Refrigeration Maintenance
Stephen Gill MBA, LLM, FIET, FInstR, MCIBSE
Energy Efficient Solutions
ACR Today 2009 Seminar Series – Croydon.
Who am I? An independent refrigeration and air-
conditioning consultant since 2005 An Air Conditioning inspector
Previously worked as a contractor for 25 years
A Fellow of the IoR A Fellow of the IET A Member of CIBSE
Introduction
What Will This Presentation Cover
Maintenance Description and Types of Contract
Why Contract Out? End User V Contractor View
Expectations From an End User Viewpoint Selecting The Right Contractor
An end-users perspective
Refrigeration and Air-conditioning
Installation = A NECESSARY EVIL
Maintenance = A NECESSARY EVIL
Definition:◦ All actions taken to maintain equipment in a
serviceable condition◦ All actions taken to restore equipment to
serviceability, ◦ Inspection, testing, servicing, repair◦ Recurring work - required to keep equipment in
good condition, that it may be continuously used at its original or designed capacity and efficiency for its intended purpose.
What is Maintenance
Fully Comprehensive:◦ All inclusive parts and labour for planned and
reactive tasks Pay as You Go:
◦ Task driven with each task, whether planned or reactive, being preceded by order and then invoiced upon completion
Hybrid:◦ Inclusive planned maintenance, with pay as you go
reactive element
There is no right or wrong - decision is usually budget driven.
Types of Maintenance Contract
‘Usually budget driven’
We all know what that means!
Or do we?
What are end-users after?
In a survey of end-users:
90% said ‘Value for money’.
6 % said ‘expertise’
3% said ‘professionalism and reliability’
1% said ‘lowest price’
Prepared to take the risk?- is reliability an issue to you
Four very good reasons:◦ Improve system reliability – maximise ‘up-time’◦ Reduce energy consumption – energy efficiency◦ Reduce refrigerant leakage – benefit environment◦ Extend life of equipment – improve life cycle
Ultimately this will :-
Save the Customer Money
£
Why Bother with Maintenance?
End-user expectations
End User and Contractor want the same thing!Both parties want to provide or receive: Value for Money
End User Contractor
Up-time Yes - sales, production
Yes - fewer call outs
No breakdowns Yes – less disruption Yes – reduced cost
Quick response Yes – reduce downtime
Yes – happy customer
Fix first time Yes – minimise downtime
Yes – reduce cost
End-user expectations◦ An end user expects to employ an EXPERT in the
field of refrigeration and air conditioning◦ Guidance is required over legislative issues such
as F Gas and R22 virgin gas phase out.
◦ MANY CONTRACTORS HAS BEEN VERY SLOW WITH R22 VIRGIN GAS PHASE OUT GUIDANCE
End-user expectations◦ Chief engineer needs a top line overview of the
system in the form of monthly KPIs◦ gas usage◦ Number and type of breakdowns top ten faults◦ Potential issues arising and cost◦ Evaporator icing is a major non conformance in
the chilled food industry◦ Get it right first time
◦ Incorporate gas usage as part of contract
End-user expectations◦ New technology, plant and equipment what does
it look like?◦ How would the cost of a new energy efficient
plant compare with replacing an old one?◦ Are government grants available?◦ Rent to buy alternatives to capital investment?◦ Outsourcing?
◦ Be realistic and provide measurable tangible costs and savings
Cost of refrigeration
Equipment and installation
Service and maintenance
Energy
Why contract out? Many end users do not have the skills to run
a refrigeration plant effectively Refrigeration is still seen as a “black art” by
many site engineers Fear of Ammonia/refrigerants Unknown or unclear legislative issues such
as F Gas, Leak detection, Pressure vessels regulations, Reclaiming of refrigerants
Refrigeration is not seen as the core business, although it may be core to the business
Why contract out? If our refrigeration or air conditioning
systems fail we cannot supply our customers
Failure to supply our customers results in loss of profit for the business
Failure to supply our customers puts the business at risk
Selecting the right contractorHow do I know that I have selected the right contractor?
Appointing and managing refrigeration Contractors - Guide
Selecting the right contractor
◦ It is usually the responsibility of the Chief Engineer to assign a contract to a contractor
◦ He\She needs to feel completely assured the contractor is acting in the best interest of the end user
◦ There has to be a feeling that the contractor knows what he is talking about
◦ The contractor must not “blind” the end user with science or jargon
◦ There has to be mutual trust between each party
Selecting the right contractorPotential issues/required action
Issue Required action Un-realistic service level
agreements
Blame culture - we always want to find a scapegoat
Age of equipment - some plant is too old to maintain
Access to carry out maintenance
Call out only when emergency and access to fix is available
End user and contractor to develop sensible contract
Admit that things go wrong-it is part of life
Equipment does not last for ever - replace it!
Plan maintenance activities acceptable to both parties
False alarms use resources and ‘cry wolf’ feeling prevails
Selecting the right contractor
◦ The end user must realise the contractor also has to profit from the contract
◦ Must provide adequate windows of opportunity for maintenance to take place
◦ Must listen to the advice of the contractor and act accordingly
Maintenance is essential to obtain value and efficiency from any mechanical system
Type of contract is immaterial, as long as Planned Preventative is part of it.
Customer and Maintainer should work in partnership to deliver mutual benefits:◦ Better reliability◦ Energy/environmental savings◦ Extended equipment life
Summary
WAKE UP
To the many problems, possibilities and opportunities