Category Archives: Good Engineering Practices

Kent Ammonia Leak an Attempted Theft?

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Brian Chapin

Usually the meth-makers pick on agricultural ammonia sources but they occasionally go to a cold storage as well: “The attempted theft of ammonia appears to be the cause of a leak Tuesday morning at the Washington Cold Storage facility in … Continue reading →

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Garden City Ammonia Program PodCast

Posted on January 12, 2011 by Brian Chapin

I recently had a long conversation with Craig Ward of Garden City Ammonia Program. He turned it into an episode for their GCAP Cool Cast. You can listen to the entire conversation here. As always – feedback is welcome.

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RAGAGEP: Just what is it?

Posted on December 26, 2010 by Brian Chapin

RAGAGEP stands for Recognized and Generally Accepted Good Engineering Practice. OSHA: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119 (D)(3)(ii): “The employer shall document that equipment complies with recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices.” EPA: EPA 40 CFR 68.73 (d)(2): “Inspection and testing … Continue reading →

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Unattended Operation? Better get Ammonia Detection!

Posted on November 21, 2010 by Brian Chapin

Certainly your ammonia technician will pick up any minor leaks during a regularly scheduled walk-through of the facility. But what if that leak starts at 6pm Friday evening and everyone is gone for the weekend? You had better have some … Continue reading →

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VFD Savings Calculator

Posted on October 29, 2010 by Brian Chapin

Here’s a simple spreadsheet I made up a while ago to calculate the possible savings using Variable Frequency Drives. Download VFD Fan Savings Calculator

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Improper Insulation Installation = Trouble

Posted on October 15, 2010 by Brian Chapin

We recently found a pipe that had been insulated below and above the roofline. The portion of the pipe between the upper and lower roof surface was not insulated at all: Here’s what the pipe section looked like when it … Continue reading →

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Planning for Future Expansions

Posted on August 4, 2010 by Brian Chapin

It’s always a good idea to plan for additions to your refrigeration system when you install it or improve it. Loads always seem to increase as new production capacity or storage areas are brought on line. Here’s an example of … Continue reading →

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