2023 RETA Breeze March-April

RETA BREEZE

REFRIGERATING ENGINEERS & TECHNICIANS ASSOCIATION MARCH / APRIL 2023

MEET US IN FLORIDA FOR THE RETA 2023 NATIONAL CONFERENCE

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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

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Conference Corner

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

sara@reta.com Stephanie Date Events Manager stephanie@reta.com Harry Wilkins Certification Manager harry@reta.com Dan Denton Chapter Relations Liaison ddenton@reta.com Vince Grindel Education Coordinator vince@reta.com

Message FromThe President........... 4 Message From the Executive Director............................ 6 Lessons learned: Welded Flanges ..................................... 8 Conference Corner......................... 10 The Refrigeration Historian Gardner Tufts Voorhees . ..................... 14 The Best of RETA’s Q&A................ 19 Epic Fails Attention to Detail ............................... 22

Job Opportunities ........................... 24 RETA Testing Corner No. 35 Why You Should Earn a RETA Credential ........................................... 26 My Take on 5S................................. 28 Certification Honor Roll................ 30

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 © 2023 Refrigerating Engineers & Technicians Association.

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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2022-23 BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRMAN Keith Harper, CARO Tyson Foods Inc PRESIDENT Bengie Branham, CIRO, RAI SCS Engineers EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Michael Hawkins, CARO Midatlantic Refrigeration, LLC TREASURER David Gulcynski, CIRO Dot Foods Inc. SECOND VICE PRESIDENT Bill Lape, CARO, CIRO, CRST SCS Engineers DIRECTORS Alan Gervais, CARO, CIRO Western Precooling Systems Andrew Palomar, CARO APCCO Barbara Kirkpatrick Mi-Docs Debbie Koske Calibration Technologies, Inc. Edward Johnson, CARO Gordon Rascoe, Jr, CIRO, CRST, RAI ConAgra Brands Jeff Lublin Kolbi Pipe Marker Co. JeremyMurfin AC & R Specialists Jim Kovarik Gamma Graphics Services Melissa Cassell General Refrigeration Company Raymond Urban, CARO Lineage Logistics Victor Dearman, Jr. Peco Foods, Inc COMMITTEE CHAIRS Certification: Lee Pyle, CARO SCS Tracer Environmental Education: Eric Girven, CIRO, CRST, RAI SCS Tracer Environmental Marketing: Dascha Whitmore Stellar Membership: Arlie Farley, CARO, CIRO, CRST Farley’s SRP, Inc National Conference: Jim Kovarik Gamma Graphics Services Publications: Ed Johnson, CARO Executive Director: Jim Barron

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT

Hello my RETA family. I hope all of you are doing well and you are looking forward to and anticipating the blessings that the Spring season always seems to bring. It is an awe-inspiring time to see the cold dreary grey winter doldrums fade away only to be replaced with the vibrant colors of flowers and trees in their majestic bloom. To myself, it symbolizes a new beginning after a long period of dormant, stagnant existence. I am not a fan of winter and its challenges to say the least! In my opinion, it’s the dead coming to life. For me personally, Spring is a time to look forward to fishing, family gatherings, golfing, and time outside riding motor cycles in clean fresh air. It is also a time to look up and give thanks to our almighty for his continued promise of a new begin ning much like a birthday or a new year’s celebration. A blank slate filled with promises of a better you or circumstances surrounding you. But what ever way we view it, it is a new beginning. That’s why as the current President of RETA, I am so very excited to announce that a new chapter in our history has begun. RETA now owns its Headquarters and has no mortgage. That is correct, RETA has paid off its mortgage on the National Headquarters in Albany, Oregon. Also, I would like to add we did it in 5 years due in part to dedicated Executive Leadership of this GREAT organization!! At this time, I want to personally acknowledge President Eric Girven, Jim Barron, and the 2018 Board of Directors for having the dedication and commit ment to our vision of spreading our mission statement to all four corners of industry way in 2018. During this time period and serving as a Director (serving what I considered as a three-year term at

Bengie Branham, RETA National President

the time), we voted under the guidance of President Eric Girven to purchase the current facility that we now own as the permanent home of the Refrigerating Engineers & Technicians Association. The vote to purchase a home for RETA was historical as RETA had never had owned a brick and mortar building up to this point in our current history. I also did not fully understand the impact that my vote in 2018 would influence anything in 2023. In closing, votes and those making them really do matter. The RETA membership elected the 2018 and 2023 Board of Directors to move our organization for- ward. Actually to ‘Spring” us forward, and I am happy to say we have done just that. My wish is to see all members in Jacksonville, Florida for our National Conference as that is when you as a member, get to choose the leadership that will continue to move RETA forward. As the current president, I would like to thank Jim Barron and HQ staff, the 2018 Board of Directors , and the current Board of Directors for being steadfast and resolute in preparing RETA for growth in the 21st century. Stay tuned. More to come!!

