United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Air and Radiation
(6205J)
EPA43Q-R-96-QQ8
April 1996
Moving to Alternative
Refrigerants: Update
Six Case Histories-
j| Comfort Coolers and
H Commercial Refrigeration
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Foreword
The United States and over 150 other countries have signed the Montreal Protocol, an international agreement to
protect the stratospheric ozone layer. Under the authority of the Clean Air Act, EPA has issued regulations to phase out
the production of ozone-depleting substances such as CFCs and HCFCs, widely used in refrigeration, which are harmful
to the ozone layer. With very limited exceptions, CFC production and importation for domestic use ceased in the U.S.
and other industrialized countries at the end of 1995. Production of HCFCs will be phased out in stages, with a com-
plete phaseout by 2030. Other EPA regulations require recycling of CFC and HCFC refrigerants and designate accept-
able alternative refrigerants.
To assist equipment owners in the transition to non-ozone-depleting refrigerants, EPA has undertaken a "Cooling
and Refrigerating Without CFCs" initiative. As part of this initiative, EPA is publishing case histories which describe
equipment retrofits and replacements implemented by companies around the United States. To supplement previously
published case-histories, EPA presents 6 more that focus on small supermarket and restaurant chains, and their experi-
ences with equipment and refrigerant retrofits and replacements and the use of mitigating refrigerants. A resort widi various
refrigerant needs is also presented to address businesses that depend on refrigeration and comfort cooling (air conditioning.)
Every effort has been made to see that these case histories accurately reflect the actions taken by the companies pro-
filed. However, recommendations about retrofit/replacement procedures can vary. Companies are urged to check with
manufacturers and local authorities in implementing programs to make the transition away from CFC refrigerants.
For fact sheets on refrigerant conversions and replacement, or to suggest possible case histories, call the Stratospheric
Ozone Information Hotline number at 1-800-296-1996.
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Contents
HOTEL/RESORT
Harrah's Lake Tahoe Casino
RESTAURANTS
Boddie-Noell Hardees
Newark Dairy Queen
SUPERMARKETS
Seaway Food Town
Dierbergs
Quail Plaza and Market Plaza IGA
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Air and Radiation
(6205J)
EPA 430-R-96-008
April 1996
EPA Stratospheric Ozone Protection
Case History
Harrah's Lake Tahoe Resort
Converts Chiller and
Refrigeration Equipment
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The Harrah's Lake Tahoe Casino
Resort is one of four casinos located in the
city of Lake Tahoe. The casino/hotel
covers 600,000 square feet, employs 2,400
people, hosts thousands of visitors every
year, and is open 24 hours a day.
Harrah's Lake Tahoe is a good
example of what education and some ini-
tiative can accomplish. This casino resort
converted both its walk-in refrigerator
boxes and one of its six commercial
chillers to non-CFC-based refrigerants in
response to the CFC phaseout.
Duane Bottoms, Refrigeration Coor-
dinator for Harrah's Lake Tahoe, refers to
the Montreal Protocol as a "wake-up call"
because it forced him to closely consider
the impact of CFCs on the environment.
In response to the Protocol, Bottoms
began looking at his options for phasing
out the CFC-based refrigerants in Harrah's
refrigeration systems.
First, Bottoms and his refrigeration
crew at Harrah's Lake Tahoe chartered the
Sierra Nevada chapter of the Refrigeration
Service Engineers Society (RSES). They
attended various RSES seminars on
CFC-related topics and brought in
instructors from nearby colleges to teach
classes on improving the refrigeration, air
conditioning, heating, ventilation and
electrical wiring skills of the refrigeration
department. Presently, 10 crew members
are EPA-certified in refrigerant recovery
others are working toward certification.
The newly trained refrigeration
team's mission -was to find a long-term
solution to the company's refrigeration
needs. To accomplish this mission, the
team developed a schedule to complete the
conversions. To aid the refrigeration crew,
Bottoms purchased software designed to
help track information such as the type
and quantity of refrigerant in each system,
the date of refrigerant purchase, and the
name of the technician who last serviced
the piece of equipment, for up to 1,000
pieces of equipment. This software has
created a new accountability for refrig-
erant usage and the condition of the
equipment, to meet the twin goals of
increasing energy efficiency and protecting
stratospheric ozone.
Bottoms says the keys to a successful
conversion process are: education, docu-
mentation, and careful planning.
Through educational seminars, he was
provided facts and solid, pertinent infor-
mation to Harrah's upper management
in order to obtain the necessary funding
and approval for the refrigerant conversion
program. Documentation of the
company's refrigerant inventory and
equipment stock helped him track his
refrigerant needs. A refrigerant manage-
ment plan helped the crew think about all
the available options for refrigerant con-
version. Without the planning, the
process would have been chaotic, with
potentially adverse consequences.
First steps
Before tackling the conversion,
Bottoms wanted to ensure that he was
doing the right thing by retrofitting his
equipment. He hired Technical Engi-
neering Company to conduct a study on
the needs of the current refrigeration
systems. The study showed the most
effective first step would be to repair the
current systems extensive leaks before
retrofitting. High efficiency purges were
installed on all the chillers to reduce refrig-
erant consumption. The study also
revealed that problems with chilled water
pumping increased energy use. It recom-
mended converting existing chiller water
piping to a "primary-secondary system"
which is more energy efficient. Bottoms
decided to address these needs first then
proceed with the conversion.
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Refrigeration
To gain experience with alternative
refrigerants and lubricants, Bottoms
undertook a. trial conversion of the walk-in
unit refrigeration system before converting
the chiller. To do this, he needed an expe-
rienced professional. He found a solution
to his problem through" Todd Butler, a
technician employed by Hussman Cor-
poration, who approached Bottoms about
retrofitting the walk-ins at Harrah's Lake
Tahoe. Bottoms then got upper manage-
ment approval to undertake the initial
conversion, and shortly thereafter began
the conversion process for the walk-ins.
Allied Signal, a refrigerant manufacturer,
and Copeland, a compressor manufac-
turer, provided technical support during
the initial conversion.
Originally, there were 20 dedicated
single-compressor refrigeration units for
the 20 walk-ins. Some were inefficient due
to inaccessible non-insulated suction lines
and equipment age (some units were 40
years old). Of the 20 walk-ins, seven were
low temperature boxes using R-502 (a
mix of HCFC-22 and CFC-115), and 13
were medium temperature boxes using
CFC-12. Total horsepower was 30 HP for
low temperature boxes and 23 HP for
medium temperature boxes.
