2021 RETA Breeze March-April

RETA BREEZE

REFRIGERATING ENGINEERS & TECHNICIANS ASSOCIATION MARCH / APRIL 2021

Case Study Smal l Bore Piping Fai lure Investigation

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BREEZE

The RETA Breeze is the official publication of the Refrigerating

Engineers & Technicians Association (RETA). RETA is an international not- for-profit association whose mission is to enhance the professional development of industrial refrigeration operating and technical engineers. Don Chason Executive Editor 704-455-3551 Jim Barron Executive Director jim@reta.com Sara Louber Senior Director, Office Operations sara@reta.com Stephanie Date Marketing & Events Manager stephanie@reta.com Dan Denton Chapter Relations Liaison ddenton@reta.com Vince Grindel Education Coordinator vince@reta.com The information in this publication is based on the collective experience of industry engineers and technicians. Although the information is intended to be comprehensive and thorough, it is subject to change. The Refrigerating Engineers & Technicians Association expressly disclaims any warranty of fitness for a particular application, as well as all claims for compensatory, consequential or other damages arising out of or related to the uses of this publication. Publication of advertisements in Breeze , or any other RETA publication, does not constitute endorsement of any products, services or advertisers by RETA and shall not be considered or represented by advertiser as such. Copyright © 2021 Refrigerating Engineers & Technicians Association.

The Service Appl ication Manual A new perspective

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE Education Corner

Message FromThe President........... 4 FromThe Executive Director.......... 6 Call for Nominations........................ 7 Epic Fails Fingers Crossed I Hope it Holds . ........... 8 Review Courses Available at Conference ................................... 11 2021 RETA National Conference is swiftly approaching......................... 12 Message from Don Tragethon....... 14 Take A Family Member To A Meeting Campaign. ........................ 17

Wanted for questioning ....................... 19 Case Study Small Bore Piping Failure Investigation . .......................... 20 In Memoriam of Timothy Kohrs. .. 24 The Service Application Manual A New Perspective . ............................. 25 RETA Testing Corner No. 23......... 28 RETA’s Credentialing Exams And Activities Certification..................................... 30 Honor Roll

REFRIGERATING ENGINEERS & TECHNICIANS ASSOCIATION 1725 Ferry St. SW, Albany, OR 97322 Telephone: 541.497.2955 | Fax: 541.497.2966 RETA.com

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2020-21 BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRMAN Vern Sanderson, CIRO, CRST, RAI Wagner-Meinert, LLC PRESIDENT Eric Teale, CARO, CRST Danfoss Industrial Refrigeration EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Keith Harper, CARO Tyson Foods Inc TREASURER Pete Lepschat, CIRO, CRES, CRST Lineage Logistics SECOND VICE PRESIDENT Bengie Branham, CIRO Perdue Farms DIRECTORS Alan Gervais, CARO, CIRO Western Precooling Systems Bill Lape, CARO, CIRO, CRST SCS Engineers David Gulcynski, CIRO Dot Foods Inc. Debbie Koske Calibration Technologies, Inc Edward Johnson, CARO Schwans Global Supply Chain, Inc. Jeremy Murfin AC & R Specialists Jim Kovarik Gamma Graphics Jordan Reece, RAI Lanier Technical College Michael Hawkins Midatlantic Refrigeration, LLC Raymond Urban, CARO Lineage Logistics Ricky Jimenez, CIRO Mericle Mechanical Inc William Ellena Coastal Pacific Food Distributors, Inc COMMITTEE CHAIRS Dascha Whitmore, Marketing Dave Gulcynski, CIRO , Education Dot Foods, Inc. Jim Kovarik, National Conference Gamma Graphics Lee Pyle, CARO, Certification SCS Tracer Environmental Matt Hayes, CARO, Publications TJW Industrial Michael Hawkins, Membership Midatlantic Refrigeration, LLC Jim Barron, Executive Director

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT

Declaration of Diversity and Inclusion “At RETA, a diverse, inclusive, and equitable organization is one where all employees, volunteers, and members whatever their gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, education or disability, feels valued and respected. We are commit- ted to a nondiscriminatory approach and provide equal opportunity for employment and advancement in all of our departments, programs, and volunteer positions. We respect and welcome all people regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, veteran status, physical appearance, thought styles, religion, nationality, socioeconomic status, belief systems, sexual orientation or education and ensure that all voices are valued and heard.” President’s Message: Being a part of RETA has been a high- light of my career and a life. I have gained numerous friends and people into my life that I consider family. I have been given numerous opportunities to grow professionally and personally. I have had the opportunity to give back to the RETA Family through service. I want all our members to experience RETA the way I have been fortunate to have.