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FROM THE DESK OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Hello All, As I look out my office window, I see signs of spring on the horizon. Trees and flowers are starting to bud and there are noticeably more birds taking flight. As the weather starts turning warmer, it signals as a reminder to pause our daily grind, take in a deep breath of fresh air, and enjoy these beautiful days with our families as we embark on this rejuvenating time of year. RETA just finished up with our annual ANSI audit where we have secured our ANAB accreditation renewal for the next five years from PCAC. Great job to the Certification Committee, Dr Ron, Samantha, and Harry for their months of preparation and due diligence in making this process as streamlined and easy as possible, which isn’t an easy task considering the applica tion alone is 74 pages long with 85 attachments. RETA HQ is a hive of activity in every department; Certification is extremely busy with renewals, scheduling exams, and implementing a new camera system in the RETA test centers. The Membership department is taking care of our members’ needs as always, and the Education department is in the midst of reviewing sev eral books in the RETA library. The Conference department is in the midst of planning and preparing for RETA’s annual National Conference at the Hyatt Regency Riverfront in Jacksonville, Florida November 14-17, 2023. We’re pulling out all the stops so be prepared for an event that is both educational and engaging. In closing I would like to say please be safe. For those that ride motorcycles and bikes, please remember that in most parts of the country, people are not used to watching out for us. It has been a very long winter in most parts of the country, so be cautious as you enjoy your rides.

CERTIFICATE OF ACCREDITATION The ANSI National Accreditation Board Hereby attests that Refrigerating Engineers & Technicians Association 1725 Ferry St SW, Albany, OR 97322, United States Fulfills the requirements of ISO/IEC 17024:2012 General Requirements for Bodies Operating Certification of Persons Within the following scope of accreditation: GRANTED 2008-03-14: Certified Assistant Refrigeration Operator (CARO) GRANTED 2008-03-14: Certified Industrial Refrigeration Operator (CIRO) GRANTED 2022-09-13: Certified Refrigeration Service Technician (CRST) The current scope of accreditation can be verified at www.anab.org.

Dr. Vijay Krishna – Vice President, Credentialing

Valid Through: 2028-03-14 Accreditation ID: #0738

Certificate ID: AKIEIUHN

Jim Barron RETA Executive Director

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Recently, a small leaked developed at a facility. This followed a small project to install several valves. The investigation showed that the leak was at a flange connection. A properly tightened flange connection! So, what happened? When welding the 2-bolt flange to the pipe, the welder failed to grind the weld to provide a flat sealing face for the flange bolts. While the bolt did tighten, the flange faces did not mate correctly. This created a situation where, under

• perform the required pressure test. It becomes very easy to get lost in the glory of past successes. “Complacency = Injury”. No one in our facility should be hurt performing maintenance or construction. Follow procedures, never take short cuts. Many times, regulations are spawned from past incidents. In layman’s terms if we can’t get our stuff straight, we will receive increased regulations until we do. A friend recently explained it like this. “Don’t hate the regulator, hate the “person”who caused the accident, that prompted the regulator to change the code”. Take the time to be safe! The author, VernM. Sanderson, is a past RETA president and author of “Functional Standard operating Procedures for the Ammonia Refrigeration Industry”.

pressure, the flange would leak. So how can this be avoided? • Keep the weld out of the bolt and nut path.

WELDED FLANGES LESSONS LEARNED:

• make sure the mating surface is clean and flat. Regrinding should be done if necessary but kept to a minimum. If the flange has too much slag and splatter, refit a new flange. • Utilize a 4-bolt flange to minimize potential risk where possible.

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RETA HQ is open from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm (PST) Monday-Friday. Please contact us at 541-497-2955 or TOLL FREE 1-844-801-3711. You may also reach us by fax 541-497-2966 or the website www.RETA.com.

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CONFERENCE CORNER

The RETA National Conference is an annual event that brings together professionals in the refrigeration industry, including engineers, technicians, operators, and manufacturers. The conference provides a forum for attendees to learn about the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in the industry, as well as to network and exchange ideas with their peers. RETA 2023 National Conference is at the Hyatt Regency Riverfront in Jacksonville, Florida alongside the beautiful St. Johns River, November 14 - 17, 2023.

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RETA National Conference is your one stop shop for earning PDH Credits for recertification, education, and training on a wide array of workshops, technical topics, hands-on sessions, and manufacturing sessions. Add to that, business networking opportunities and reuniting with RETA family. Each year Conference features a variety of educational sessions and workshops, led by industrial refrigeration industry experts and leaders. These sessions cover a range of topics related to refrigeration, including engi neering, maintenance, trouble shooting, compliance, and safety. Industrial refrigeration systems can be hazardous, and it’s crucial for technicians, operators, and engineers to understand how to work safely around them while keeping the world food safe.

