RETA Breeze Sept/Oct 2025

manual and a design cutsheet. This applies to compressors, condensers, evaporators, auto purgers, ammonia refrigerant pumps, heat exchangers and anything else that contains ammonia within your system. Manufacturer Documentation for System Components— this includes: valves, instrumentation, control components, gauges, etc. You should have O&M informa tion, or at least the specifications from a catalog for all of these components. Missing Documentation Provision— ANSI/IIAR-9 also states: Where the documentation is no longer available, the owner or the owner's desig nated representative shall determine and document that the equipment is designed, maintained, inspected, tested, and is operating in a safe manner. This simply means that if you cannot get the information after a reasonable effort, you can draft a memo outlining the operating conditions of the equipment. Note how it is being maintained (per ANSI/ IIAR-6), and that it is being operated in a safe manner. However, if the equipment was just installed, a memo is not sufficient. Memos should only be used on older

“if applicable.” It is applicable if it has an ASME certification. Condenser (if applicable): This normally refers to shell and tube condensers which are ASME certified. Pressure vessels: All of your ammonia pressure vessels should be ASME certified. You should have documentation for them. Sometimes, smaller vessels are produced as part of a group and the ASME documen tation is slightly different. You still need it in your program. Heat exchanger (if applicable): This applies to all ASME certified heat exchang ers. In refrigeration we think of shell and tube, tube in shell, falling film, plate, and tube and shell heat exchangers. But that just scratches the surface. Examples include: scrape surface heat exchangers, ice makers, ice builders, jacketed tanks, jacketed silos, ammonia cooled mixers, carbo coolers, etc. Any heat exchanger that is ASME certified requires documentation. Any heat exchanger utilizing ammonia should have some form of documentation even if it is built to a different standard. Make sure you have U1A forms or other ASME certifications for all of your ASME certified components. Materials of Construction— always have an operations and maintenance (O&M)

This means that you need information from the equipment manufacturer within your PSM/RMP program. And it does not matter if this documentation does or does not meet OSHA’s and EPA’s definition of PSI. If it is documentation associated with the ammonia refrigeration system, it needs to be part of your PSM/RMP program. See the next section below for specifics. Manufacturer’s Data Reports— are the build sheets for American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) certified components. These are available through the national board. However, if you need one, start by contacting your manufacturer. They should provide this with every new ASME certified component. Many times, they will supply them for older equipment at little or no cost. The compressor oil separator is called out specifically because it is often missed. Some facilities look at a compressor package and list it as a compressor. It’s not, depending on the package. It may be a compressor and a vessel (oil separator), or maybe another pressure vessel (filter assembly, if it’s ASME certified), or maybe a heat exchanger (Thermosyphon oil cooler). Notice that it lists compressor oil cooler DOCUMENTATION SPECIFICS FROM ANSI/IIAR-9

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