The Oak Ridge Refrigerant Management Program

Conference · Wed Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:102017

Kevil, T H

For many years, chlorofluorocarbons (CFC`s) have been used by the Department of Energy`s (DOE) Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant in air conditioning and process refrigeration systems. However, Title 6 of the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) and Executive Order 12843 (Procurement Requirements and Policies for Federal Agencies for Ozone Depleting Substances) signed by President Clinton require that all federal agencies maximize their use of safe, alternate refrigerants and minimize, where economically practical, the use of Class 1 refrigerants. Unfortunately, many government facilities and industrial plants have no plan or strategy in place to make this changeover, even though their air conditioning and process refrigeration equipment may not be sustainable after CFC production ends December 31, 1995. The Y-12 Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, has taken an aggressive approach to complying with the CAAA and is working with private industry and other government agencies to solve tough manufacturing and application problems associated with CFC and hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) alternatives. Y-12 was the first DOE Defense Program (DP) facility to develop a long-range Stratospheric Ozone Protection Plan for refrigerant management for compliance with the CAAA. It was also the first DOE DP facility to complete detailed engineering studies on retrofitting and replacing all air conditioning and process refrigeration equipment to enable operation with alternate refrigerants. The management plan and engineering studies are models for use by other government agencies, manufacturing plants, and private industry. This presentation identifies some of the hidden pitfalls to be encountered in the accelerated phaseout schedule of CFC`s and explains how to overcome and prevent these problems. In addition, it outlines the general issues that must be considered when addressing the phase-out of ozone depleting substances and gives some `lessons learned` by Y-12 from its Refrigerant Management Program.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Huntsville, AL (United States). George C. Marshall Space Flight Center
• OSTI ID: 102017
• Report Number(s): N--95-31746; NASA-CP--3298; M--775; NAS--1.55:3298; CONF-9408174--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
CHLOROFLUOROCARBONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FREONS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MATERIAL SUBSTITUTION
REFRIGERANTS
Y-12 PLANT