TECHNICAL SESSIONS We recently closed our 2023 Call for Abstracts. Technical Topics have been carefully reviewed and selected by our Peer Review Committee, consisting of 15 peer reviewers. Each abstract is anonymously graded by the Peer Review Committee based on strict criteria. Peer reviewers volunteer many hours of their personal time reading and reviewing each abstract submitted. This laborious process begins with the submitted abstracts and continues through reviewing the Technical Papers and the creation of each PowerPoint presentation you see at Conference.

We had over forty amazing abstracts, thoughtful and well written abstracts, submitted to RETA HQ for consideration, making the grading process rigorous. A sincere THANK YOU to our RETA Peer Review Committee for their countless hours dedicated to continued education and safety. Also, thank you to all the authors who submitted abstracts for RETA 2023. We need industrial refrigeration professionals like you, who are willing to share your insight and expertise in this ever-growing field. I encourage you to continue to submit abstracts (more than one submission is welcome as well) each year.

I am excited to announce our Technical Topics for 2023:

Compliance Topics • What to Expect Post Ammonia Release • Life Cycle of a Recommendation • Choosing a High-Quality PHA Facilitator • Unraveling the 5-Year MI Paradigm • IIAR Suite of Standards Update Engineering Topics • War Stories - Tales of an Ammonia Refrigeration Engineer • The Enhanced MEB—So Much More Than A PSM Document • Is it Worth the Energy - ROI Workshop • A New Hire’s Guide to Thermal & Moisture Protection

Management Topics • Finding Operators:

Operations Topics • Using Statistical Methods to Ascertain Running Condition of Glycol Pump • Ammonia Hoses Unrolled • A Cold Shower • Passivation of Condensers • Reality Check! Energy Additional Workshops & Courses (preregistration required) • Train the Trainer • CARO Review Course • CIRO Review Course • CRST Review Course • CRES Review Course • Management of Change (MOC) Workshop • WiNR Workshop • CPR / AED & First Aid Management from An Operator’s Perspective

Exiting Military as One Option • Hands On Training Verses Classroom Training: Which is Really Better? • Understanding Communication Types • Hot Work Permits for Ammonia Refrigeration Systems Additional Workshops and Courses • Epic Fails • Summary of Ammonia Codes & Standards • Chapter Leaders Round Table • The Operators Challenge • Industrial Refrigeration Round Table - Lessons Learned • The History of Refrigeration - Volume 1

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NETWORKING AND SOCIAL EVENTS

• RETA Rumble & Breakfast Test your RETA and local geography (to National Conference) knowledge in this trivia style game to win prizes! Laugh, shout, ring bells and let’s RUMBLE! • WiNR Networking Reception Network and learn more about Women in Natural Refrigeration during this WiNR Reception to enhance the industry’s ability to recruit, develop, inspire, advocate for, and empower women. ALL individuals welcome. • Chapter Leaders Reception Are you a Chapter Leader? Do you want to be a Chapter Leader? Come mingle and learn more on getting involved with RETA Chapter Leaders. • Sip N Dip Pre-mingle with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the last night of Conference before the Awards Night. • Awards Night Dress your best and celebrate the successes of the RETA Community with dinner and awards on the last night of Conference. You might laugh. You’ll probably cry. You certainly will enjoy celebrating the best of the best in the industrial refrigeration industry.

• Top Golf Start your Monday off with a fun filled networking lunch while perfecting your golf swing in climate-controlled hitting bays at Top Golf Jacksonville.

• Autobahn Indoor Raceway Experience a RETA Monday Night Event like no other! Speed-lovers, be prepared for European style indoor go-karting! 80,000 square feet with two Grand Prix style tracks, four axe throwing lanes, video arcade and Omni multi-player virtual reality arena. • RETA After Hours Lounge Not ready to turn in for the night but don’t want to leave the Hotel? No problem. We’ve got you covered. The RETA After Hours Lounge is the perfect place to Laugh, Play and Eat! Have a beverage, eat a snack, sing some karaoke, play games and billiards all without leaving your home away from home. • Welcome Reception in Exhibit Hall Walk the floor of our 130 plus exhibitors while networking with manufacturers, suppliers and industrial refrigeration professionals from all across the US. HOTEL INFORMATION Our hotel reservation site for the Hyatt Regency Riverfront Jacksonville is open beginning in May 2023. You can locate the link by visiting www.RETA.com and selecting 2023 Conference. CONFERENCE REGISTRATION The 2023 National Conference registra tion portal will be open May 2023. You will be able to register for Conference, review courses, workshops, the Guest Program, social events and more.

CERTIFICATION Have you recently passed a CARO, CIRO, CRST. CRES RETA Certification Exam? Have you recently become an RAI? Congratulations on your recent achievement in obtaining a RETA certification! Receiving a certification takes many hours of hard work, studying and dedication. RETA would like to recognize you and your efforts at our RETA 2023 National Conference in Jacksonville, Florida. To recognize you properly, we need a recent picture of you (headshot or selfie). Please send your photo to Certification@ reta.com. These photos will be shown at various times and locations during our 2023 RETA National Conference in Jackson ville, Florida.