With the necessary approvals and
experienced technician in hand, the next
step was to choose a replacement for the
CFC-12 refrigerant. At first, they wanted
to use HCFC-22, but changed when a
trial conversion yielded low energy effi-
ciency results. Bottoms then decided on
Gcntron AZ-50, Allied Signal's version
of R-507, an HFC-based azeotrope con-
sisting of HFC-125 and HFC-l43a that
is more energy efficient and has a low
global warming potential.
In addition, Bottoms chose to replace
the old compressor systems with a
Hussman Superplus rack consisting of
two separate uneven parallel compressor
systems mounted on the same frame.
Each rack has a transducer in the suction
line header that monitors the systems pres-
sure and reports the data to a micro-
processor, which in turn operates the
compressors for optimum load efficiency.
One compressor system was dedicated to
the low temperature applications, the
other to the medium temperature appli-
cations.
For each of the 20 walk-in units, the
existing mineral oil lubricant was flushed
out by draining it from die system (about
one quart for each change) and replacing
it with pure polyol ester (POE) lubricant.
This process was repeated four times to
ensure that the remaining mineral oil was
diluted to a tolerable concentration.
During this process, the crew observed
that die POE lubricant was leaking past
the O-ring material in some of the older
valves. All the expansion and solenoid
valves in each walk-in unit were replaced.
The solenoid valves were replaced to
prevent leakage, while the expansion valves
were replaced due to the change in refrig-
erant. The cooling coils were then dis-
connected from each old system and
connected to a new parallel compressor
unit. The refrigeration crew recovered
700 pounds of CFC-12 refrigerant from
die old systems, which diey transferred to
another Harrah's location for use in other
equipment. The crew then completed
the conversion by charging the converted
units with R-507.
Benefits
As a result of these changes to die old
systems, die total installed horsepower for
the low temperature compressor system is
25 HP, although die crew has noticed that
the system only uses 12.5 HP most of die
time. The horsepower for die medium
temperature compressor system is 22.5
HP, although most of the time the
medium temperature system only uses
7-5 HP. In total, horsepower has been
reduced by 5-5 HP. The new system also
eliminates 30 kilowatts of electric defrost
power diat was previously required. In
addition, there is a reduction in the total
amount of refrigerant needed. Mainte-
nance is easier because the refrigeration
crew can easily check for leaks now diat all
die piping is accessible.
The conversion of the Lake Tahoe
Harrahs walk-ins has been complete since
1994 and has run for a full year widi no
problems. During that time, they have
seen three benefits: decreased horsepower,
reduced refrigerant use, and easier main-
tenance. Based on the success of the
retrofit and the approval of Harrah's upper
management, 25 systems at Harrah's Reno
Casino have been converted. By the rime
the company-wide walk-in conversion is
complete, at least 100 systems at other
Harrahs locations will have been con-
verted.
Chiller conversion
The results of the first conversion
convinced Harrahs Lake Tahoe to proceed
with the chiller conversion. The knowl-
edge and experience gained facilitated the
conversion of its chillers at die Lake Tahoe
location. Bottoms continued to educate
his crew, and die crew continued to learn
both in the classroom setting and "in the
field." The crew is leveraging their expe-
rience and knowledge to effectively
manage the casinos comfort cooling
chillers.
Harrah's Lake Tahoe owns six Trane
CFC-11 centrifugal chillers; of diese, one
has been converted to HCFC-123. The
converted chiller is 16 years old, has a
hermetic motor and two stages of com-
pression. The conversion was more com-
plicated than die walk-in conversion, as it
required changes to the building in order
to comply with building and fire codes.
Modification of the building took four
weeks, in comparison to the four days it
took to actually complete the conversion
of the chiller.
In compliance widi fire safety codes,
Harrah's Lake Tahoe has a refrigerant-spe-
cific ambient air monitor. This unit is
located centrally to monitor all chillers,
including the converted one. (The unit
also monitors the new R-507 walk-in
units, although extra piping was needed to
transport air samples from the walk-ins to
the leak monitor). The fire department
also required that: the room be sealed to
prevent air leaks, the door swing in a
certain direction, audio and visual alarms
be installed, and that a self-contained
breathing apparatus be located outside
the refrigeration room for rescue purposes
-------
in the event of a catastrophic leak. In
addition, the refrigeration crew had to
undergo training on how to use the emer-
gency equipment, provide documenta-
tion that the training occurred, and devise
an action plan in case of emergency.
The county building inspector had to
consult the state inspector due to lack of
prior experience with HCFC-123-
Building codes became an issue in this
conversion, even though HCFC-123 is
listed as an approved refrigerant. In order
to meet the state Uniform Mechanical
Code, the chillers air purge and rupture
disk (an over pressure safety device) had to
be vented out of doors. Additional ven-
tilation was also required to comply with
the codes.
For the actual conversion, 750
pounds of CFC-11 were removed from the
chiller and stored. Then, after replacing
seals and gaskets, 800 pounds of
HCFC-123 were charged into the con-
verted chiller. The conversion required
two men and took four days. The unit was
rated at 400 tons of cooling capacity
before conversion. After conversion, the
unit was certified by the management at
365 tons cooling capacity. However,
Bottoms has not noticed a difference in
cooling performance: "I have not seen a
difference in the [chiller's cooling]
capacity. The chiller will cool all the water
the pumps can supply," he notes.
The five other chillers most likely
will not be converted. Three of them are
in excellent condition and exhibit very
little leakage. Therefore, these chillers
can likely operate on the refrigerant recov-
ered from the converted chiller for the
rest of their useful lives. The other two will
probably run for six more months and
then will be retired. Bottoms does not
seem to think this will be a problem in
terms of meeting cooling needs because he
expects to see the chill water use drop.
With the drop in chilled water use, the old
chillers will no longer be necessary, since
even now they do not run at full capacity.
Costs Recovered
The walk-in conversion cost
$132,000. The equipment cost $57,000,
while the labor to complete the conversion
amounted to $50,000. Other factors
adding to die total cost included materials
and warranty costs. The new refrigerant
cost $1,300, oil, $770, and piping,
$22,430. The warranty on the new equip-
ment cost $2,000.
The equipment costs have been
recovered due to increased energy effi-
ciency. There has also been a decrease in
horsepower use, as well as a reduction in
refrigerant needed due to a more efficient
leak monitoring system. The use of R-507
instead of CFC-12 in the walk-ins has
saved Harrah's $4300 per 700 pounds of
refrigerant. Although the exact improve-
ment in energy efficiency cannot be quan-
tified due to early monitoring problems,
Harrah's considers the walk-in box con-
version an economic success and cites this
conversion as the motivation behind con-
verting the chiller.