Eric Teale, RETA National President

RETA is a diverse organization of people and backgrounds but that does not necessarily mean that everyone feels valued, heard, respected, empowered, and that they feel they belong. That is why it is important to say that RETA is diverse and inclusive. Our industry has been facing a shortage shortage is becoming more severe every day. There is a saying, “When you stop growing, you start dying.”We must start bringing more people into our industry, we must start growing RETA internation- ally, we must keep growing and moving forward. Ensuring that people feel they are included is important to retain, attract, and grow our membership and help our industry. of skilled technical and operating engineers for some time and the

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This Declaration of Diversity and Inclusion is words made into sentences, and while words are powerful, they lose their power if we do not act on the message. The next step is to form a President’s Special Committee to understand what Diversity and Inclusion is to RETA, to continue to build RETA’s diversity, and work towards creating a refrigeration community of belonging. I welcome anyone who wants to help to contact me or RETA HQ. I cannot do this myself and need your help. As a RETA Member and Certification holder, I am bound by the RETA Code of Conduct and it is my duty to abide by the Code of Conduct to advance the integrity, honor and prestige of all persons and organizations in the refrigeration industry. By declaring the we value diversity and inclusion we are adhering to our Code of Conduct and creating space for all to come eat at the table. I am proud of the Board of Directors to support this Declaration and am honored to be a member of the RETA Family.

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Sincerely, Eric W. Teale, P.E., CRST RETA President 2020-2021 eric.w.teale@gmail.com

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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Hello All, It’s hard to believe that we’ve already welcomed in the arrival of spring! The flowers and trees are blooming, and the weather has been exceptional here in Oregon. It’s been a trying year, but we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and this experience has made us stronger and even more resilient as a society. Continue to be safe and to keep distancing yourselves in crowds while you get out and enjoy these beautiful spring days with your loved ones. “If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” Anne Bradstreet I have been grounded at RETA HQ since March of 2020 and I am looking forward to greeting everyone in person at our Conference in Schaumburg, Illinois in November. This is a vendor’s choice heavy equipment show with a fantastic educational venue. I’m hopeful that the trajection we’re on allows us to stay the course so that we may all be together for a great RETA Family Reunion. We recently welcomed a new employee to the RETA family. Please help me in welcoming RETA’s newest employee Stephanie Date as the RETA Marketing & Events Manager. Stephanie has hit the

ground running and will be working diligently with the Conference committee to plan and prepare a Conference to remember. RETA’s new reviewed and revised Basic Electricity 1 & Basic Electricity 2 are almost finished with the hard work of the Education Committee. Our fifty-year-old Controls 1 is also almost completed. I would like to say thank you to all the Education committee members and our own Education Coordinator Vince Grindel for their hard work on the updates and rewrites of the RETA educational materials. Awesome job folks! RETA is just finishing up with the annual ANSI/ANAB audit where we once again had a productive and positive outcome. RETA’s success in moving our accreditation forward is thanks in large part to the hard work of the Certification Committee Chair Lee Pyle, Dr. Ron Rodgers the RETA Psychometrician, and the Certification Administrator Samantha Ibarra. They are a great team and I can’t thank them enough for what they do for the Association. All RETA’s committees are working to better RETA and move us forward through these trying times. I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to Education Chair Dave Gulcynski, Certification Chair Lee Pyle, National Conference Chair Jim Kovarik, Membership Chair Mike Hawkins,

RETA Executive Director Jim Barron

Marketing Chair Dasha Whitmore, Publications Chair Matt Hayes and

Nominations (Awards) Chair Gene Dumas. If anyone would like to volunteer to be on a committee, please contact that committee chair or RETA HQ. Their contact information is on the RETA website. In closing, I would again like to say please be safe in your day-to-day journey and for those of us that ride bikes and motorcycles, please remember be cautious as we enjoy our rides. God bless each one of you.

Jim Barron RETA Executive Director

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CALL FOR NOMINATIONS It’s our favorite time of the year! The time to nominate a RETA member who, in your RETA world, merits consider- ation for one of our annual awards. It could be someone who always raises

Guy R. King Memorial Award Recognizes outstanding job

performances in education and training of members nationally and locally.

who exemplified a specific strength that benefitted the RETA membership and our industry either through teaching, leadership, or service. Identify who that special RETA person is and jot down some reasons you think they should be honored. Send this nomination and the support- ing documentation to the Executive Director Jim Barron by email to jim@reta.com or submit it online at reta.com/nominations. Nominations must be received by August 31st, 2021 in order to give the awards committee adequate time to consider the nominations.

Elliott R. Hallowell Award Honors the member whose record of service to RETA for the current year merits special recognition and reward.

their hand at the Chapter meetings when a call for help goes out; or that person who approaches every situation as a teaching opportunity, furthering the understanding for those in our industry through training; or someone you just can’t imagine not having around at every RETA function, event or activity. The following awards will be given out at the annual Conference in Schaum- burg, Illinois this November. They are named in honor of past RETA members

Venneman Award Recognizes an outstanding RETA member for a career marked by leadership and service to the profes- sion and the organization. Felix Anderson Award Recognizes two individuals who have worked behind the scenes at the Chapter level and who are not on the national Board.

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EPIC FAILS

FINGERS CROSSED (I HOPE IT HOLDS)

Pipe Supports are an often overlooked part of our ammonia refrigeration systems. Often, they are installed as an afterthought, often as cheaply as possible. Many times, they are made of materials that look like they are from someone’s garage, or a quick run to the local home improvement store.

