ARLINGTON, Va. — The first contract under the new “Hvac&r Research Program for the 21st Century” (21-CR) was recently awarded to James M. Calm, an engineering consultant in Great Falls, Va., to develop and administer the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology Institute (ARTI) Refrigerant Database.

The ARTI Refrigerant Database is an information system listing alternative refrigerants, associated lubricants, and their use in air conditioning and refrigeration systems. It offers users easy access to information on properties, compatibility, safety, environmental, application, and other refrigerants and lubricants, the institute said.

The new contract will continue developing the database that was a centerpiece of the ARTI Materials Compatibility and Lubricant Research Program (MLCR), a successful, multiyear collaborative effort between industry and government that is completing this year.

The 21-CR program fosters a research environment to identify technical barriers, set research priorities, investigate solutions, and share information results.

Once the precompetitive technical challenges are resolved, the various industry stakeholders can apply the 21-CR research results to produce the products and services that satisfy market needs within the hvacr industry, according to the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Insti-tute (ARI).

Combined Standards Available On-Line

Also from ARI, a free copy of the newly revised standard that affects how chillers used for comfort cooling are rated and tested is available at its website,www.ari.org.

The newly-published ARI Standard 550/590-98, Standard for Water Chilling Packages Using the Vapor Compression Cycle, combines two previously separate standards:

  • ARI Standard 550-92, Centrifugal and Rotary Screw Water-Chilling Packages; and

      ARI Standard 590-92, Positive-Displacement Compressor Water-Chilling Packages.

    The standards were combined to reduce confusion in equipment application, and ensure consistent treatment for rating and testing of two very similar and overlapping product lines, according to ARI.

    The combined, revised standard includes two major changes that affect how chillers are rated and tested. These changes relate to the Integrated Part Load Value (IPLV) and the fouling factor adjustment used for evaporators in closed-loop water systems.

    The IPLV rating conditions and part-load weightings have been changed to more closely reflect actual operating experiences found in the field for a single chiller. The evaporator fouling factor has been changed from 0.00025 to 0.0001 based on research work sponsored by ASHRAE.

    The research has shown that the actual fouling of the water side of evaporators operating in closed-circuit water systems experience very minimal degradation in performance over time.