with an inerting control system. Inerting, using nitrogen for example, displaces the air from the tank. By removing the air, oxygen decreases to safe levels and concerns of combustion are minimized. Various techniques for controlling the nitrogen flow were evaluated and discarded, as some use too much nitrogen and could potentially release high amounts of VOCs into the air when mixed with nitrogen. VOC emissions are strictly regulated under California environmental rules and must fall under permitted threshold levels.

As established by the plant safety team, the operations group was now required to verify and document when the vessel was inert, and thus safe to start the cleaning process. These requirements were easily met with an oxygen analyzer based inerting system in place.

The cleaning procedure adopted by the plant team now met the appropriate safety requirements. First, the cleaning head is installed inside the emptied tank. Next, the tank is purged with nitrogen to remove as much air as possible. Using the readings from the oxygen analyzer, the tank is balanced to a safe oxygen concentration, below the MOC (maximum oxidant concentration) for the solvent used prior to introducing solvent into the tank. MOCs are empirically determined by the manufacturer of the different solvents and published for reference. In addition, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has issued guidelines, such as NFPA-69, that help users determine the recommended target maximum oxygen levels based on the MOC of the particular solvent being used. Once the target MOC has been achieved and documented via the oxygen analyzer, the cleaning process, consisting of spraying solvent from the spinning head inside the tank, commenced. The analyzer actively monitors oxygen levels during the process, ensuring no spikes occur. Furthermore, it provides historic records of each process completed.

Once a maximum oxygen concentration target was established, the team began evaluating flow rates of raw material supply lines in the system. By raising the feed rate of different lines, they established precise productivity increase allowances while maintaining oxygen below the permitted maximum. Excitement rose as the data determined that material throughput to the mixing vessel could sufficiently increase at an approximate rate of 2 ½ times without compromising safety; confirming value in the proposed introduction of a complete oxygen analysis system.

Additionally, the data generated by the oxygen analyzer can easily be fed to a PLC and stored for tracking purposes. This is invaluable for troubleshooting and documenting safety compliance when needed.

Conclusion

By careful planning and implementation of an oxygen analyzer based inerting control system, the plant was able to achieve its goals of cleaning the tanks in a safe manner, and in compliance with the regulations governing environmental releases. MSA Safety engineers helped plant operations with the selection of both the equipment to be used and the sensor itself. Because of the harsh environment, the engineers were able to recommend a number of components to protect and enhance the life of the sensor, such as filters and demisters.

Several years after the system was installed, the manufacturing plant continues to operate in an enhanced and safer environment.

MSA Gas Inerting Experts are available to help in a variety of applications. For assistance, provide project details at myBacharach.com/GAsurvey and one of our application engineers will help to optimize your process using inerting.

Summer has begun, and the rising temperatures and blistering heat call for AC units to run at full capacity. Each June, we celebrate the HVAC professionals that keep our homes and spaces cool; and this year is no different.

Not only do HVAC technicians keep us comfortable, but they also help us save money and protect people and the planet from refrigerant leaks. When our heating or air conditioning units need repaired, we call HVAC technicians to save the day. Here are a few ways you can celebrate the HVAC techs that keep you safe and comfortable:

It’s easy to take air conditioning and heating for granted in our modern world. Take a moment today to thank the HVAC techs in your life who keep you comfortable, save you money (in the long run), and help reduce your carbon footprint.

Happy National HVAC Technician Day!