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Section 7.2.1 reduces the refrigerant Refrigerant concentration limits can not
quantity by 50 percent for institutional be exceeded in any occupied space. If
occupancies. This additional restriction the calculated concentration for the
is required because the occupants can refrigerant being used exceeds the levels
Refrigerant classification is based on not leave the building quickly in the shown in ASHRAE Standard 15, Table 1
the safety of the refrigerant used. event of a refrigerant release. Section (or, for institutional occupancies, 50
Standard 15 draws refrigerant safety 7.2.2 exempts industrial occupancies percent of those concentrations), the
classification from ANSI/ASHRAE and refrigerated rooms from these system is not permitted. ASHRAE
Standard 34, which classifies limits, provided certain conditions Standard 15 defines an occupied space
refrigerants by toxicity and flammability are met. as "… that portion of the premises
into one of six categories (see Figure accessible to or occupied by people,
1). All of the refrigerants shown in excluding machinery rooms."1
Figure 2 are Class A (lower toxicity) and
Class 1 (no flame propagation). Misinterpretations have been made "The refrigerant safety groups in
regarding the ASHRAE toxicity-rating Table 1 are not part of ASHRAE
Figure 2. Refrigerant safety data from Table 1 of system. ASHRAE designates refrigerants as Standard 15. The classifications shown
ASHRAE Standard 34-2007 lower toxicity (Class A) or higher toxicity are from ASHRAE Standard 34, which
(Class B). Refrigerants designated as Class A governs in the event of a difference."
Refrigerant Safety RCL lb/Mcf* Highly toxic or
are not non-toxic—there are hazards
number group toxic under
associated with all refrigerants. The next revision of Standard 15 will include
code
RCL values in Table 1; model and local codes
classification
In the past, the cardiac sensitization effect of are also making the change.
R-22 A1 5.5 neither a refrigerant was used to set the allowable
quantity for occupied spaces for Class A Secondly, there has been some confusion
R-134a A1 13 neither refrigerants. Threshold Limit Value-Time about the correlation between ASHRAE
Weighted Average (TLV-TWA) was used to Classes A and B (lower and higher toxicity)
R-407C A1 15 neither set the allowable limit for Class B and the toxicity classifications used in the
refrigerants. Although this system has International Fire Code, the Uniform Fire
R-410A A1 10 neither worked fairly well it did not consider many of Code, and by OSHA. These codes use a
*These values are included in the 2006 International the personnel escape-impairing effects of toxicity rating system that differs
Mechanical Code refrigerants. substantially from the ASHRAE rating
system.
Standard 34 is also the source of the With the 2007 edition of Standard 34,
ASHRAE changed to using refrigerant To help clarify the difference in the two
refrigerant quantity limits shown in
concentration limit (RCL) to determine the rating methods, the 2007 edition of ASHRAE
Standard 15 and in Figure 2. See allowable pounds of refrigerant per 1000 Standard 34 has added a column to Table 1
accompanying sidebar for more cubic feet (lb/Mcf) of occupied space. RCL titled "Highly Toxic or Toxicc under Code
information on how recent changes in takes into consideration a variety of acute Classification". Note c states: "'Highly toxic,'
Standard 34 have changed both the exposure criteria including cardiac 'toxic,' or 'neither,' where 'highly toxic' and
sensitization, oxygen deprivation, 'toxic' are as defined in the International Fire
rating system and the refrigerant flammability, and other escape-impairing Code, Uniform Fire Code, and OSHA
quantity limits for each refrigerant. effects. regulations, and 'neither' identifies those
refrigerants having lesser toxicity than either
Essentially, the change to Standard 34 is a of those groups." All refrigerants listed in
Where do we go from here? Once change to Standard 15. Note (a), on the Figure 2 of this newsletter are identified as
our application has been classified by column labeled "Quantity of Refrigerant per "neither."
occupancy, system, and refrigerant Occupied Space", in Table 1 of Standard 15
safety, we can reference Section 7, states:
1Standard 15 defines a machinery room as "… a space, meeting the requirements of Sections 8.11 and 8.12, that is designed to house compressors and pressure vessels."