The chiller conversion was less costly.
The chiller parts and refrigerant leak
monitor cost $44,000 and the labor cost
$36,000. Water piping changes unrelated
to the conversion added to the overall
cost by $250,000.
As a result of improved energy effi-
ciency, Harrah's will recover the costs of
purchasing the equipment for the con-
version. Estimates showed that using
R-507 in the refrigeration systems would
reduce Harrahs electricity consumption by
62,000 kilowatt hours per year, thereby
saving the company approximately $4,500
a year in energy costs.
The Payoff
Having a refrigerant management
plan helped Bottoms and his crew think
clearly about their conversion effort and
gave them an overall perspective on their
options. Prior to implementing a refrig-
eration management plan, Harrah's Lake
Tahoe consumed 2,000 pounds of
CFC-12 annually. Now, after conversion,
they have used only 30 pounds of new
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CFC-12 for an annual savings of $13,990.
Furthermore, no leaks in the converted
equipment have been found.
The lessons learned at Harrah's Lake
Tahoe Casino Resort have been trans-
ferred to each of the fourteen other
Harrah's sites. The successes of Bottoms
and his crew have prompted the other
Lake Tahoc casinos to take steps toward
becoming CFC-free. Bottoms wants to
inform die enure industry of die conver-
sions done at die Lake Tahoe resort. He
believes it will help the casino and refrig-
eration industries to see that they are
saving money as a result of retrofitting.
Looking Ahead
Bottoms and his crew still do not
consider this program to be complete.
They are currendy looking to replace all
534 guest room refrigerators with Swiss
absorption systems that do not use eidier
mechanical compressors or halogen refrig-
erants. The dozens of small refrigerated
appliances in the casino, such as drinking
fountains and ice machines, must also be
considered. Bottoms acknowledges that
there is a certain amount of risk involved
in making changes. "But the rest of the
industry better get involved in this.
There's not a lot of time, and a whole lot
to learn."
CFCs are no longer produced in
the U.S. and other industrialized coun-
tries (with very limited exceptions). It
isEPA'sgoalto assist equipment aimers
in the transition to non-CFC refriger-
ants. Thisispartofa series of case his-
tories of equipment retrofits and
replacements by specific companies or
agencies. Mention of any trade names
or commercial products does not con-
stitute endorsement or recommendation
for use. For more information oh the
CFCphaseout, EPA recommendations
on refrigerant management, and accept-
able alternative refrigerants, write:
CFC Outreach, Stratospheric Protec-
tion Division, USEPA (6205J), Wash-
ington, DC, 20460. ',
-------
rxEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Air and Radiation
(6205J)
EPA 430-R-96-008
April 1996
Stratospheric Ozone Protection
Case History
Boddie-Noell Hardee's:
One Step Ahead of the Curve
BODDIE-NOELL
ENTERPRISES.INC.
Boddie-Noell Enterprises was
founded in 1962 by Nick and Mayo
Boddie and now owns 370 Hardee's fran-
chises in seven states. Since early 1994, the
Hardee's Boddie-Noell franchise has
demonstrated its strong desire to be a
CFC-free company.
Converting all 370 stores operated
by Boddie-Noell to use alternative refrig-
erants is a formidable task which was not
undertaken lightly. Don Campbell,
Senior Director of Building Services and
Utilities for Boddie-Noell Enterprises,
headed the conversion team. Although
Campbell tried to minimize the risk, he
acted decisively by immediately converting
equipment in five stores to alternative
refrigerants. Upper management at
Boddie-Noell gave him the opportunity to
do what he thought was necessary.
Starting Strong
In 1991, Boddie-Noell Enterprises
began to focus its attention on the
phaseout of CFCs. Campbell believed
that his company should demonstrate
strong leadership to other Hardee's fran-
chises. His philosophy was that
Boddie-Noell Enterprises needed to "act,
not react" to the regulations concerning
the production ban on CFCs.
Campbell formed a team of service
technicians to help make important deci-
sions. The team held meetings to discuss
options, participated in seminars, and
analyzed the unique refrigeration needs of
fast food restaurants as well as the
company's economic position. Campbell
met with EPA staff to discuss die available
options and upcoming regulations. The
team thoroughly evaluated all the available
alternatives and decided that in the appli-
cations specific to Boddie-Noell, R-401A,
(a mix of HCFC-22, HFC-152A and
HCFC-124), and R-402A, (a mix of
HFC-125, HCFC-22 and propane), out-
performed other alternative refrigerants
available at the time.
They decided against the equipment
change over necessary to use HCFC-22 by
itself because it, too, would eventually be
phased out in 2020.
DuPont provided technical assistance
and helped develop a schedule to reduce
the company's use of CFCs. In April
1991, Campbell selected five restaurants
in which to start the conversion process
and decided to retrofit all refrigeration
equipment (excluding the air condi-
tioning).
Each Hardee's store contains between
11 and 12 pieces of equipment on average
which will eventually require conversion.
The systems include reach-in and walk-in
coolers and freezers, remote drink systems,
ice machines, soft serve ice cream dis-
pensers, salad displays, and food prepara-
tion tables.
As Easy as One, Two, Three
Campbell hired a contractor recom-
mended by DuPont to undertake the
retrofit, even though Boddie-Noell
employs its own team of refrigeration
technicians. He felt his technicians were
not yet suitably trained in converting
equipment to non-CFC refrigerants, and
wanted to ensure that everything went
smoothly. First, the team did a baseline
study prior to conversion to be able to
compare the results of the subsequent
conversion in terms of energy efficiency
and performance. Then the compressors
were drained of their refrigerant and
mineral oils and Were recharged with alkyl
benzene lubricant and the new refrigerants.
The whole process took approximately
two hours from start to finish for each
piece of equipment. In Mr. Campbell's
words, "it was a tremendous success."
After one year of running die first five
stores widi die new refrigerant and lubri-
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Boddie-Noell Hardee's
Conversion Checklist
Determine initial energy use
through a baseline study
Drain the compressors of refrig-
erant (CFC-12) and mineral oils
Charge compressors with alkyl
benzene lubricant
Charge new refrigerant (R-401A)
Into system
Install refrigerant tracking system
to determine future refrigeration
needs
Initiate "Maintenance Retrofit"
policy of retrofitting equipment
when repairs are needed
cane, the team decided to complete the
CFC phascouc at Boddie Noell Hardee's.
