2016 Versions of ASHRAE Refrigerant Standards Published

The 2016 editions of ASHRAE’s major refrigerants-related standards have been published as a package with 30 new refrigerants and refrigerant blends added.

ANSI/ASHRAE 15, Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems, and its sister standard, ANSI/ASHRAE 34, Designation and Safety Classification of Refrigerants, constitute a complete set of requirements for the safe design, construction and application of refrigeration systems used in a wide variety of residential, commercial and industrial applications. 

For both of the standards, the updates come from a continuing stream of changes made based on new science and research, experience, and proposals from designers, manufacturers and users.

The 2016 edition of Standard 15 incorporates addenda a, b, c, e and g to Standard 15-2013, which comprise the following changes:

• Incorporated changes to ensure improvement in the safe design, construction, installation and operation of refrigeration systems
• Updated requirements for safety relief systems, including revisions to relief vent pipe discharge locations and design provisions for headered relief vent systems
• Updated design pressure requirements applicable to systems using carbon dioxide
• Modified overpressure protection for heat exchangers and pressure limiting devices for positive displacement compressors

The 2016 edition of Standard 34 incorporates 35 addenda to the 2013 edition. Among the key changes to the 2016 edition are the following:

• Added three new refrigerants and 27 new refrigerant blends
• Changed the source of the WEEL (Workplace Environmental Exposure Levels) values from AIHA (American Industrial Hygiene Association) to TERA OARS-WEEL (Toxicology Excellence for Risk Assessment/Occupational Alliance for Risk Science)
• Changed requirements for the refrigerant application process
• Changed the requirement for submission of standard test result data to validate the method used to determine burning velocity
• Changed units required for refrigerant designation to require the submission of dual units
• Revised R-744 toxicity data for the RCL, LC ₅₀, cardiac sensitization NOEL, anesthesia NOEL, ATEL, RCL and ATEL source

The cost of ASHRAE Standards 15 and 34, which are packaged together, is $95 for ASHRAE members ($112, non-members). To order, visitwww.ashrae.org/bookstore or contact ASHRAE Customer Contact Center at 1-800-527-4723 (United States and Canada), 404-636-8400(worldwide) or fax 678-539-2129.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 56,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found atwww.ashrae.org/news.