5.11.1 General. Supports and anchorage for refrigeration equipment shall be designed in accordance with the Building Code. 5.11.2 Combustibility. Structural supports shall be noncombustible. Pressure-treated lumber and synthetic materials shall be permitted under structural supports to protect the roof. 5.11.3 Seismic Joints and Restraints. Seismic joints and restraints shall be provided as required by the Building Code. 5.11.4 Manufacturers’ Recommendations and Expected Loads. Supports and foundations shall

The International Institute for Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR) develops standards that are considered to be Recognized and Generally Accepted Good Engineering Practices (RAGAGEP) for the ammonia refrigeration industry. IIAR2, the Standard for Safe Design of Closed Circuit Ammonia Refrigeration Systems, does, in fact, give us requirements for proper piping support. The requirements are found across three separate sections. Section 5.11 provides general requirements for equipment AND piping supports. 5.11 Foundations, Piping, Tubing, and Equipment Supports

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IS THAT ROCK OR THAT PIECE OF LUMBER HOLDING UP THE PIPE SUITABLE TO HANDLE ALL ANTICIPATED LOADS?

meet or exceed the manufacturers’ recommendations and shall be designed to carry expected loads. 5.11.5 Vibration and Movement Resistance. Supports and foundations shall be designed to prevent excessive vibration or movement of piping, tubing, and equipment. Where piping is supported by the floor, roof, or ceiling structure, the structure or foundation supporting the piping shall be designed to support the expected static and dynamic loads, including seismic loads. Foundations and supports shall be in accordance with the Building Code. Section 6.2.2 details the pipe support requirements in the machinery room. 6.2.2 Piping Supports.

Both Section 5.11 and Section 6.2.2 speak of complying with the building code. While this varies location to location, in general, the building codes, including the International Mechanical Code and the Uniform Mechanical Code, set requirements for materials of protection against impact. Finally, in the piping chapter, support is addressed further. 13.4 *Piping, Hangers, Supports, and Isolation 13.4.1 *Piping hangers and supports shall carry the weight of the piping and any additional expected loads. 13.4.2 *Refrigerant piping shall be isolated and supported to prevent damage from vibration, stress, corrosion, and physical impact. construction, minimum spacing distances, and

13.4.3 Threaded hot-rolled steel hanger rods shall be permitted. 13.4.4 Anchors, their attachment points, and attachment methods shall be designed to support applied loads. 13.4.5 Mechanically expanded concrete anchor bodies shall not be adjusted or axially spun after being set. 13.4.6 For insulated piping, supports shall be designed or the insulation shall be selected to avoid damage to the insulation from compression. All three sections of IIAR2 that deal with pipe supports, and the mechanical codes, require that the supports be designed to carry the weight of the piping AND any additional expected loads. These loads could be static loads from equipment, a person, ice, or

snow. They could also be dynamic loads due to wind or seismic activity. The key is that these design calculations need to be documented. Section 13.4.6 in IIAR2 stated that the supports must protect against compression of insulation. Most people think of insulation with PVC jacket- ing as being most susceptible to such compression damage, but the weight of carbon steel pipe pressing down on a pipe support will also cause insulation with aluminum jacketing to compressor without some means of additional protection, such as pipe saddles, which spread the load. Maintenance (ITM) of Closed Circuit Ammonia Refrigeration Systems addressed pipe supports from the ITM standpoint. In the chapter on IIAR6, the Standard for Inspection, Testing, and

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piping, the standard calls for the following annual inspections.

It goes on to call for the following annual pipe support maintenance. Replace missing or broken hangers, hanger rods, and pipe support saddles It should be noted that the EPA’s document “Ammonia Refrigeration List of Key Safety Measures” that was developed in conjunction with IIAR includes, as one of its measures: A preventative maintenance program is in place to, among other things, detect and control corrosion, deteriorated vapor barriers, ice buildup, and pipe hammering, and to inspect integrity of equipment/pipe supports. This list was developed as a guide for facilities that are not subject to the Risk Management Program (RMP) requirements found in 40 CFR Part 68, but rather fall under the General Duty Clause of the Clean Air Act. However, this list serves as a good starting point for facilities with over 10,000

pounds of anhydrous ammonia in their refrigeration system to quickly evaluate their safety and compliance programs. It can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/sites/ production/files/2018-05/ documents/ listofkeymeasurements.pdf If you have photos of an Epic Fail please pass them on to nh3isB2L@gmail.com. Bill Lape is Project Director for SCS Engineers. Bill is a Certified Industrial Refrigeration Technician, and a member of the National Board of Directors of the Refrigerating Engineers and Technicians Association. Operator, a Certified Refrigeration Service

d) Visually inspect supports for cracks and degradation

e) Visually inspect mounting bolts are in place

f) Visually inspect piping for indications of movement

g) Visually inspect seismic joints and restraints

h) Visually inspect materials used under roof pipe stands for indications of degradation (e.g., bases or sleepers) i) Visually inspect piping supports are in place and for indications of degradation that could impede their ability to provide continued support of the piping as designed

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REVIEW COURSES AVAILABLE AT CONFERENCE