At this stage, as long as it is economically
feasible, the company will no longer pur-
chase CFC-12 for any Boddie-Noell
Hardee's franchise.
Ensuring Compatibility
After the initial test conversion, a
company-wide policy known as "Main-
tenance Retrofit" was enacted on June 1,
1994. According to the policy, if an
in-house service technician has to remove
CFC-12 to repair a piece of equipment,
the technician must replace the CFC-12
with R-401A after completing the repair.
Two concerns developed from this new
policy. The first pertained to the oil's
compatibility with the new refrigerant,
while the second involved time.
Boddie-Noell could not afford long con-
version times, especially if the oil had to
be completely drained with each conver-
sion. Fortunately, solutions to these prob-
lems were soon found. The team
consulted Copeland, the manufacturer of
its compressors, who assured
Boddie-Noell that as long as at least 50
percent of the oil in the compressors was
replaced with alkyl benzene, the system
would function as it should. As a result,
the conversion rime was significantly
reduced to 15-20 minutes per piece of
equipment.
Ensuring Reliability
Because Boddie-Noells retrofit policy
requires qualified service technicians to
ensure its success, Campbell acted
prompdy to help his technicians receive
EPA-approved certification in refrigerant-
recovery practices. Every service techni-
cian was provided with a study guide and
within a few weeks they were tested by the
State Board of Refrigeration Examiners
of North Carolina. Those who did not
pass took the exam again until they did
pass. The entire building services depart-
ment of Boddie-Noell passed the exam
and is now EPA-certified, including Don
Campbell himself. Boddie-Noell also pro-
vided a seminar to its technicians on
retrofit procedures.
Costs
In Campbell's experience, converting
to alternative refrigerants was not very
expensive. Converting equipment during
normally-scheduled maintenance did not
involve significant extra costs because
maintenance had to be done anyway.
Since the conversion time was kept to a
minimum, the technicians did not have to
spend a great deal of extra time and money
whenever a retrofit was needed.
Tracking Benefits
To determine the cost effectiveness of
the company's CFC reduction program,
Boddie-Noell tracks the amount of pur-
chased refrigerant, the amount of refrig-
erant used, the amount of recovered
refrigerant, and the amount of credit
received for recycling CFC-12. It has also
started to track the number of service calls
made to each store. To Boddie-Noell and
Don Campbell, a detailed maintenance
history program is more important than
ever. The tracking system allows the
building services department to better
plan for die future and ensure a steady rate
of conversion.
The conversions have actually saved
the company money. Boddie-Noell has
reduced its purchases of CFCs (which
have risen in cost), lowered utility bills
with greater energy efficiency, and sold
recovered CFC-12. Furthermore, "we
compared the repair costs of the convened
stores to 11 similar stores of the same
building type in all different geograph-
ical locations and saw no appreciable dif-
ference in maintenance costs," said
Campbell.
Campbell is pleased with the results
of the conversions. "We've seen declines
in leak repairs and compressor failures
and found an increase in efficiency,
capacity and performance of equipment.
Converting to new refrigerants has
resulted in an annual energy savings of
approximately 4.5 percent." The knowl-
edge that CFC-12 would get more expen-
sive in the future was also an impetus
toward conversion.
Looking Ahead
Boddie-Noell has committed to
phasing out their CFC-based refrigerants
as a result of the favorable economies of the
conversions completed to date. The
'fe*/e'rJeaH-re'aife"needed'
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company has taken a hard look at its future
refrigeration needs and institutionalized its
commitment through the "Maintenance
Retrofit" policy.
As Boddie-NoelTs technicians continue to
retrofit existing equipment when repairs are
needed, the company has begun specifying
R404A (a mix of HFC-125, HFC-l43a and
HFC-134a) for all new walk-in coolers and
freezers. Similarly, HFC-134a will be speci-
fied for medium and high-temperature kitchen
equipment as equipment manufacturers make
the units available.
Campbell points out that he received an
enormous amount of assistance and support
from staff at DuPont, Copeland, HeatCraft
and Polar King, in addition to the logistical and
financial support from upper management at
Boddie-Noell. As a result, the company is
now "comfortably out of the woods."
CFCs are no longer produced in
the U.S. and other industrialized coun-
tries (with very limited exceptions). It
is EPA'sgoalto assist equipment owners
in the transition to non-CFC refriger-
ants. This is part of a series of case his-
tones of equipment retrofits and
replacements by specific companies or
agencies. Mention of any trade names
or commercial products does not con-
stitute endorsement or recommendation
for use. For more information on the
CFCphaseout, EPA recommendations
on refrigerant management, and accept-
able alternative refrigerants, write:
CFC Outreach, Stratospheric Protec-
tion Division, USEPA (6205J), Wash-
ington, DC, 20460.
-------
-------
&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Air and Radiation
(6205J)
EPA 430-R-96-008
April 1996
Stratospheric Ozone Protection
Case History
Newark Dairy Queen: Soft-Serve
With CFC Free Refrigerants
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The Newark, Delaware Dairy Queen
is a leader in the production of soft-serve
ice cream and stands out in the commu-
nity of 5,400 Dairy Queen restaurants.
This particular franchise, owned by Butch
Read and Dave Rudisill, is therefore
well-known in the Dairy Queen franchise
circle. To Cheri "Wellman of ICl Idea
Refrigerants and Emkarate Lubricants,
die Newark Dairy Queen franchise pro-
vided an ideal opportunity to demon-
strate the effectiveness of ICI Klea's
alternative refrigerants. Wellman con-
tacted Read and Rudisill and offered to
show diem the benefits of switching to
CFC free refrigerants. At the same time,
the Newark Dairy Queen owners had
begun investigating whether alternative
refrigerants could extend the life of their
machines past die date of the CFC pro-
duction ban. Read and Rudisill agreed to
work with ICI-on a demonstration
project.
The Conversion
Wellmans assistance made die retrofit
at Newark Dairy Queen easy. This store
has a combination of 10 soft-serve ice
cream machines. Since his was a demon-
stration project, Read decided to convert
two of Newark Dairy Queens machines.
One machine used CFC-12 and the odier
machine used R-502 (a mixture of
HCFC-22 and CFC-115). The con-
tractor, Refrigeration Specialists, retro-
fitted the units to HFC-134a and R-407B
(a mix of HFC-32, HFC-125 and
HFC-134a) respectively. Each twin
(double compressor) machine took
approximately eight hours to convert.
