ASHRAE safety standards available on IIAR website from June 2011

In June 2011 ANSI/ASHRAE safety standard 15-210 for refrigeration systems and standard 34-2010 for the designation and safety classification of refrigerants, were made available on the IIAR website, helping promote safer refrigeration systems.

ASHRAE/ANSI Standard 15 establishes procedures for operating equipment and systems when using the refrigerants specified in Standard 34, while Standard 34 describes a shorthand way of naming refrigerants and assigns safety classifications based on toxicity and flammability data.

The standards are offered by ASHRAE as a set, and add new refrigerant blends to the set of standards published in 2007.

Here are highlights of what’s new in each:

ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 15-2010

Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems

Revisions to align the standard with UL 984 (Hermetic Refrigerant-Motor Compressors)
Revised requirements for terminating relief vent discharge lines
Guidance for protection of positive-displacement compressors in cascade systems
Added definitions to better provide for safety of cascade refrigeration systems
Revisions to align with Standard 34

ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 34-2010

Designation and Safety Classification of Refrigerants

Occupational exposure limits for refrigerants
Designations and safety classifications for 1 new single-compound refrigerant and 14 new refrigerant blends
Data and updates of refrigerant concentration limits (RCL) and safety classifications for several existing refrigerants
Modified method of calculating the heat of combustion for refrigerants (includes example calculation)
Added, optional 2L subclass in Class 2 flammability classification for refrigerants with a burning velocity less than or equal to 10 cm/s
Informative appendix with example calculation of the acute toxicity exposure Limit and refrigerant concentration limit for a refrigerant blend

Background

ASHRAE the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers is a non-profit international organization founded in 1894. Its stated mission is the advancement of “the arts and sciences of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration to serve humanity and promote a sustainable world.” ASHRAE publishes voluntary consensus standards for Method of Measurement or Test, Standard Design and Standard Practice.