2 ● Trane Engineers Newsletter volume 37–1 providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer
Follow the refrigerant. To provide for A common example of the ventilated entire charge is dispersed into the
the safety of all occupants, it is spaces system described in Section room where the unit is located. Unit
necessary to determine the occupied 7.3.2 is a packaged rooftop unit which is charge (in pounds) divided by the room
area with the potential to have the connected to several rooms via volume (in cubic feet) determines the
highest concentration in the event of a ductwork. When calculating the concentration in the occupied area due
leak. Finding this area requires dilution volume for this system, it is to the leak.
knowing both the quantity of permissible to include the volume of
refrigerant in the system and how the the supply and return ducts or the Consider this example.
refrigerant will distribute if it leaks. plenum space if an un-ducted return is A 20-ton, packaged, cooling-only
used. The volume of rooms supplied by rooftop air conditioner with VAV control
For packaged systems, the total charge the unit can also be included, provided serves the small office building shown
is provided as part of the unit data. that the airflow can not be shut off to in Figure 3. Each of the occupied
Total charge for split systems and VRF those rooms. The shut-off stipulation spaces served by the unit has a 9-ft
systems is determined by adding the excludes fire and smoke dampers, and ceiling. The building includes an 18-in
component charges provided by the variable-air-volume (VAV) boxes, if the ceiling plenum that is interrupted over
manufacturer to the calculated amount boxes can not shut below 10 percent of the restroom, mechanical room, supply
of refrigerant in the lines connecting design airflow. storage room, elevator bank, and
the various components. Line charge
vestibule, where the walls extend from
can be calculated based on the volume Section 7.3.1 covers non-connecting
the floor slab to the roof. The rooftop
of the lines and the density of the spaces or those spaces:
unit contains two refrigeration circuits;
refrigerant or by using a lookup table.
"Where a refrigerating system or a part one contains 26.4 lb and the other
After the total charge is determined, thereof is located in one or more 16 lb of R-410A. VAV boxes with a
the next step is to determine the enclosed occupied spaces that do not minimum flow setting of 15 percent
dilution volume. The following connect through permanent openings deliver supply air to all rooms except
guidance is provided for determining or HVAC ducts, the volume of the the conference room, which is served
the dilution volume: smallest occupied space shall be used by a VAV box with a minimum flow
to determine the refrigerant quantity setting of 5 percent. An open plenum
"Where a refrigerating system or a part limit in the system." provides the return-air path to the unit.
thereof is located within an air handler,
an air distribution duct system, or in an A common example of the non- Based on this information, we can
occupied space served by a mechanical connecting spaces described in 7.3.1 is deduce that:
ventilation system, the entire air a hotel room served by a packaged- • the relevant safety group
distribution system shall be analyzed to terminal air-conditioning (PTAC) unit. classification of the refrigerant
determine the worst case distribution of For non-connected spaces, refrigerant is A1,
leaked refrigerant." (ANSI/ASHRAE concentration in the event of a leak is
• the occupancy is commercial, and
Standard 15, Section 7.3.2) determined by assuming that the
• the refrigerating system
Figure 3. Example office building floor plan classification is high probability.
providing insights for today’s HVAC system designer Trane Engineers Newsletter volume 37–1 ● 3
total occupied-room volume is terminal unit located in a room leaks, Apply Engineering Judgment. As
23652 ft³. The plenum area above the entire refrigerant charge will leak with most standards, ASHRAE
these rooms that is used to return air into that room. In this case, the Standard 15 is not a design manual and
to the unit has an additional volume of smallest occupied space served by the some engineering judgment is required
3942 ft³. Total dilution volume for this system and the entire refrigerant in its application. This is evident in
system is 27594 ft³. charge are used to calculate the diluted making a distinction about when a
refrigerant concentration. For VRF room is considered non-connecting
Having determined the dilution volume systems, it might be easier to (meaning that only the volume of the
available for this system, we can now determine system acceptability by room is used), and when it has
calculate refrigerant concentration in viewing required dilution volume sufficient open area to another space
the occupied areas in the event of a differently. that the volume of both rooms can
leak. The unit charge used for this be used.