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GUEST PROGRAM The RETA National Conference is a fabulous opportunity to work and play. If your spouse or companion can join you in Jacksonville, Florida (if you want to be partner of the year), you may want to consider this very special program! Our guest program includes an exclusive schedule of events especially designed to entertain the spouses of RETA attendees with an array of activities and off-site adventures. Each regis tered guest or spouse will receive SPONSORS & EXHIBITORS A very big thank you to all the businesses who supported our 2022 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. 2023 Sponsorship and Exhibitor Opportunities are now available! Interested in Sponsoring or Exhibiting? It is not too late to do either or both. We have many opportunities available for the 2023 RETA National Conference. Please contact Stephanie Date at Stephanie@reta.com for more information.

a Guest Program attendee bag, crafting, games, prizes, and a good time. This year, guests will have an opportunity to register for a day outing to the historic city of St. Augustine along the beautiful coast of the Atlantic Ocean. *A spouse or companion may only attend the program as a partner of a registered attendee. During the registration process, you will be presented with the procedure for adding your spouse or companion as part of your registration. PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING RESTRICTIONS: RETA 2023 is a NON-HEAVY Equipment show. The Hyatt Regency Riverfront Exhibit Hall is located on the second floor in the Grand Ballroom. The freight elevator has weight and dimen sion restrictions. Limited exterior space for Heavy Equipment is available for an additional fee. For information or to plan for Heavy Equipment, please contact Stephanie Date at Stephanie@ reta.com. • Exhibit Hall Height: 21 ft • Exhibit Hall Foyer Height: 13 ft • Exhibit Hall Door: 7.8’H x 7.2’W • Freight Elevator: 18’L x 8’H x 8’W • Freight Elevator Capacity: 6,000 lbs. Important Restrictions:

SAVE THE DATE

Mark your calendars for RETA 2024 at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center located on the shores of the majestic Lake Grapevine. Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center welcomes guests to a stunning, one-of-a-kind experience. From the ten-acre Paradise Springs Water Park to an exciting lineup of family-friendly activities and entertainment, there’s something for the entire family to enjoy. Four-and-a-half acres of airy, indoor garden atriums, four award-winning restaurants, bars, the world-class Relâche Spa, and a state-of-the-art fitness center. Located near DFW Airport, LEGOLAND® Discovery Center, Cowboys Golf Club, Historic Downtown Grape vine. You won’t want to miss TEXAS!

There is no limit to what you can take away and accomplish at this year’s 2023 RETA National Conference. See you in Jacksonville, Florida!

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Funny that the Presidency of such a great country as the United States of America, has only four faces on their Mount Rushmore. A Refrigeration “Mount Rushmore” would require a mountain range the size of the Himalayas. Debates will rage forever about the greatest refrigeration engineer of all time. I understand that a significant portion of the youngsters are willing to engage in pub brawls with all who would deny Garland top honors. I will not pose an opinion as to the tallest mount. Certainly, Gardner Tufts Voorhees deserves a mount of considerable view. GARDNER TUFTS VOORHEES THE REFRIGERATION HISTORIAN VOLUME XXXIII Gardner was born June 6, 1869 in Stamford, Connecticut. He had one sister and would eventually find out about one half-brother. The validity of his birth would later be questioned. The legality of his parents marriage would eventually be decided in a Massachusetts court room. Gardner aggressively defended the validity of their marriage and prevailed in the law suite. Mr. Voorhees attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Gardner Graduated in 1890, age 21, with full honors and a Bachelor of Science Degree (SB). In 1892 it was rumored that Gardner would wed K. Rose Leonard. The rumored engagement made the local newspaper. Perhaps the first time that Gardner’s name would be in print, but not the last. Ultimately reverend Reed united them in marriage on February 1st of the same year. Rose would divorce Gardner in 1895. Gardner started his career at the Voorhees Electrical Company. His first patent would be filed as an employee of said company. The patent was filed in 1893. He would obtain several other patents in the electrical field before progressing his career toward the sweet science of refrigeration.

Oil separator, an early oil still

One of Mr. Voorhees greatest achievements was the “Voorhees Scheme”. A process by which a compressor could be injected with vapor mid stroke. If this sounds like side port injection, then your instincts do you credit. This process is ancestor of the side port injection process. Voorhees described this in his patent as “multiple effect to absorption and compression machines.” It because better known as the Multi-Effect Compressor (M.E.C.).