Certified Industrial Refrigeration Operator (CIRO) is a three-day educational program designed to assess more advanced concepts, principles, and applications required to supervise industrial refrigeration operators. A minimum of two year's machine room experience is required. Course includes Industrial Refrigeration I, Industrial Refrigeration II, and Basic Electricity II. Certified Refrigeration Service Technician (CRST) is a three-day educational program designed for technicians and support personnel who troubleshoot and maintain industrial refrigeration plants and facilities. The credential addresses topics from advanced levels of plant safety and operations through the basics of ammonia refrigeration compliance and PSM requirements. A CARO or CIRO credential or at least four years of progressively responsible experience in industrial refrigeration is required. Course includes Industrial Refrigeration III and Ammonia Compliance Guidelines. Certified Refrigeration Energy Specialist (CRES) is a two-day educational program designed to assess the mastery of

RETA-certified operators must meet high standards for industrial refrigeration training and knowledge. RETA offers the following credentials and training professionals at the RETA National Conference in Schaumburg, Illinois. Attend a certification course and/or stay and attend both a certification course and the Conference. Each course includes a two or three day educational program, handouts/speaker materials, the RETA coursebook(s) listed in class description (shipped to you prior to Conference), 16-24 PDH credits (depending on length of class), and lunch each day. educational program designed for new operators who demonstrate entry-level knowledge that qualifies them to work under supervision in industrial plants and facilities. Course includes Industrial Refrigeration I. opportunities for refrigeration industry operators and other Certified Assistant Refrigeration Operator (CARO) is a three-day

refrigeration system operations and energy management strategies. While no other

RETA credentials are required, CRES candidates do need to demonstrate enough knowledge of refrigeration

operations to offer energy management strategies without compromising the safety or integrity of refrigeration systems. Course includes Energy Efficiency Handbook. Train the Trainer Course is three-day educational program focused on training designed to benefit employees that are asked to design and/or deliver training in the workplace. Participants identify the learning needs of adults, how to plan, develop, and implement different types of training, and how to deliver and assess the success of the training. Registrants may schedule the CIRO, CARO, CRST, CRES, and RAI certification exams to take during the Conference. Please visit www.reta.com/page/certification for the applicable handbook and application. If you have further questions, please contact RETA HQ at 541-497-2955 or email certification@reta.com. adults in hands-on operations and technical skills and its application is

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CONFERENCE CORNER

2021 RETA NATIONAL CONFERENCE IS SWIFTLY APPROACHING

By Stephanie Date, RETA Marketing & Events Manager

The 2021 RETA National Conference is just over six months out! We are all excited to get back to a normal annual Conference. With everyone playing it safe and the number of COVID-19 cases trending downward, the Conference Team at HQ and the National Conference Planning Committee are busy planning for a safe and memorable in-person event. So, mark your calendars, pack your sweaters and parkas for November 9-11, 2021 at the Renaissance Schaumburg in Illinois. Our “Call for Abstracts” has been closed and the technical papers submitted have been reviewed and graded by our Technical Committee. There were many very well thought out Technical Topics, that made the grading process rigorous. I am excited to announce our Technical Topics for 2021: Compliance Topics • Applying IIAR 6 to Your Facility: Apply and UseWhat You Already Have • Best Practices for Minimizing Ammonia System Hazards Through Your PSM Program • What to Know Before Your Next Regulatory Audit Management Topics • Keep Your Cool in an Unpredictable World with Digitized Assets

• Creating an Ammonia “Checkbook” • The Art of the Investigation

Operations Topics • IIAR 6: Should I Hire a Contractor or Keep it In-House? • Risk Based Inspections for Refrigeration Systems • Properly Developed Standard Operating Procedure(s) (SOP), the Refrigeration Operator(s) andWhy You Should Care Engineering Topics • ASME B31.5 Piping Stress Analysis in Refrigeration Systems • Vessels Operating at Temperatures Colder than the MDMT Stamped on the Nameplate • Virtual Design and Construction: Engineering Technology as Applied to Refrigeration Systems

EARN MOST OF YOUR PDH CREDITS AT ONCE!

One thing the RETA National Conference has that is hard to find anywhere else, is the opportunity to gain an abundance of PDH Credits all in one shot! Not only that, but you can also earn them in a variety of

ways from traditional presentations, workshops, hands-on sessions, and manufacturing sessions!

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The Technical Topics, Hands-On Sessions, Workshops, Hot Points and Manufacturer Sessions will make this year one that is jammed packed with a lot of learning to be gained; and a lot of knowledge to be taken back to your workplace. Our hotel reservation site for the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel is now active and can be located on the RETA Conference page The 2021 National Conference registration portal will be open May 1st. You will be able to register for the Conference, Review Courses, Workshops, Guest Program, TopGolf event and more. When planning your trip please take note that exhibitor move in/set up is Sunday-Monday, November 7th-8th. Workshops will be scheduled on Monday, November 8th and offering the review courses: CARO, at https://reta.com/page/2021- Conference-hotel-and-travel.

