2020 RETA Breeze May-Jun

use Shift Logs that require the techs to write down system parameters during normal operation and not just check a box. Review these at least weekly, and look for trends that may indicate an issue that could be discovered and corrected before it gets worse. It’s normal to lose a little when you drain oil, and typically your purgers will burp out a little also, but these should be very small amounts and not cause a significant change to your inventory. 2 Test the pH of your condenser water, and any secondary coolants such as glycol, brine, etc. at least monthly. This can often detect a small leak in a condenser or chiller coil. NH3 is a very strong base, and even a 30% concentration in water raises the pH to 13.5 or higher. Glycol has a pretty strong odor, and can easily mask any ammonia odors that may be easier to detect in water. For those concerned about spending money, you can get reliable pH test kits at your local swimming pool supplies store. 3 Walk the roof! Always have your respiratory protection with you, and wear your other PPE including fall protection if needed! You could have a valve, fitting, weld, etc. that could have a small leak. This would also be a great opportunity to check your external piping for any damaged insulation and/or any signs of possible corrosion. Always use the buddy systemwhile on the roof, or at least a walkie-talkie to call for help if needed. As much as I love my cell phone, I am not going to depend on it to save my life! I hope that some of you NH3 Nerds (like me) find this helpful! If any other suggestions are out there, please send them out as comments. After all, we all share the common interest of keeping our NH3 inside the pipes where it belongs!

Most of these small leaks inside the facility can be found using a sulfur stick while wearing the proper PPE. But what happens if we see our intended operating inventory slowly dropping and we can’t smell anything and there have not been any nuisance odor reports? Here are a few suggestions (and I’m sure there are others out there) that may help find these mystery leaks: 1 Always keep an accurate inventory of your NH3! Not only is this a regulatory requirement, but it allows you to detect these small leaks much sooner. Design and

RETA.com 17