Gardner followed this with the Multi-Effect Receiver (M.E.R.) Another interesting invention was the oil separator, an early oil still. Already having great renown, in October of 1902, Gardner was appointed refrigeration construction engineer for the 1904 World’s Fair. He later served as the Chairman of Refriger-ation, being appointed in February of 1903, and serving until his

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resignation on January 26, 1904. His appointment was reported as far away as Germany. His resignation was apparently due to his objections to changes made in the ice distribution plans for the fair. The “Fair”was an event which highlighted a multitude of refrigeration innovations. With over 1600 tons of refrigeration in operations, Gardner managed to generate much interest from manufacturers throughout the industry. Procuring agreements with 8 major machinery manufacturers. In 1903, Gardner took time from his Fair preparations to address the Southern Ice Exchange. His speech was described as “The Principal Feature” of the conference. Gardner spoke under his title as “Chief of the Bureau of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition”. An endorsement of Gardner’s fair preparation was soon forthcoming from the Southwestern Ice Exchange as well. Gardner would be called to address most of the influential ice and refriger- ation organizations of the day, including the Indiana Ice Manufacturer’s Association, and the Western Ice Manufacturer’s organization among others. Following the 1904 fair, Gardner would file suit against the exposition for the sum of $45,000 due to his treatment. (editor’s note: the scandal surrounding the refrigeration exhibition of the 1904 world’s fair is fascinating and a must read!). Mr. Voorhees was at heart a true refrigeration pioneer and one prone to seeking facts. To that end, he often engaged in spirited debates with the leaders in the industry at the time. Through discussions, sometimes heated, the industry moved forward. By questioning the information presented by his peers, he assured that factual information was being given to the industry. One such event occurred in 1906 at the second conference of the American Society of Refriger- ation, Mr. Voorhees entered a discussion with another industry great, Edgar Penny (The Frick Company). This discussion was fascinating. It concerned the costs of Ice production and storage in comparison to the making of Refrigeration when needed by artificial means. Certainly, Gardner was for the latter.

GARDNER T. VOORHEES — “It seems to me in assuming that it takes two tons of refrigeration to make a ton of ice, that the proposition would come down to this, that the ice you make not only requires twice as much refrigeration to produce it, but also requires a considerable expenditure of money to land it in the icehouse. Consequently, the ice in the icehouse stands you more than twice as much in cost as it would to make the refrigeration”. At the same Conference, Mr. Voorhees had another spirited discussion with Thomas Shipley (York Manufacturing). Concerning a paper Mr. Shipley had presented, Gardner specifically wanted to know the exact conditions of the tests performed by Mr. Shipley. GARDNER T. VOORHEES: It looks to me as if you show an extraordinarily low friction as low as the friction of an engine without any compressor attached. I have in mind the eight very splendid tests made by Prof. Denton some years ago, on, I think, a 10 in. x 30 in. “consolidated” machine. It had two single acting compressors and a vertical engine, and the average of those eight tests, working from 8 pounds gauge back pressure to 28 pounds gauge back pressure, as I recall it, was 22 percent of the engine horsepower. Taking those eight tests, which were carefully made, and seeing the friction used per horsepower, running up to 22 per cent., it seems inconceivable, and I would like to have this explained. I would like to know if it were the result of one test or the results of a number of tests. If you assume that the dry compressor can be operated at less than 10 percent friction Joss, I want to know whether it is the result of an extended series of tests. THOMAS SHIPLEY: You want to know how we made up those figures? GARDNER T. VOORHEES: No; whether that was a certain test under low conditions. THOMAS SHIPLEY: The conditions are stated. GARDNER T. VOORHEES: What was the back pressure? THOMAS SHIPLEY: 13.67 pounds gauge. GARDNER T. VOORHEES: What was the condensing pressure? THOMAS SHIPLEY: 185 pounds gauge. The reason that it is so low is that the compressor is hung tandem behind the steam cylinder. GARDNER T. VOORHEES: Is it your regular type that you put on the market? THOMAS SHIPLEY: No, sir. GARDNER T. VOORHEES: That is what I am driving at. THOMAS SHIPLEY: The comparison would be the same, would it not? GARDNER T. VOORHEES: That is what I want to know, whether it was your regular type or a special machine? THOMAS SHIPLEY: The machine is special, but the relative friction between the two conditions is represented by the figures shown. I am not trying to sell any of your ice machines; I am only showing you what happened in our test. We are not trying to fool you. GARDNER T. VOORHEES: I hope you do not think that I am attempting to find fault with your most splendid paper. The data are very fine, but what I want to arrive at is what is the friction under ordinary conditions of the “York” machine. ‘ THOMAS SHIPLEY: I am not trying to demonstrate anything about the “York” machine. This particular machine is not on the market. GARDNER T. VOORHEES: Do you claim that you can operate the “York” machine with less than 9 per cent. friction or not? THOMAS SHIPLEY: I am giving you a whole array of figures to tell you what we have done.

