Successes in Eliminating Supermarket Leaks

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Successes in Eliminating Supermarket Leaks

• Bruce Smythe
• Hill PHOENIX
• VP/GM Systems Division
• Conyers, GA

James H. Windham Hill PHOENIX Quality Manager
Systems Division Conyers, GA
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Outline

• Vision
• Leak Improvements Inside the Supermarket Sales
  Area
• Leak Improvements in Equipment Rooms/Racks
• Conclusion
• QA

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Regulatory Implications
Mandate 35 maximum annual allowable leak rate
Equipment exceeding limit must be repaired or
retrofitted
Knowingly venting HCFC or HFC is a violation

• GOAL
• Elimination of refrigerant leaks

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Contradictions Regarding Leaks
Everyone agrees that refrigerant leaks are
completely undesirable!
Why?
Cost
Environmental Impact
Agency compliance
Store disruption
HOWEVER In practice today, high leak rates are
generally accepted in the industry as the
norm and unavoidable
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• The trouble with the world is not that people
  know so little, but that they know so many things
  that aint so.
  Mark Twain

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VISION
Change the Industrys Perception Regarding Leaks
Virtual Leak Free Supermarkets Can Be Attained
Today!
Eliminate Refrigerant Leaks in the Supermarket
Sales Area
Eliminate Refrigerant Leaks in the Equipment
Rooms (Racks)

Benefits

• Environmentally friendly supermarkets
• Reduced customer and OEM costs
• Meet or exceed any agency requirement

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Challenge 1 How to design and build Systems that
virtually do not leak inside the supermarket
sales area?
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System Comparisons
Initial Charge 700 Leak Potential Low Leak
Containment Excellent Leak Serviceability Excellen
t
Initial Charge 1400 Leak Potential High Leak
Containment Poor Leak Serviceability Poor
Initial Charge 1700 Leak Potential High Leak
Containment Marginal Leak Serviceability Poor
Based on typical 60K sq ft store utilizing loop
piping.
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Successful Applications of Secondary Technology
2003 50,000 sqft California Store
2004 102,000 sqft Quebec Store

• Consumes approximately 14 less electricity
  than a state-of-the-art multiplex refrigeration
  system (baseline system) installed in a
  comparable store
• Has a refrigerant charge that is ten times less
  than the baseline system (less than 500 lbs)

• Refrigerant charge reduced to 600 from 3600
• Heat recovery is so great that the furnace
  normally used in a conventional supermarket has
  been completely eliminated
• Greater reliability of equipment, longer
  lifecycle and lower maintenance costs.

www.ctec-varennes.rncan.gc.ca
www.energy.ca.gov
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Challenge 2How to design and build equipment
rooms (racks) that virtually do NOT leak?
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All racks leak and it is unavoidable
2001 Industry Presumption and Culture Myth
Reasons given for leaks inevitability

• Flares always leak
• Valves always leak
• Vibration causes leaks
• Connections come loose during shipment
• Shipping pressure doesnt matter
• Etc. Etc. Etc..

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Other Manufacturers Have Eliminated Leaks
New model
Old model
All units leaked oil in old model
No leaks
What Changed?
Technology
Customer Expectations
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Changing Culture
Had to destroy the culture myth that leaks are
unavoidable

• To prove the concept
• Built a 5 compressor rack
• Leak checked using Helium at 1/10 oz per year
  rate
• Simulated shipping from Georgia to California and
  back
• Retested with no leaks

We can and will build LEAK FREE units!
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Define Measure Analyze Improve Control (DMAIC)
Implemented Six Sigma Process Changes

• Track leaks by area and type
• Braze penetration methods
• Flare torques
• Helium leak detection 99 helium at 250 lbs
• Helium molecule is 1/10 the size of a refrigerant
  molecule
• It would take 24 minutes to form 1 bubble
• Flow/Lean manufacturing methods
• Subassembly testing
• Pressure decay testing using helium

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Results
Base Year
Leak FREE is attainable!
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Leak Free Benefits
Environmentally Friendly
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Conclusion
The technology is available

• If there is commitment, it can be done
• The leak rate is a direct reflection of what is
  demanded