The conversions were done on two morn-
ings, before the store was open for busi-
ness.
The first morning was spent
removing the existing lubricant (mineral
oil) and flushing the system with new
polyol ester lubricant. This was neces-
sary because the new refrigerants are not
compatible with conventional mineral oil.
The flushing process helps remove the
mineral oil from the system. The second
morning was spent recovering the old
refrigerant, changing the oil again,
replacing filters, and finally charging die
equipment with the new refrigerants. It
was also necessary to adjust or replace
pressure controls, since die new refriger-
ants operate at slightly higher pressures.
Total costs to retrofit each machine,
including parts and labor, amounted to
only $600. ICI supplied the refrigerant
and lubricant.
Dairy
Queen
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Results
Since the conversion, no significant
modifications to the machines have been
required, despite the fact that one unit
was already 17 years old. The amount of
new refrigerant required by the machines
was about 90 percent of the weight of the
CFG charge. Read and Rudisill noted
no loss in cooling capacity, even in hot
summer months. Employees didn't even
notice any change in the firmness of the
soft-serve.
Read and Rudisill have held up their
end of the bargain. They publicized the
conversions in a newsletter put out by the
Dairy Queen Operators Association.
They have also volunteered to share the
benefit of their experience with any other
Dairy Queen operators who are interested
in converting. Wellman reports that one
owner of 66 stores has recently contacted
ICI and is interested in learning more
about the new refrigerants and lubricants.
Future plans
Read and Rudisill are eager to con-
tinue converting their equipment away
from CFCs. Judging by their attitudes, the
conversions have been a big success. Read
says his goal is to continue to convert the
soft-serve machines as they lose the CFC
charge, and to eventually retrofit the entire
store.
CFCs are no longer produced in
the U.S. and other industrialized coun-
tries (with very limited exceptions). It
is EPA's goal to assist equipment owners
in the transition to non-CFC refriger-
ants. This is partofa series ofcase his-
tories of equipment retrofits and
replacements by specific companies or
agencies. Mention of any trade names
or commercial products does not con-
stitute endorsement or recommendation
for use. For more information on the
CFCphaseout, EPA recommendations
on refrigerant management, and accept-
able alternative refrigerants, write:
CFC Outreach, Stratospheric Protec-
tion Division, USEPA (6205]), Wash-
ington, DC, 20460.
Costs of Converting
* new refrigerant
new lubricant
contractors
Benefits of Converting
Hh fess .refrigerant used, ~ ( ;
4- fongleirnrefngerant>ln,p|ace
pre-CFCpteseout deadline "
+ extended life of equipment '<
ง no ioss in cooling capacity I'_
^
-------
SEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Air and Radiation
(6205J)
EPA430-R-96-008
April 1996
Stratospheric Ozone Protection
Case History
Seaway Food Town
Superstore Goes CFC Free
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Seaway Food Town, Inc., is a regional
grocery store chain headquartered in
Maumee, Ohio. The company's experi-
ence with converting to non-CFC refrig-
erants was different from most other
companies that have undertaken conver-
sions: Food Town chose to convert equip-
ment in- a new superstore being built in
Monroe, Michigan, rather than con-
verting older equipment in an existing
store. The alternative refrigerant Food
Town chose for its conversion was
Gentron AZ-50, Allied Signals version
of R-507 (an azeotropic mixture of
HFC-125 and HFC-l43a), has per-
formed so well in the new store that the
company has made plans to convert all 68
of its supermarkets to the refrigerant.
An Aggressive Policy
Seaway Food Town relies on its con-
tractor, Arco Refrigeration, to fulfill all
of its refrigeration, general maintenance
and construction needs. In 1993, Tom
Archambeau, President of Arco Refriger-
ation, decided it was time to take action
in response to the CFC phaseout. He
felt he could best maintain control of the
situation by adopting an aggressive
response policy to the phase-out. He sent
notices to all of his clients recommending
that they be "aggressively conservative"
by converting to non-CFC based refrig-
erants ahead of EPAs schedule to avoid the
risk of paying a high price or not being
able to obtain refrigerant when needed.
Bernie Crouse of Seaway Food Town, a
long-time customer, decided to begin
testing the different refrigerants available.
Seaway Food Town decided to use
the new superstore it was constructing in
Monroe, MI as a test for the new refrig-
erants. When this store was finished, it
would comprise a 55,000 square foot
facility supporting a Chinese restaurant,
pizzeria, bakery and photo lab. As a result,
the store would have a variety of refriger-
ation needs.
Seaway made the decision to use
HFC refrigerants immediately instead of
prolonging conversion by using
HCFC-22, which is also scheduled for
phase-out in 2020. According to Crouse,
"R-507 was a smarter choice than
HCFC-22 for replacing both R-502 ( a
mix of HCFC-22 and CFC-115) and
CFC-12 in low and medium tempera-
ture refrigeration applications. Since
R-507 is a long-term, HFC-based alter-
native, there will be no need to retrofit the
system later on, saving us time and
money."
Equipment Needs
The key factor in judging the success
of this endeavor would be operating effi-
ciency and amount of maintenance
required. Crouse relied on a team of
refrigeration experts to build the refriger-
ation systems for the store. He wanted the
systems to meet long term refrigeration
needs and remain relatively mainte-
nance-free. Arco worked closely with
Kysor/Warren, Allied Signal, and Refron,
a refrigerant wholesaler, to ensure success.
The equipment installed included
four Kysor/Warren uneven parallel racks
(two low temperature and two high tem-
perature), outfitted with total rack con-
trollers by Computer Process Controls,
and 18 Copeland semi-hermetic "Discus"
compressors ranging from four to 15
horsepower (HP). Each rack serves
approximately 12 systems connected to
roughly 28 display cases and is connected
to an alarm system that monitors refrig-
erant temperature, head and suction pres^
sures, liquid levels, and condenser fan
operation. In case of a problem, the
tracking system signals a control room
and a technician. Every display case has
a liquid line shut off valve. If the system
should need repair, the store can fix the
-------
problem by using the shut off valves, elim-
inating the need to recover the entire
refrigerant charge.
The technicians installed the equip-
ment within a month's time, widi support
from Kysor/Warren and Allied Signal.
The R-507 systems are configured much
like R-502 systems. Before the start up,
the technicians charged the systems with
a synthetic polyol ester (POE) lubricant.
