Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/777708
30 R INK MAGAZ INE march/april 2008 Annual Refrigeration System Maintenance by BILL VAAS This program should consider: 1) maintenance required during the annual shut-down period; 2) checks and maintenance during the initial startup; 3) ongoing preventative maintenance throughout the operating season; and 4) proper shut-down of the system at the end of the season in preparation for inspection and repairs. Today's arena refrigeration plants contain sophisticated equipment provided by different suppliers; therefore, in developing and implementing a maintenance program, careful thought must be given to what checks and maintenance will be done "in house" by properly trained arena staff and what work must be performed by external qualified contractors. It cannot be stated strongly enough that any maintenance work done on refrigeration equipment must be performed by properly qualified personnel following the manufacturer's recommendations. In general terms, the following summarizes considerations for the implementation of an annual refrigeration maintenance program for an arena. Annual Shut-Down Preparations for the annual shut- down of the refrigeration system should be well planned and in place prior to the last ice rental of the season. In many cases, arenas have entered into a service agreement with a licensed refrigeration contractor to have this work done. The proper annual shut-down of the system will include procedures for closing valves, disconnecting electrical circuits, the shut-down and maintenance of equipment related to primary and secondary refrigerant circuits and required compressor maintenance, plus checks on the condenser and related equipment. A number of valves in the refrigeration plant will be closed during the shut-down period. Any valves that must be closed should be clearly tagged in accordance with established lock and tag procedures, with a notice to this effect being attached to the main panel disconnect switch. Control switches for all compressors, brine/glycol pumps and condenser fans and pumps should be turned off and tagged. The main electrical disconnect switch for the entire system should then be switched off and clearly tagged as well. As an additional precaution, fuses may be removed from the panel. In systems with multiple compressors, each compressor will have the suction and discharge service valves closed during the annual shut-down in order to isolate each one for servicing. If t this time of the year, all of our arenas are well into the operating season. For the most part, the refrigeration system should have been operating relatively trouble-free since startup. This doesn't happen by accident. In order to minimize equipment problems and potential shut-downs, every arena must have a refrigeration equipment maintenance program, regardless of the length of the operating season. A KEEP REFRIGERATED AFTER OPENING