calculation is the refrigerant quantity in The refrigerant limits in Table 1 can
the largest single circuit (26.4 lb). The also be used to determine the Per Section 7.3.1, non-connecting
resulting value [26.4 lb/ (27594/1000) = minimum volume of occupied space spaces do not include those that,
1.0 lb/Mcf] is well below the 10 lb/ required to sufficiently dilute a given "… connect through permanent
1,000 ft³ limit set by Standard 15. refrigerant charge. For example, openings or HVAC ducts …" to other
inverting the 10 lb/Mcf limit for R-410A occupied spaces. In our example,
The calculations are similar for a split and dividing out the 1000 yields should the hallway volume be added to
system with an indoor air-handling unit, 100 ft³/lb. This indicates that each the office 2 volume if the door has an
with the exception of the additional pound of R-410A in the system will undercut? What if the door has a
charge required for the refrigerant require 100 ft³ of occupied space to ventilation grille or there is a
lines. Suppose the packaged unit was provide sufficient dilution. In the case permanent open service window
replaced with a single circuit, of a VRF system, the result can then between office 2 and the hallway?
R-22, 20-ton condensing unit serving be used to determine whether the Should the volume of all connected
an air-handler, with 80 ft of smallest room served by the system rooms be used if there are short air-
interconnecting refrigerant line. Per the has sufficient volume to dilute the transfer ducts from room to room (as
manufacturer, 39 lb of refrigerant are refrigerant charge. shown in Figure 4). What is the dilution
required for condensing unit and air- volume if the rooms are served by a
handler. The 80 ft of liquid and suction In our example building, the smallest 100 percent outdoor-air system? The
refrigerant lines connecting these space served by a terminal unit is answers to these questions are not
components contain an additional office 2 with a volume of 2916 ft³. The clearly defined by the standard.
11 lb, for a total system charge of 50 lb. maximum R-410A refrigerant charge Determining what is permitted is a
that could be leaked into this space combination of engineering judgment
Dilution volume is the same as it was without exceeding the allowed and interpretation of the code
for the packaged unit (27594 ft³). As concentration limit is 29.2 lb. For "non- by the AHJ.
with the packaged unit system, the connecting" space types, the standard
diluted refrigerant concentration [50 lb/ assumes the entire charge (unit plus
(27594/1000) = 1.8 lb/Mcf] is well lines) will discharge into the room.
below the maximum permissible level
of 5.5 lb/Mcf for R-22, so the system is Figure 4. Air transfer ducts connecting adjacent rooms
permitted.
air transfer ducts
Switching to a VRF system generally
changes both the refrigerant charge
and the volume available for dilution. In
a typical VRF system, each room is
served by a terminal unit located in the
room. All of the terminal units are
connected to the condensing unit and
terminal units
each other using either a loop of
refrigerant lines or a header system.
The refrigerant contained in all the lines
must be included when determining
the total system refrigerant charge. office 1 office 2 office 3
ASHRAE Standard 34 (Table 1). has resulted in minimal refrigerant D. Guckelberger 1999, "The Tortuous Path from
exposure incidents from ASHRAE Standard to State Code", Engineers
If a component of the refrigeration Newsletter 28-2. Available at http://
refrigeration equipment. www.trane.com/engineersnewsletter
system ruptures because it is under
pressure, the refrigerant will leak Applying the requirements of D. Guckelberger 1992, "Refrigeration System
Equipment Room Design", Engineers
rapidly into the office. The room Standard 15 to a specific situation
TRIM FOLDOUT PAGE TO 7.75" W
showing refrigerant concentration dilution volume for the Trane. 2005, Applications Manual:
versus time could be drawn to show refrigerant charge. Refrigerating Systems Machinery Rooms:
ASHRAE 15, APP-APM001-EN. Available at
how long it will take for the http://www.trane.com/Commercial/DNA/
refrigerant concentration in the View.aspx?i=464
room to drop to the RCL.
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Trane believes the facts and suggestions presented here to be accurate. However, final design and
application decisions are your responsibility. Trane disclaims any responsibility for actions taken on
the material presented.