CIRO, CRST, CRES and Train-the-Trainer from Saturday-Monday, November 6th-8th, 2021. Sign up for a review course, stay for the Conference, and take your exam all in the same week. There is no limit to what you can take away and accomplish at this year’s 2021 RETA National Conference. A very big thank you to all the businesses who have confirmed their support for the 2021 RETA National Conference. Without our Sponsors and Exhibitors support, we would not be able to provide our members and industry with the educational experience and commitment to safety in the Refrigeration Industry. Interested in Sponsoring or Exhibiting? It is not too late to do either or both. We have many opportunities available for the 2021 RETA National Conference. Please contact Stephanie Date at Stephanie@reta.com for more information.

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MESSAGE FROM DON TRAGETHON I was invited to write a message about the importance of the association, the volunteers, the staff, and board of directors. I discussed the importance of the association in the January/ February Breeze. Now I’d like to celebrate the volunteers, staff, and board of directors.

As a former staff member, I find it difficult to decide which of these three entities to highlight first, or expound on the greatest. Like a three-legged stool, all three legs have to be in place and strong enough to carry the load applied to the seat. I could say that the staff is most important – but if it were not for the work of the volunteers and Board, we there wouldn’t be a staff. Let’s talk instead about how things get done at RETA. The association exists to enhance the professional development of operating and technical engineers in the field of industrial refrigeration. We are concerned about the health and safety of these people that work on and around these systems and the machinery employed to provide safe food for the people of the world to consume. We are also concerned that the companies that employ the operators are profitable and continue to provide opportunity to the operators, technicians, contractors, design engineers, and customers. To that end we have a chapter network, an education network, a certification network, and an annual conference where people participating in all these different facets of the organization come together to share and learn from one another. These different activity bases (membership, education, certification, and conference) operate in a committee structure. The participants are volunteers and serve the purpose of their interest by working together with others with similar interests. These volunteers are precious. Some of their activities are high-profile (Conference) while others are not so evident. A person serving a committee has an interest in what the committee produces and strives to see satisfying

results from their effort and contribution. The committees are led by volunteer leaders – many times the chairperson is a current elected serving member of the board of directors. Today RETA has a policy that a committee chair is a member of the board however the chairperson does not have voting privileges if not a current elected member. The advantage of chair-people having a seat at the board is they receive first-hand information regarding the opportunities and challenges the association faces at the time. The committee volunteers might graciously give dozens of hours to the association in a given year. The volunteer writing teams that have been working on our flagship products over the years have given an unmeasured amount of time in the quest for providing the best educational material we can provide our industry. The same is true for the volunteers on certification, membership, and conference. RETA would not be viable without the people that volunteer. The staff exist to execute the policy and program that the board of directors (all volunteers) direct. RETA is fortunate to have persons that have a primary responsibility to a given committee. There is: Membership — the default thinking is to the Chapter network. We have staff whose responsibility is to have an eye toward the needs of the chapter leaders and the needs of our membership that do not have a relationship with a chapter because of geographic limitation. Staff publishes a monthly resource document that is sent electronically to the chapter leaders throughout the organization. Another service the membership staff provides is to work with groups who wish

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Education — I have had the pleasure of serving with many volunteer writers, logging hundreds of hours of session time over the years since being on staff. For me, the participation in team writing RETA course books began in 1997. I credit all of my career success to having that opportunity to learn from others as we strove to craft technical information that resonates with persons who are not traditional students (I am one). HQ staff work with the volunteer writers as the books are processed through the five-year review process. They also participate in the development of new product such as the recently released carbon di-oxide course book. HQ sees to the management of book inventory and printing and the course final exam offerings by computer. Certification —The certification program was developed in the mid-1980’s through the leadership of RETA President David Woods followed up by his successor, John Scherer. The initial Level B and Level A exams were first administered by the first chair of the committee, Jack Coleman, at the 1988 annual conference. The program was administered mostly by volunteer leaders until 2002 when the board of directors took the giant step of bringing the program into alignment with the professional certification industry. This is

to establish a new chapter. “How-to” documents are sent to those future chapter leaders with follow up to connect these new leaders to knowledgeable chapter leaders. Lately, a “positive consequence” of COVID-19 is the strong increase in virtual chapter meetings taking place. HQ sends out meeting notices now that presents quite a smorgasboard of learning opportunity every month. Conference — Have you ever planned a party then wondered if anyone would show up for it? That is an annual concern for RETA. The staff works with the conference committee to plan and deliver the conference. Our volunteer participation at such an intimate level in the execution of a conference is not normal in the traditional association-conference world. HQ’s conference staff have talent and experience to manage the myriad of outside professionals that supply the venue, food, audio/video, tour, and travel support. RETA conference volunteers have built relationships with staff and each other. The opportunity is always open to join the activity (fun) and be a part of something larger than one’s self. The upcoming conference this November in Schaumberg, IL is slated to be an in-person experience. Let’s get together – and learn from one another, directly.

when we decided to acquire the ANSI accreditation of the program. Acquiring ANSI accreditation validates the entire program and provides defensibility and accountability of the organization. RETA secured the services of an expert in certification, Dr. Ron Rodgers. He worked with the board and staff to establish the necessary policy and procedures to qualify the organization to achieve and maintain the ANSI accreditation. The staff became involved in a large way in 2005 and since then with dedicated personnel to support members and non-members access the exam and maintain their credentials. I mentioned four committees and the high profile staff offices that serves those committees. These four aspects of RETA wouldn’t get anywhere without the support and services of the rest of the RETA staff that sees to the administration and accounting of membership records, educational sales, certification fees, and conference income/ expense. We have an executive director (ED) that is accountable to the board of directors. The ED oversees and works with all the support staff and provides information to the board and committees as they serve RETA’s mission.

