FEATURE
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
Conformity and compliance:
what’s the difference?
By John Ackermann
What’s the difference between a Certificate of Compliance and a Certificate
of Conformity — and why should you care?
A
ll vapour compression HVAC&R
when it comes to time, place, and extent
systems or installations (large or
of damage and harm to persons (or even
small) consist of components
death).
including compressors, oil separators,
The applicable regulations are
condensers, receivers, and evaporators
SANS 10147, the Pressure Equipment
connected with piping to form a closed
Regulations (PER) and the OSH Act.
airtight circuit. The circuit is charged with
Each in turn incorporates other relevant
a refrigerant, which flows through the
standards, for instance SANS 347. The
circuit and undergoes a phase change,
purpose of the codes referred to are
for instance from gas to liquid and back to
twofold:
gas. The pressure and the temperature of
1. To ensure that the design of the HVAC&R
the refrigerant varies from high and hot, to
plant has all the elements for it to be
low and cool — or warm.
safe. For example:
In this article, two potential dangers posed
•
that relief valves are incorporated
by the designed HVAC&R system to humans,
to prevent excessive pressures that
surrounding property and/or the environment
could cause an explosion;
are considered.
•
One potential danger stems from
excessive pressures, which could result
prevent fractures;
•
in an explosion with harm to nearby
that automatic leak detection is
included to prevent harm to the
persons or damage to property. The
second danger stems from the leakage
that piping is of the correct grade to
environment;
•
that pressure vessels have been
of refrigerant or the total loss of refrigerant
tested to withstand the operating
charge from a burst pipe or component
pressure; and
fracture. The loss of refrigerant could
be toxic or explosive, or even cause
suffocation due to the replacement of
•
that the operating manuals are
Certificate of Compliance refers to the work done on the plant and whether it was done in
accordance with all the regulations.
comprehensive.
2. To ensure that all persons who pressure
environment. Similarly, good operating
It is all good and well to have regulations,
oxygen in an occupied confined space.
test, evacuate, and charge refrigerant
procedures must be followed to prevent
but without monitoring compliance,
The refrigerant leakage could also add to
into an HVAC&R plant follow all the
the system from having to be recharged
it remains fruitless and the danger of
global warming — in fact, if it is anything
safety procedures to prevent harm
due to poor evacuation, or the presence
accidents will remain.
other than ammonia, it will add to global
to themselves, to others and/or to the
of moisture or air in the system.
warming. Even CO2 has a global warming
The purpose of assessment against the
regulations is twofold and firstly requires
potential (GWP) of 1. The leakage of
experienced persons to verify that the
refrigerant at a very low temperature
plant is physically correct (issue certificate
can also cause painful and severe freeze
of conformity) and secondly that the
burns to the human body.
persons who handle refrigerant during
the charging or commissioning of the
It is all good and
plant are registered to do so (SAQCC Gas
well to have regulations,
that they have worked according to good
category) and give a written undertaking
but without monitoring
operating procedure
compliance, it remains
Compliance comes in two forms:
1. For the plant: Certificate of Conformity
fruitless and the danger of
to ensure that the plant complies with all
accidents will remain.
the regulations.
2. For all the tasks of charging the
To mitigate the dangers and harm
system with refrigerant: Certificate of
to humans and the environment,
Compliance to ensure that the person
safety codes and regulations with due
working on the plant has adhered to all
consideration to all the potential dangers
the safe operating procedures.
have been drafted over many years. The
Both are essential to ensure a safe and
codes are aimed at preventing harm and
accidents, which have no boundaries
Certificate of Conformity refers to the actual plant and whether the plant conforms.
COLD LINK AFRICA • November | December 2016
compliant plant.
CLA
www.coldlinkafrica.co.za
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