The systems were then charged with 2,800
pounds of R-507- After start-up, the
systems were charged with eight addi-
tional gallons of POE lubricant to make
up for oil circulation in die piping. Since
the start-up, the systems have functioned
like the systems using R-502, yet run with
a "six to eight percent increase in capacity
for the same amount of horsepower"
remarked Archambeau. Since both R-502
and R-507 are azeotropes, and therefore
behave similarly, the need for service calls
!s not expected to change drastically either.
In The Clear
Grouse and Archambeau had dif-
ferent concerns about the new refrigerant
and lubricant used in this project.
Grouse's main concern was controlling
the amount of moisture in the system,
since POE lubricants are known to absorb
moisture from the air. Archambeau solved
this problem by putting each system into
a hard vacuum and changing the oil two
to three times in the beginning. Archam-
bcau worried most about the availability
of R-507. "At the time, it was difficult to
get such a large amount of HFC-based
refrigerant. It could easily take six to nine
months (from time of order)." Now,
HFC-based refrigerants are readily avail-
able and lead times for large shipments are
minimal.
Of some concern was the perfor-
mance of R-507 in comparison to R-502.
However, Seaway Food Town has not seen
any problems in that respect. R-507 func-
tions like the CFC refrigerant.
From the start of this project, Grouse
was forward-thinking. According to
Archambeau, "Food Town had the fore-
sight to make the switch when they did.
Some people didn't believe EPA and
thought they would always be able to get
CFCs." Converting to HFCs has saved
Food Town time, money and concern
about keeping their store in working con-
dition. Mike Noss, an Arco technician on
the team, concurs: "R-507 is an excellent
alternative to R-502 considering that the
servicing aspects of the refrigerants are
virtually the same."
Preventive Maintenance
Grouse also had the foresight to know
he needed to build the new systems for
easy maintenance. Seaway Food Town
now employs an Arco team that regularly
checks and tunes the system and keeps
the store leak-free. Preventive mainte-
nance cuts down on food loss, refrigerant
loss, and service time because it signifi-
candy decreases the need for major service
repairs.
The Next Step
The converted superstore refrigeration
system runs so well that Seaway Food
Town decided to convert its other 67
stores. Each complete store conversion
takes approximately one-and-a-half weeks.
At present, the conversion program is 60
percent complete.
All of the newly-built stores use
R-507 for both the low and medium tem-
perature needs. Existing stores are typically
converted from R-502 to R-507 for the
low temperature applications and from
CFC-12 to HFC-134a for the medium
temperature applications. Small self-con-
tained equipment has not yet been: con-
verted because leaks are not a problem
and thus availability of replacement CFCs
is not a concern. According to Archam-
beau, Seaway has enough CFC-12 to keep
its older machines running until they are
finally ready to be replaced. At that point,
Seaway will replace them with HFC-J34a
equipment. '
The Payoff
In total, Seaway will have spent over
$2 million when the conversions of all
68 Seaway stores are complete. However,
the company believes it has come out
ahead financially, in terms of decreased
business risk, increased energy efficiency,
increased capacity, and decreased ton-
sumption of both refrigeration lubricating
oils and the more expensive CFC refrig-.
erants. Seaway has also become a recog-
nized leader in the area of environmental
protection for its role in reducing the use
of CFCs.
Looking Back and Future
Plans
All parties involved in this program
have been committed to the conversion
from the start. No one has seriously con-
sidered rethinking the decision to convert.
Costs of 'Converting ^ ; ' Benefit^ cjf Converting >T
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Both Grouse and Archambeau say they
would not change a thing, as the conversion
was free of major incompatibilities and prob-
lems. The progressive thinking of Grouse
and Archambeau paid off for all the parties
involved.
Seaway Food Town hopes to be CFG
free within the next 24 months, and at the
rate they are going, they should certainly
achieve this goal. The lesson Archambeau
has to offer after all his experience in con-
verting? "Stick to refrigeration basics, and
you'll be fine."
CFCs are no longer produced in
the U.S. and other industrialized coun-
tries (with very limited exceptions). It
is EPA'sgoal to assist equipment owners
in the transition to non-CFC refriger-
ants. This is part of a series of case his-
tories of equipment retrofits and
replacements by specific companies or
agencies. Mention of any trade names
or commercial products does not con-
stitute endorsement or recommendation
for use. For more information on the
CFCphaseout, EPA recommendations
on refrigerant management, and accept-
able alternative refrigerants, write:
CFC Outreach, Stratospheric Protec-
tion Division, USEPA (6205J), Wash-
ington, DC, 20460.
-------
-------
vvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Air and Radiation
(6205J)
EPA 430-R-96-008
April 1996
Stratospheric Ozone Protection
Case History
Dierbergs Supermarkets:
Steadily Becoming CFC Free
Dierbergs Supermarkets, a small
family-run business based in St. Louis,
MO waited and watched other stores
convert to new refrigerants before forging
ahead on its own. As a result, the
company has learned some lessons about
costs and planning ahead which have
helped save the company money.
Dierbergs owns and operates 14
grocery stores, with another one currendy
under construction. Although die chain
is relatively small, its stores are quite large,
averaging 75,000 square feet. Each store
has its own commissary and bakery where
fresh salads, meats and baked goods are
prepared daily. In addition, die chains
floral operations make it the largest FTD
retailer in Missouri.
Getting the Green Light
Bob Francis, Dierbergs Director of
Engineering Services, is responsible for
managing the company's refrigeration
system. He undertook the first initiatives
regarding Dierberg's refrigerant conver-
sion by approaching die chain's owners and
dieir family members with his plan for
managing the CFC phase out. His
approach included investigating available
options and moving at the most eco-
nomically opportune time. This allowed
the owners to maximize the cost-effec-
tiveness of their "retrofit dollars."
Although a strict budget was never drafted
for the conversions, the owners took a
careful look at the costs involved and
decided to approve a 10 percent increase
in die service budget to move the con-
version process along.
Clearing the Path
Too small to support its own main-
tenance and construction staff, the
company relies on outside contractor
support. Francis worked closely with his
outside contractor on the CFC phaseout
issue.
The path to retrofitting can be quite
confusing because of the number of alter-
native refrigerants available. Determining
which alternative will be optimal for a
given application can be confusing if
information on the alternatives is not
readily available. Therefore, before Francis
even started to research alternative refrig-
erants, he set up an Energy Management
System (EMS), called Comptrol with the
capability to monitor kilowatt-hours and
run rime, as well as amount of discharge
and suction pressures for refrigeration
systems. This system has saved Dierbergs
time and money by allowing them to
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easily access key energy consumption para-
meters, and has provided valuable insights
for the retrofit by providing data with
which to evaluate relative performance.
