1. Ammonia Awareness
Training

2. Anhydrous Ammonia Uses of Ammonia:
80% used for Agriculture directly (aqueous) or indirect (compounds)
Metal heat treating, annealing, and hardening
Production of Nitric Acid
Acid neutralization in water treatment facilities
Petroleum and Mining industries to extract chemicals and ores
Power plant stack emissions reduction
Diesel Engine pollution reduction (in the form of urea)
Beverage industry to supply nitrogen for yeast and other organisms.
Leather Industry to cure hides
Industrial Refrigeration
Heat recovery air conditioning (absorption refrigeration)

3. Anhydrous Ammonia Physical Characteristics:
Pungent Odor, detectable at 3-5 PPM
Hydrophilic – Likes water. Creates a strong base, 14pH
Likes water means it likes living things
TEV/TLV at 25 PPM for 8 hours, TWA
IDLH at 300 for ½ hour
Most NH3 technicians can stand 200 to 400 for over 2 hours
Arm pits and crotch will begin to burn over 2 hours
Flammable at 12,000 to 16,000 PPM, clean
Flammable down to 4,000 PPM with oil aerosol
Boils at -28dF at 14.7 PSIA, Liquid will cause freeze burns
Never add heat (water) to liquid ammonia
Very corrosive in concentrated ammonia solutions
Lighter than air when dry, heavier in moist air or around water

4. Anhydrous Ammonia Exposure Levels:
50 PPM OSHA PEL, 8 hours per day, lifetime, no ill effects
300 PPM, IDLH, ½ hour to get out of the situation, no ill effects
700 PPM, discomfort and coughing even for ammonia guys
1,700 PPM, cannot breath, will die soon
40,000 PPM, white cloud of water vapor/ammonia forms. If an oil aerosol is involved, cloud can ignite.
12-16,000 PPM are the lower and upper flammability limits.

5. Anhydrous Ammonia Regulatory Requirements:
OSHA PSM Required above 10,000# per system
EPA RMP Required above 10,000# per system
Homeland Security report requires above 10,000# total at site
General Duty Clause – Use Best Industry Practices at all facilities
Must have written maintenance procedures to prevent releases
Must have written emergency response plans to mitigate any releases
Must train all employees in ammonia awareness and evacuation plans
PHA Required reviews by May every 5 years
Must report any accidental release over 100 pounds to authorities

6. Anhydrous Ammonia Safety Precautions:
Establish written instructions and Standard Operating Procedures
Designate who is authorized to work in the machine room or around ammonia containing equipment
Posted phone list of 911, Responsible Parties (at least 2), internal response team, external response team (contractor) and regulatory notification numbers.
Establish R.P. role and designate a different person to make phone calls.
Invite local fire officials to review the facility.
Communicate primary and secondary evacuation muster sites
Drill baby Drill! Action plans not practiced are not plans.

7. Videos

11. Anhydrous Ammonia If it is so bad, why do we use it for refrigeration?
Most efficient refrigerant. Saves 2-5% over R-22 on engineered refrigeration systems
30% savings over air cooled commercial systems
Leaks are easily detected
Lighter than air, does not usually displace O2
1/10 the cost per pound and requires ½ charge of R-22
Requires long lasting industrial grade equipment
Less expensive to install on large systems

12. Machinery Room Requirements
1. What codes/standards apply?
Who is involved with compliance?
Key design elements.
Code analysis worksheet.
Additional Considerations
Discussion.

13. Machinery Room Web ASHRAE 15 2004 ANSI/IIAR 2, 1999 IMC 2004 IFC 2004
LOCAL
CODES W/
REVISIONS
OSHA REG
EPA REG
END USER
INTERPRETATION
END USER DEGREE
OF COMPLIANCE

14. Machinery Room Compliance
Interested Parties
Architect/Engineer of Record
Construction Team-Contractors
Plan Check and Code Officials
Inspectors
Fire Marshall
Corporate Safety Officer
Insurance Company
Employees
OSHA
EPA

15. Key Design Elements Egress / Exits Access Separation / Fire Walls
Electrical
No Open Flames
Signage and Markings
Ventilation
Detection and Alarming
Pressure Relief System
Emergency Controls

16. Typical Machine Room Layout

17. Code Analysis Worksheet

18. Code Analysis Worksheet

19. Code Analysis Worksheet

20. Code Analysis Worksheet

21. Code Analysis Worksheet

22. Code Analysis Worksheet

23. Code Analysis Worksheet

24. Additional Considerations
Lighting
Safety Equipment (Respirators, Eyewash, etc)
Layout of Equipment
Drainage
Trip Hazards
Passage to Exits
Mechanical Integrity Inspections
Record Keeping
P&IDs
Valve Tagging
OSHA/EPA 10,000# rule

25. Additional Considerations
Separate Control Room, egress
Managing Expansions, New Codes
Grandfather Clauses
Permitting and Inspection
New 2007 IMC/IFC issued
New ASHRAE 15 issued
New ANSI/IIAR 2 forthcoming
New DHS risk assessment rules