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These conversations were captured in the pages of the Cold Storage and Trade journal the following month. But they provide a valuable insight into how these refrigeration greats interacted. And as to how doggedly Gardner sought facts. In 1908 the Paris-Sorbonne University in Paris, France hosted the first International Conference on Refrigeration. Gardner was there as a delegate representing the government of the United States. He would serve the same post at the following conference in Vienna, Austria. Among those also attending as United States Delegates were: Dr. Mary E. Pennington (“The Ice Queen”) and J. F. Nickerson. Also of note in 1908, Mr. Voorhees brought legal action against the Crescent Ice Company. Originally contracted in 1906, Gardner provided consulting engineering. It appears that the Ice company was having difficulties with a new 200 TR ammonia absorption ice plant. Per Gardener, the president and officers of the company would not follow his advice and because of their delays made the work much more difficult that the contract provided for. Gardener had reached an agreement with the company in 1907, but alleged that the company did “grossly violated their Agreement”. The damages sought amounted to $26,850.00. How- ever, the need to erase the damage to his reputation was also a principal consideration. At the 1909 Convention of the American Society of Refrigeration, the following note can be found in the minutes of the proceedings: “The next subject announced for discussion was some disadvan tages of the Voorhees multiple effect compressor. No one appeared to care to name any disadvantages …” High praise indeed. In 1909 the English Ice organization, The Cold Storage and Ice Association, asked Mr. Voorhees to speak to the attendees of their annual conference on the role, mechanical refrigeration would make on the “cheapening of food”. In this context, the meaning may be stated better today as “Reducing the costs of Food”. He spoke eloquently on the advantages of refrigeration to preserve food thus allowing a larger quantity of the yield to reach market. Ultimately providing more saleable food at only a slight increase in costs. Gardner married Ninette Creitien in 1910. The wedding took place in New Orleans, Louisiana. While their marriage would not produce children, but by all accounts, they were happy and traveled extensively. Mr. Voorhees changed office locations many times during his career. With operations in Boston and Chicago at the height of his career.

Gardner continued to be very active in the industry. On June 23, 1918, he expressed his displeasure with the action, or better said inaction of the American Society of Refrigerating Engineers. In a letter to the then president of the organization, Ezra Frick, Gardner called for a presidential investigation as to why the publications committee had delayed publication of a CO2 presentation for 18 months to date. In a reply as blunt as the request, Ezra stated: “Mr. Voorhees’ request be disallowed, the action of the Publication Committee be sustained, and the matter be finally dropped.” In 1921 N.A.P.R.A.E. President Kohler, appointed a subcommittee to develop a study course. Mr. Voorhees was appointed as a member of this committee. This would become the first Study Course for the organization. In 1922 Garner was asked to address the graduating class of the Siebel Institute of Technology, a very prestigious institution.

GARDNERWAS GRANTED A MULTITUDE OF PATENTS:

1893: a fuse Block 1893: a multi-fuse bock 1894: An Arc Rupturing Device 1894: an “insulated covering for refrigeration” 1894: Fluid Tank 1896: a multi-fuse cutout

(editor’s note. Patent information pertaining to Mr. Voorhees from 1897 through 1907, seems to be missing from the archives. It is known that there were several, but specifics have been lost to history). 1908: Concentric-Circular-Cell Ice-Making Apparatus.

1920 Cylinder jacketing and Apparatus

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1921 Refrigerating Apparatus

1926 Refrigerating Process and Apparatus

1926 Piston Process and Apparatus

1922 Multiple Compression Apparatus

1923 Ice Making Process and Apparatus

1930 Refrigeration Process and Apparatus

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GARDNERWAS A MEMBER OF A MULTITUDE OF ORGANIZATIONS:

• American Society of Mechanical engineers (A.S.M.E.) • American Society of Refrigeration Engineers (A.S.R.E.) (Director: 1910 -1912, Joint A. S. M. E. and A. S. R. E. Refrigerating Machines and Plants Committee member, Research Committee member, Committee on Constitution and By-Laws member, Committee to Cooperate with the Bureau of Standards in Its Investigations of Refrigeration Problems member, Joint A. S. M. E. and A. S. R. E. Committee on Standard Tonnage Basis for Refrigeration and Owners’Method of Determining Rating committee member) • American Association of Refrigeration (Board of Engineers On Educational Work member, Committee on Papers and Lectures (chairman) • National Association of Practical Refrigerating Engineers (N.A.P.R.A.E.) MR. VOORHEES AUTHORED A MULTITUDE OF ARTICLES PUBLISHED AROUND THE GLOBE. HIS BOOKS INCLUDE: • Indicating the Refrigerating Machine: (1899) • The Absorption Refrigerating Machine (1911) • The Absorption Refrigerating Machine, Elementary Theory and Practice (1923) • The Absorption Refrigerating Machine: Advanced Practice and Theory (1924) • The Compression Refrigerating Machine: (1927)

Gardner was called before our Lord on March 18th, 1937. While visiting his sister in Palm Beach, Florida. He had been ill but a short time and died after a short hospital stay. His memorial was much attended. Reverend Lindsay officiated the memorial. Later he was interned in the family mausoleum in New Orleans. The industry lost a great friend that Thursday morning. I’m sure he looks out upon the children of the industry he elevated, with great pride. Information for this article included information from historical notes, and articles. The information used to generate this article is believed factual. Should you have any corrections or additional information pertaining to this article please forward them to the editor. The Refrigeration Historian wanders around his extensive refrigeration library, lamenting on Refrigeration History, and socializing with “Molly”, Varmint eradicator of the archives.