Testing the waters
Using Food Marketing Institute
(FMI) guidance materials, Dierbergs
began its CFC elimination program by
changing its R-502 (a mix of HCFC-22
and CFC-115) medium systems to
HCFC-22. The power heads on the
expansion valves and refrigerant were all
changed, but the compressors were
retained. Francis was pleased with the
results, but when he realized that
HCFC-22 was not a long-term solution to
his problem, he began to investigate alter-
native options, such as HFC-134a.
Dierbergs' first conversion system
using long-term alternatives involved a
red meat case. The company received
technical support from Sporlan "Valve Co.,
Copeland, and Hussman, its manufac-
turers of refrigerant metering valves, com-
pressors, and display cases, respectively.
The conversion took 12 hours of labor
time. The lubricant was changed from
mineral oil to polyol ester before charging
the new refrigerant. The lubricant was
changed four rimes, as opposed to the
typical diree, to flush out additional oil cir-
culating in the waste heat reclaim system.
After the technicians finished the lubricant
change, the new refrigerant was charged in
the systems.
The CFC-12 system was converted to
HFC-134a with no problems. However,
after 30 days of monitoring, the service
technician found that HFC-134a was not
as effective as the CFC-12 at operating
temperatures lower than 20 degrees. The
compressor lost cooling capacity when
operating with HFC-134a, and conse-
quently had to be up sized.
Dierbergs also wanted to test other
alternative refrigerants. It tested R-407A
(a mix of HFC-32, HFC-125 and
HFC-134a), with R-404A (a mix of
HFC-125, HFC-l43a, HFC-134a) as an
alternative to R-502. In both instances,
R-407A was five to seven percent more
energy efficient than R-404A. In 1993,
the company tried its first R-507
(HFC-125 and HFC-l43a) retrofit.
Three identical glass door systems were run
with R-502, R-507, and R-404A. In the
converted systems, R-507 performed
slightly better than R-404A.
Decisions
Due to the large number of alterna-
tive refrigerants available, Francis had a for-
midable decision before him. He
ultimately decided to replace all existing
R-502 applications with R-507 and all
CFC-12 applications with HFC-134a.
New stores will use R-507 in all ternper-
Costs of Converting
installation of Comptrol
purchase of new refrigerants
cost of labor
Benefits of Concertina
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+ less refrigerant used' x"
lower cost of refrigerants''
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+ minimal store Interruptions' "
+ increased energy efficiency
+ chain is 25-30 percent CFC,
free ahead of CFC phaseout, <
ature applications. Although Francis was
pleased with the energy results from the
R-407A conversion, he hesitated to
convert to R-407A because at the time of
these conversions, Copeland had not yet
approved this alternative for use in its
equipment.
Presently, Dierbergs has set a few
ground rules regarding conversions. It
no longer buys any new equipment with
CFC-12 or HCFC-22, except for
HCFC-22 air conditioning. As refrig-
erant is needed, Dierbergs converts other
systems and uses the recovered refrigerant
to re-stock its refrigerant inventory
"just-in-time." Furthermore, all retrofits
are done on a Monday, Tuesday or
Wednesday morning, when store traffic at
the store is slowest.
By moving ahead cautiously, Dier-
bergs now pays only $5 dollars less per
pound for its R-507 refrigerant dian when
it was introduced. Because it shows great
promise as an energy-efficient performer,
Dierbergs may move to R-407A later if: (1)
Copeland has approved its use in its com-
pressors, (2) the economics are right and
(3) the industry has sufficient experience
with the refrigerant.
Lessons learned
Dierbergs noted that in converting
CFC-12 systems to HFC-134a, die refrig-
erating capacity of the expansion valves
increased by as much as 20 percent.
Therefore, adjustments on valves for
lightly-loaded systems or outright replace-
ments were necessary.
Dierberg's outside contractor cur-
rently is performing conversions
"just-in-time," meaning that as the supply
of replacement refrigerant stock gets low,
he converts some systems and moves the
recovered refrigerant to storage. The rate
at which he is required to do this is quite
low because the chain has good control of
its refrigerant consumption. , The
company is also trying to use up its stock-
pile of CFC refrigerants. However,
because its stores have such low leak rates,
this stockpile will take some time to
-------
deplete. The contractor tracks the amount
of refrigerant used in each of the 14 stores
to help manage the stockpile of refrigerant.
Conversions also occur during minor
remodels and planned construction
involving refrigeration systems, such as case
replacements, where systems may be taken
out of service as a normal business activity.'
As a result, Dierberg's minimizes business
interruptions. Currently, the chain is 25-30
percent CFC free. Due to solid refrigerant
management practices Dierberg's is on its
way to complete conversion to alternative
refrigerants.
The conversions at Dierbergs have
tremendously benefitted Francis and the
owners of Dierbergs by helping to mini-
mize Dierbergs' costs. By waiting for prices
of alternative refrigerants to come down
before undertaking its conversions, the
company was able to save money on its
_ refrigerant purchases. Dierbergs is following
the letter of the law, keeping within its
approved budget, and will eventually be
CFC-free at low cost.
CFCs are no longer produced in
the U.S. and other industrialized coun-
tries (with very limited exceptions). It
is EPA's goal to assist equipment owners
in the transition to non-CFC refriger-
ants. This is part of a series of case his-
toriejs of equipment retrofits and
replacements by specific companies or
agencies. Mention of any trade names
or commercial products does not con-
stitute endorsement or recommendation
for use. For more information on the
CFCphaseout, EPA recommendations
on refrigerant management, and accept-
able alternative refrigerants, write:
CFC Outreach, Stratospheric Protec-
tion Division, USEPA (6205J), Wash-
ington, DC, 20460.
-------
-------
&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Air and Radiation
(6205J)
EPA 430-R-96-008
April 1996
Stratospheric Ozone Protection
Case History
Independent Retailer Begins
Transition to Alternative
Refrigerants
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Mike Snyder is an independent
retailer and the proprietor of the Quail
Plaza and the Market Plaza IGA Super-
markets in Oklahoma City, OK. Because
his business is relatively small, he has to
personally fill numerous roles and take
on more responsibility than a typical store
owner. He finds himself learning some-
rliing new everyday as he keeps up with all
the latest developments in the super-
market industry including the phaseout of
CFCs.