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RETA is an organization built upon and sustained by relationships between people of many different interests, needs, and talents. Together we are members of an industry that provides safe food to the world. We provide safe workplaces for our employees and our neighbors as we operate and maintain the systems we have charge over — using the best practices learned from publications, chapter technical sessions, safety day events, exhibit hall conversations with manufacturers and providers, and technical presentation at conference. With all that said— celebrate the volunteers, staff, and board of directors. Together, they — and we —make a positive difference in the world. Look for a way that you can join in — you will grow, and opportunity will come your way when you do.

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TAKE A FAMILY MEMBER TO A MEETING CAMPAIGN Vern M. Sanderson, CRST, RAI, CIRO

Ok, let’s face it, our jobs require a lot more time away from home than they did 30 years ago. My guess is that they will require more time away next year than this year. Possibly the only bright spot from Covid is that many people are home with their loved ones more. I’ve attended two RETA meetings virtually with my grandson sitting next to me. I think it’s a great way to introduce the family to what we do. He also attended the National RETA Conference with me (I registered him).

Does he understand everything, no… not yet. But he does understand that Jim K. is fun to talk to, and he loves big compressors. I’ve mentioned this before. But maybe this can be the start of something.

mind! Why not bring them to a meeting live or virtually. You never know this may be just the thing to bring them around. How about your spouse? It may be possible, maybe, kinda, that your spouse would like to know a little more about what you do. This is a great way to introduce the organization and the industry. Let’s face it, if they hate it, which I doubt they will, they can experience a convenient “lost connection” event.

I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to bring your family members to a RETA meeting.

Almost everyone has a family member who is still trying to find themselves. Face it, a name immediately came to your

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Kids are fantastic at live RETA meetings, I think they could be at virtual events also. Just prior to the pandemic, we had a 9 month old attend one of our meetings. She immediately noticed we didn’t have any toys for her to play with. When I found out…BAMM…Woods coupling to the rescue. But don’t let them teeth on it (long story). But she had a blast rolling it around the floor. It gave her father a chance to attend the meeting, learn, and spend time with his daughter. The strict definition of quality time….. no. But better than “no daddy’s going to get home late tonight”. Virtual is even easier. Teenagers can also be great meeting attendees. Have you ever noticed that when you teach someone something you learn a little more yourself? What a great opportunity to re-enforce what you know by explaining it to the next generation.

It instills work ethic and the thirst for knowledge. All great things for any teenager. Have you ever thought about the number of children who have lost a mother of father who would love to get out of the house for a couple hours and just talk with someone. Imagine the influence that can have on a teenager. If you have a “Little Brother” or Little Sister” take them to a RETA meeting. And if you don’t, please consider it. Most of you will remember a time when teenagers had a fascination with cars. Loud and fast! For the record I was driving a 63 Ford Falcon. Exposure generated passion. I think it was in a recent shade tree article that someone mentioned the number of motorcycle mechanic school ads during a NASCAR race. I don’t know

if there is a drastic shortage of motorcycle mechanics, but I know there is a shortage of refrigeration operators. Let’s encourage them. If taking your daughter, son, cousin, brother-in-law, or little brother to a RETA meeting motivates them, to a career in refrigeration then great. If it just gives you a few more hours with them, that’s pretty great too! Vern M. Sanderson, CRST, RAI, CIRO Wagner-Meinert LLC and the Tex Hildebrand Training Center

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Education Corner

RETA’s Mission Statement: “The RETA Mission is to enhance the professional development of industrial refrigeration operating and technical engineers.”That mission statement contains a powerful mandate and responsibility. RETA’s three pillars: EDUCATION + EFFICIENCY + DEVELOPMENT sets similar goals. RETA first became a piece of my professional journey in 1977, when one of the college classes I was enrolled in used a RETA text. That RETA text, while still a bestseller, is in serious need of an update. I am happy to say is in progress. In fact, it is well underway. Which leads me to this call for member participation.

Wanted For questioning

members with REFRIGERATION CONTROLS EXPERIENCE

REWARD: An All-New CONTROLS ONE

YOUR CHANCE to ‘ENHANCE THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT of INDUSTRIAL REFRIGERATION OPERATING AND TECHNICAL ENGINEERS’ and SHARE THE VALUABLE THINGS YOU HAVE LEARNED Contact: Education@RETA.com

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CASE STUDY

SMALL BORE PIPING FAILURE INVESTIGATION Report by Peter A. Lepschat

A cold storage facility has experienced numerous, and in some cases repeated, failures of steel pipe nipples on some of their screw compressor packages. These failures seem to have coincided with the installation of Varible Frequency Drives on two of the compressor packages in July of 2019. No failures of the same fittings have occured to date on the compressors that Vibration analysis and alignment checks have been performed on the compressors in question. Based on measured vibration at the test points, the VFDs were configured to skip several speeds between the minimum and maximum frequencies to avoid operation under conditions that caused harmonic vibration within the equipment. remained configured as single speed units.