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Q A THE BEST OF RETA’S Q & A By James Marrella

over think the issues at hand. Second, we need to ask a very simple question as we maneuver through our decision process. The question? “Does this make sense?”And third, when it’s all said and done; “It is what it is.” Like it or not, you have to accept the results or have someone else prove your results are right or wrong. Okay with that behind us, let’s figure out what we want. The question at hand is how much refrigerant was released during a given time period from a liquid solenoid that was dripping four drops per minute (dpm)? Fairly straight forward. This is where we apply our first ground rule; “not to over think the issues”. Thus, the question at hand is how much is a drop of a given liquid? In our case ammonia. To answer this question I went surfing and back to school: 1U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Water Science School. What I’m looking for is a “Drip calculator” (Figure 1): You know how much water does a leaking faucet waste? Even though our answer relates to water, we need to start some-where and this is where our second ground rule comes into play. “Does it make sense?” During my big adventure I learned a few things. First, there is no scientific definition of the volume of a faucet drip, but the folks who made up this drip chart

to use 1/4 milliliter (ml) as the volume of a faucet drip. With that said let’s get started. By these drip estimates of liquid dripping at 30 drops per minute (dpm) for one month you will have lost a total of 54 gallons of that liquid. Now, if we convert gallons per month to days we will have lost a total of 1.8 gallons per day over a 30-day month. See where I’m going? Now let’s convert 1.8 gallons per day to per hours. That equals 0.075 of a gallon per hour. Now, let’s convert the amount to per minute and that number equals 0.0013 of a gallon. Not done yet - we need to do one more thing; our answer is based on 30 drops per minute. We must divide 0.0013 of a gallon by 30 and then multiply by four, which equals, are you ready for this, our four drops per minute will give us 0.0001734 gallon per minute of a liquid. However, that is only one-half of our answer. Let’s assume that the solenoid was dripping for 24 hours. Total drip time would equal 1440.0 minutes, multiply that by our four drops per minute and that equals 0.2497 of a gallon. But we are not done yet. Our answer is based on a pure liquid with no flashing of the liquid as it hits the atmosphere. Again, let’s apply our first rule and for the sake of argument, assume that 25 percent of our liquid flashed off as it left the confinement of the refrigeration system, thus our new total is 0.312 gallons. Now, let’s convert all that over to pounds. You stated that it was sub-cooled liquid. Let’s assume the liquid was at +35°F which equals 5.39 lbs. per

The following Question and Answer (Q&A) last appeared in the RETA Breeze, March / April. 2010 and is still current today.

QUESTION: Ammonia releases: I have the calculation for leaks by IIAR, is there one for drips/drops? I have a 1/2” liquid line (SCHPL), 148psi that was dripping about four drops per minute. I’m trying to determine how much was lost from the time the solenoid was turned on until the leak was found and stopped. ANSWER: What a great question! Believe it or not I just completed calculations for a very similar “fugitive emission” issue. But, before we get into that, let’s establish some ground rules and the understanding when we do anything out of the unusual we need to be prepared to defend our action or better yet defend our thought process. In cases like yours I like to apply Marrella’s 1st and 2nd laws that influence our little world of industrial refrigeration; they are as follows: Marrella’s 1st Law: Anything complex can be broken down into simple elements. Marrella’s 2nd Law: Nothing is as simple as it seems. Now, for the ground rules: first, we need to apply some common sense and try not to

did (Webster Massachusettes). After measuring a number of kitchen and

bathroom sink faucets, for our calculations below (numbers are rounded), we are going