The Quail Plaza Store
In 1992, Snyder decided it was time
to remodel his two stores, starting with
Quail Plaza. The refrigeration equipment
at both stores had become outdated. John
Terrell, proprietor of Terrell Refrigeration
(Snyder's refrigeration maintenance con-
tractor) advised him that it would be an
opportune time to change refrigerants as
well.
The expansion and remodeling of
the 20-year-old Quail Plaza store intro-
duced Snyder to the new line of alterna-
tive refrigerants. Snyder had a great deal
of confidence in Terrell because Terrell
had been his service contractor for a
number of years and had prior experience
with alternative refrigerants. At Terrell's
recommendation, Snyder retired his old
CFC-12 and R-502 (a mix of HCFC-22
and CFC-115) equipment and replaced it
with equipment using HCFC-22.
At the time, HCFC-22 was the
industry standard for conversions: the
industry had significant past experience
with HCFC-22, the cost of purchasing
HCFC-22 was significantly lower than
the cost of CFC-12, and there was a2020
phaseout date for HCFC-22. In addi-
tion, Terrell had a great deal of experi-
ence converting a 14,000 square foot
walk-in cooler to HCFC-22, and had
installed two compound refrigeration
racks using HCFC-22 in another store.
The Quail Plaza store used both
R-502 and CFC-12 in its existing systems.
During the remodeling, the store was out-
fitted with two new large parallel racks
(one for low temperature applications and
one for medium temperature applica-
tions) . These new racks replaced the old
equipment.
According to Snyder, moving to alter-
natives was straight-forward. During the
replacement, the old systems were
removed, the refrigerant was recovered
and sold back to the refrigerant reclaimer,
and the new systems were installed.
Because the equipment installation had to
be closely coordinated with the other
remodeling activities the job took two
months with two men working at the
store about 75 percent of their time.
The Market Plaza Store
Almost a year after completing the
Quail Plaza remodeling, Snyder and
Terrell began to remodel the Market Plaza
store. This store expansion provided an
opportunity to test new refrigerants
through the installation of new equip-
ment. The 15-year-old store was recon-
figured to make room for a new deli and
additional produce. A frozen bakery case
was also added.
The store originally used four parallel
racks for its refrigeration needs, and oper-
ated on a single refrigerant, R-502. An
additional rack was installed to serve the
new medium temperature refrigeration
loads. The rack operates on 650 pounds
of HCFC-22 and is connected to 12 new
medium temperature systems. Terrell
specified HCFC-22 in the new rack
because it is well suited for use in medium
temperature applications.
-------
In addition, a new dedicated rooftop
unit was installed to handle the new low
temperature frozen bakery case. It was
placed on the roof in order to be in close
proximity to the case it served.
Terrell specified R.-404A, a mix of
HFC-125, HFC-l43a and HFC-134a,
as the alternative refrigerant for the new
rooftop unit, for a number of reasons. By
this point, Terrell had gained more expe-
rience with R-404A and he believed the
industry was moving toward this particular
refrigerant. Terrell convinced Snyder to use
R-404A instead of HCFC-22 for the
bakery case in order for Snyder to gain
experience with this alternative refrigerant.
Additionally, R-404A was a more
energy-efficient and low-maintenance
refrigerant for low temperature applica-
tions than HCFC-22.
The four original racks in the Market
Plaza store have not yet been converted,
but Snyder plans to convert them in the
near future. These four original racks use
R-502 as the refrigerant and serve a com-
bined 26 systems. By convening one rack
at a time and keeping leak rates low, Terrell
expects that Snyder can operate the
remaining equipment for at least three
more years without additional purchases
of CFC refrigerant.
Results
So far, the company's experience with
the new equipment at both stores has
been excellent, with no refrigerant leakage
and low maintenance costs following the
initial commissioning of the equipment.
Lessons Learned
The changes at the two stores pro-
vided opportunities for learning some
lessons about the performance and
requirements of HCFC-22 and R-404A in
commercial refrigeration applications.
"When working with HCFC-22," Terrell
stresses, "it is important to adjust the
expansion valve carefully to avoid over-
heating problems at the compressor, and
when working with polyol ester (POE)
lubricant [in HFC systems], it is impor-
tant to keep moisture from the air out of
the lubricant." Terrell recommends the
maintenance of a high vacuum for 24
hours for this type of system to verify that
no leaks are present and to dry out the
system. After initial operation, he rec-
ommends that the filter-dryers be changed
because POE is also a good solvent and
will transport all construction-related
debris (such as carbon deposits or, flux)
back to the filter-drier.
In terms of management lessons,
Snyder believes in timing the conversion
of these remaining systems to take
maximum advantage of industry and con-
tractor experience with alternative refrig-
erants and lubricants. Conversions should
also be scheduled to allow a reasonable
amount of time to budget money for the
conversion to new alternatives.
Sound Advice
The transition to new refrigerants
can be more difficult for an independent
retailer who typically does not have the
same technical resources as the larger
supermarket chains. As Snyder explains,
"the upcoming CFC phaseout presents
new challenges for independent retailers.
Among these are conversion costs and the
necessity to plan the conversions to avoid
disruptions and maintain product quality."
He stresses the importance of researching
new refrigeration regulations, and having
a game plan in place. He points oUt that
independent retailers can gain a tremen-
dous amount of knowledge from other
independents who have undertaken a con-
version away from CFCs. For example,
Snyder benefitted not only from Terrell's
guidance, but also from observing the
experience of Mayfair Market IGA,
another Oklahoma City supermarket that
recently made the conversion to alterna-
tive refrigerants.
Snyder is working towards a smooth
transition into the 21st century by
decreasing his reliance on CFCs. As a
result of his efforts to date, Snyder has
also become more involved and educated
Costs of Converting
new equipment
new refrigerants
contractors
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in the refrigeration field. This involvement
will continue to benefit him as he converts
the original equipment at Market Plaza.
Now, with the new refrigeration equipment
running smoothly, he can concentrate on the
next phase of his transition to alternative
refrigerants.
Starting in 1996, CFCs will no
longer be produced in the U.S. (with
very limited exceptions). It is EPA's
goal to assist equipment owners in the
transition to non-CFC refrigerants.
This is pan of a series of case histories
of equipment retrofits and replacements
by specific companies or agencies.
Mention of any trade names or com-
mercial products does not constitute
endorsement or recommendation for
use. For more information on the CFC
phaseout, EPA recommendations on
refrigerant management, and accept-
able alternative refrigerants, write:
CFC Outreach, Stratospheric Protec-
tion Division, USEPA (6205J), Wash-
ington, DC, 20460.
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