This Pipe nipple is constructed of ¼ inch IPS schedule 80 steel material with cut NPT threads. Upon first examination the failure appears to be a fatigue/stress crack originating at the root of a thread. It is very likely that the failed thread root is at the first or outermost thread that was not fully engaged in the female fitting thread. Failures such as this are

At of the time of my visit, I observed that the vibration of these units seemed to be extremely low when palpated at various locations. My first question was if any of the failed parts had been retained, and if so could I examine them. One failed part was available, below are some photographs of it:

Background

Investigation

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not uncommon and can have many causes: vibration, mechanical stress, excessive pressure or liquid hammer, improper application or material, or improper installation methods being the usual suspects. However, it is important to note that the failure of these pipe nipples is not the root cause, but rather a symptom of another issue. Closer examination of the following photographs provides clues that point to the root cause. On each of the examples to the right note that there is a relatively heavy concentration of unsupported weight at the end of a relatively long and comparatively light pipe nipple. If one goes back to the photos of the failed nipple, a closer examination reveals the presence of ratchet marks around the circumference of the nipple. The photo below is an example of an unrelated failed pipe nipple that more clearly illustrates what these marks look like:

Findings

Overload Region

Ratchet Marks

Beach Marks

The presence of these marks indicates that fatigue cracks initiated in a variety of locations and propagated through the material. Multiple crack initiation regions indicate that the forces acting on the pipe were multidirectional as would be expected if vibration was present. The fatigue cracks all originated at the thread roots, which is expected

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in a vibrational failure, as the sharp valley at the bottom of the thread acts as a “stress riser”which concentrates applied stress to a single point. In summary, the failure of the pipe nipple was associated with vibration induced fatigue crack formation and propagation. The relatively rapid initiation and progression of the fatigue cracks was likely accelerated by the fact that the nipples are supported on one end and have relatively concentrated mass at the opposite end, forming a cantilever- like structure that imparts significant stress at the thread roots where the fatigue cracks initiated. Another contributing factor is that the frequencies of vibration vary with the speed of the compressor. Even though the compressor itself has been tested and shows acceptable amounts of vibration, the specific weights and lengths of the assemblies pictured above would have a completely different set of resonant frequencies, much like tuning forks of various lengths do. Ideally one could analyze the vibration of the assemblies; In reality this is not possible, as the installation of the vibration sensor would add

2. Increase the mass/strength by designing and manufacturing a replacement fitting for the pipe nipple. Note that the facility has already taken this approach, and the initial results appear to be promising. The following photos are of a part that facility staff had a local machine shop designmake, along with a photo of one after installation (Right page): A few notable features to about this solution: • 304 stainless steel was used. This material has excellent corrosion and good fatigue resistance. • The fitting eliminates the use of a ¼” nipple that was screwed into a ½”x ¼”NPT reducing bushing. • The hole through the fitting was kept very small, providing extreme wall thickness for increased part strength. • Generous fillet radii were provided at each profile change to eliminate stress risers. The second category is to change the physical configuration to reduce

There are several measures that can be taken to reduce the risk of recurrence of this failure. These solutions fall into two main categories: The first category involves adding strength or design features that make the assemblies more resistant to fatigue, in other words, better able to withstand the vibration they are experiencing: 1. Select pipe nipples with rolled threads as opposed to cut threads. This is best explained by the illustration above In summary, rolled thread pipe nipples are better because: • The wall thickness of the nipple is not reduced by the threads • The forming process provides increased metal strength in the threaded area by re-forming the grain of the metal instead of cutting through it. • The bottoms of the threads will have a slight fillet radius, reducing or eliminating the stress riser seen at the bottom of a cut thread.

Solutions

mass and alter the resonant frequencies of the assembly.

Key Take Away

Vibrational fatigue can lead to rapid failure of materials, especially those with stress risers such as threaded sections. The risk of vibrational fatigue is increased for components that are only supported on one end.

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so that it does not experience vibrations along its long axis, but rather in the axial or “thrust” direction loads the threads in compression and tension instead of bending. 5. Support the unsupported end to eliminate the cantilever stress on the assembly. Care must be taken so that the support mechanismdoes not apply stress to the assembly but still provides as rigid of a support structure as the opposite end does. The entire assembly must move as a single unit when vibration is present. This solution would be very difficult to achieve considering the location of the assembly and the lack of a good place to tie in a new support structure. While preparing this report, I reached out to the Maintenance Manager at the facility to follow up on how the solutions they had applied were performing. As stated above, the results look promising, they have experienced no additional failures on the assemblies that have been upgraded. I would recommend that a survey of the remaining assemblies be done, and the upgrade applied to them proactively. Ideally this will prevent an ammonia release in the future due to an issue that will inevitably occur on them if left as is. It is my hope that the information contained above is of value to all involved parties, both to provide assurance that the cause of failure has been identified, and that, if implemented, the solutions provided will give peace of mind that they will not experience continued failures of this type.