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gallon, thus we would have lost 1.68 lbs. of ammonia for our 24 hour period or, for the sake of argument, let’s round our final number off to two pounds of ammonia per day. Now, let’s go back and take a look at our ground rules: first we needed to apply some common sense and try not to over think the issues at hand. I believe we did that. Second rule: did everything we do make sense, again I believe it did. And the third rule: it is what it is like it or not. Yes, I can support our results. However, let’s do one more thing before we put the third rule behind us and put this to bed. Let’s look at what we did and prove that the data we used is defendable. We first went to the USGS to use their data to obtain what a drop of a liquid is.Well, as far as I’m concerned, there is no better source than the USGS. Now, to prove if our logic and number makes sense, let’s go back and look at Webster drip chart. We see that if you have 60 drops per minute you could lose 113 gallons per month. During our exercise we determined that one drop equals 0.000043333 of a gallon. Thus, if we multiply our number per drop, it should reflect the Webster’s number for 60 dpm. Let’s see if we are correct. We have 43,200 minutes in a 30 day month; thus we multiply available minutes by 0.000043333; our result is 1.8719856 gallons. Now multiply that by 60 dpm; our number is 112.32 gallons per month, compare that to 113 gallons per month that is on the chart. Well I think it is what it is and it still all comes down to a drop is a drip and a drip is a drop and Marrella’s 2nd Law, nothing is as simple as it seems and as I said we had to start somewhere. The following is a comment I received from Jay Kliewer relating to the above (March / April 2010) QnA and since it was “printable” I thought I would share it with everyone, enjoy. Jim, I finally got a chance to read the latest RETA Breeze, Mar./Apr. 2010 Issue #2 and I really appreciated your response to the question about the release rate for an ammonia “drip” from a high pressure liquid line. Including

the flash gas factor is something that I think many would have overlooked. I do have a question that arises from the assumption that you made “a drop is a drip, just as a drip is a drop.” Applying Marrella’s 2nd Law I wonder if it is as simple as assuming that a drop of ammonia is the same size as a drop of water. A quick internet search yielded a surface tension of ammonia at -28ºF of 0.00307 lb./ ft. while Marks’ Standard Handbook for ME’s puts water at standard conditions at 0.00499 lb./ft. That’s a 63% difference! Now I realize that there is more to droplet size than surface tension, but it does play a big part. Consider now that you only have to reduce the diameter of a sphere by 26% to cut the volume in half and you can see how this assumption could lead to an overestimation of the release rate by more than double if a drop of ammonia is smaller than a drop of water. For the example that was given where four drops per minute only yielded 1.68 lbs./24hrs it really isn’t a big deal, but with higher drip rates that get us closer to the magic 100 lbs./24hrs it might be worth the consideration. Actual ammonia droplet size may be something that someone in a lab somewhere may want to measure, just so we would all know. Maybe I am overanalyzing the situation, but it was at least a fun exercise to think things through a little further. Thanks for provoking thought.

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Jay Kliewer, P.E. President & CEO California Controlled Atmosphere Jay, you are very welcome!

Question to all RETA Chapters: Do you make the Q and A part of your Chapter meeting or general discussion? If you have a question or comment for Jim visit our web site or he can be reached at J. C. Marrella & Associates, 5720 South Austin Avenue Chicago Illinois, 60638.

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EPIC FAILS

One of the most critical ways that ammonia refrigeration operators can keep themselves, their co-workers, and the public safe is to maintain an extreme attention to detail. Unfortunately, attention to detail is often the first thing that lapses under the pressures of being under manned, over worked, and under financed. As operators retire, or leave for better opportunities, they are often not replaced, leaving those remaining to pick up the slack. As the economy worsens, not only do our repair materials dollars stretch less, but often our budgets are slashed due to a drop in demand for our product. This edition of Epic Fails focuses on the results of inattention to detail.

The ammonia detector above had been in operation for approximately eighteen months when this picture was taken, meaning it would have had to been calibrated four times, which is hard to do when the sticker that protects the electrochemical cell from premature aging due to exposure to air and contaminants had not yet been removed. The SRV pictured below had been installed sometime within the previous five years based on the manufacturer’s date code, but exactly when is not identifiable given that the install/replace tag had not been punched.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL (OR MAYBE LACK THEREOF) By Bill Lape

The facility in the picture right was attempting to do the right thing by conducting non destructive testing of pipe that had been identified areas that have experienced possible corrosion. However, by not properly plugging the insulation holes created to use the ultrasonic thickness probe, they have, in fact, created a path by which corrosion can occur.

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As operators get pressed for time, they often overlook final steps in operating procedures, such as reinstalling plugs on drain valves.

The facility in the picture above needed a different suction temperature to run air handling units for an area of their production facility. Rather than installing the compressor in the machinery room in the basement and running the suction header out to the air handling units, they installed the compressor in the middle of the production area.

Or, they may not take the time to find the proper bolt for full thread engagement.

Some engineers ignore the primary use of a doorway and consider it a pipe chase. Some engineers don’t have the appropriate level of attention to detail to fully account for hazards when designing the layout for ammonia refrigeration systems and the associated equipment. This particular machinery room exhaust fan was installed below the condenser catwalk immediately in front of the only point of access to and from the roof of the facility.

Often, it is not operators that lack attention to detail, including applicable codes and standards. The transfer drum below was installed on a -45°F recirculator. Note, that it is not dual rated and its Minimum Design Metal Temperature is -20°F.

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 Operator, a Certified Refrigeration Service Technician, and a member of the National Board of Directors of the Refrigerating Engineers and Technicians Association.

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