Summary:

or eliminate the cantilever effect, or to change the resonant frequencies of the assembly, either of which will eliminate the stress that the threaded connection experiences: 1. Shorten the length of the assembly. This will raise the resonant frequency of the assembly, ideally beyond any frequency that the compressor can produce. 2. Remove as much weight as possible from the unsupported end of the assembly. This will raise the resonant frequency and lower the inertia of the unsup- ported end, which will in turn reduce vibrational stress on the thread joint at the supported end. 3. Install an elbow or tee close to

I would recommend that a survey of the remaining assemblies be done, and the upgrade applied to them proactively.

attachment point. This measure will have the effect of dividing the overall length of the assembly into 2 shorter parts that are at right angles to each other, reducing the stress applied to the threads on the supported end of the assembly. 4. Orient the cantilever arm so that

it is perpendicular to the rotating elements of the

the attachment end of the assembly to reconfigure the piping so that the cantilever arm is perpendicular to the

machine. Most of the vibration of the rotating elements of a screw compressor is radial in nature. Orienting the arm of the assembly

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IN MEMORIAM OF TIMOTHY KOHRS

Timothy Alvin Kohrs, age 62, formerly of Clark, passed away Monday, April 5, 2021, at a Fargo hospital. He is the son of Marvin and Florence Kohrs. Tim served as the Northern Plains RETA Chapter President in Minnesota for nearly two decades. His love and passion for his family, work, the RETA association, and RETA Chapter was immeasurable. A visitation will be at 3:00 PM Friday, May 7, 2021 followed by a prayer service and sharing at 6:30 PM, both at First English Lutheran Church, 17 Main St. SW Menahga, MN 56464. A celebration of life will be 11:00 AM Saturday, May 8, 2021 at the church with a visitation one hour prior. As a courtesy to the family, Furness Funeral Home has an online guestbook at www.furnessfuneralhome.com. Additional services and guestbook are provided by Wevley Funeral Home, wevleyfuneralhome@wcta.net.

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THE SERVICE APPLICATION MANUAL A NEW PERSPECTIVE

Chapter 630-07A Section 1J Principles and Characteristics of Beer Dispensing

The Service Application, A new Perspective, is a series of articles by the instructors of Wagner- Meinert’s Training Centers (The Tex Hildebrand Center and The Timothy J. Wagner Center for Refrigeration Excellence). Their observations provides a window into the RSES Service Application Manual (SAM), the oldest living reference manual available that contains literally thousands of pages of technical data, equipment analyses and evaluations, field application instruction, regulations, good practice codes, business development guidance and more. Access to the hundreds of SAM chapters currently available is an RSES member benefit. This article includes direct quotes and excerpts from the original SAM chapter, as well as observations from the author of this article and is being used with permission from RSES.

Lori (RSES Journal Editor).

E lton C. Gould, CM Past drafted Chapter 630-07A many years ago. The chapter provides a very timely look at beer distribution. This article is beneficial for anyone in the beer industry as well as anyone in the refrigeration industry. Many of the concepts presented are sound business practices with cross-discipline applications. I also believe the article is extremely important for those who prefer to homebrew. It is important to remember that beer is a food product and reguardless of what some think, you cannot live on beer alone. Beer must be handled as a food product. It must be brewed, stored and served appropriately to remain a safe and enjoyable product. Beer is a carbonated malt beverage, which contains grains, hops, yeast, water and a President RSES Chapter, and former Deputy Director RSES Region 1,

certain amount of natural and artificially injected Carbon Dioxcide. Pasteurized beer is packaged in several ways, Kegs, bottles, and cans. In addition barrels are also used to distribute unpasteurized beer. Barrels must be given special care as their non-pasteurized state make them more vulnerable. Temperatures must be maintained between 45 and 50 degrees F. Bottled and canned beer, while not as fragile as barreled beer, must be stored in a clean dry room. This allows for longer storage and less ideal locations. If the beer is stored for too long or stored at the wrong temperature taste will be affected. As with any food product, beer should be stored in a clean area free from odors. Beer will remain fresh longer if it is stored in a dark location.

Beer freezes at approximately 28 Deg. F. Beer should never be frozen. Stored beer should be rotated so the oldest beer is consumed first. Carbonation makes beer taste better. Too much carbonation and beer will be foamy and too little carbonization will result in “flat” beer. As mentioned earlier, cleanliness is essential in the processing, storage, distribution, and consumption of beer. Beer served in a glass should be 38-42 Deg. F. In this range beer taste will not be affected. But you must remember pouring beer in a warm glass can raise the temperature significantly. If pouring into a warm glass, beer storage temperatures would be around 38 Deg. F. If pouring into a frosted glass, storage temperatures of up to 42 deg. F. are permissible. Bottle and can cooler temperatures should

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