The Center for Technology and Industry

EPA Refrigeration Technician Certification

This is an EPA approved certification program and meets the requirements set forth in SECTION 608 of the Clean Air Act, as regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Clean Air Act requires that all persons who maintain, service, repair or dispose of appliances that contain regulated refrigerants, be certified in proper refrigerant handling techniques.

The training is intended to prepare technicians for the certification test. This training is not intended to be a formal refrigeration-training. Technicians should be familiar with the basic vapor-compression refrigeration cycle and common service equipment and procedures.

Training Outline

Ozone depletion

1. Stratoshperic and atmospheric ozone
2. Stratospheric ozone depletion
3. Sources of CFC’s
4. Energy Waves
5. Effects on the environment
6. Effects on human health
7. Skin Cancer
8. Cataracts
9. Immune System
10. Global warming
11. Other impacts

Montreal Protocol

1. Early concerns and control
2. Montreal Protocol
3. Chemicals CFS included in Montreal Protocol
4. Group I- fully-halogenated chlorofluorocarbons
5. Group II- Halons
6. Ozone depletion potential (ODP)
7. Reassessments and updates to the Protocol

Legislation and Regulation

1. The CFC excise tax
2. Clean Air Act Amendments
3. Class I Substances
4. Class II Substances
5. Phaseout of production and consumption of Class I and II substances
6. National recycling and emission reduction program
7. Enforcements
8. Recommended Forms

Recovery, Recycling and Reclamation

1. Process definitions
2. Refrigerant containment options
3. Refrigerant recovery
4. Changing storage tanks during recovery
5. Refrigerant recycling
6. Equipment used for recovery and recycling
7. Recovery and recycling equipment standards
8. Refrigerant reclamation

Containers – Safe Handling and Transport of Refrigerants

1. Disposable and returnable refrigerant cylinders
2. Disposable cylinders
3. Returnable/reusable cylinders
4. Cylinders used in recovery
5. Handling of recovered refrigerants
6. ARI guideline “K”
7. CFC and HCFC warning labels
8. Description of refillable refrigerant cylinders
9. Filling cylinders
10. Refilling precautions
11. Vehicular transportation
12. Safe disposal requirements

Conservation – Servicing and Testing

1. Prohibition against venting
2. Service aperture
3. Service practice requirements
4. Installation recommendations
5. Leak testing
6. Leak detectors for alternative refrigerants
7. Refrigerant leaks
8. Service related suggestions
9. CFC demand in 2000

High Pressure and Low Pressure Industrial/Commercial Chillers

1. Replacement refrigerants
2. Safety and handling procedures
3. Common safety related questions
4. Recovery
5. Refrigeration decomposition
6. Equipment room/job site requirements
7. Safety group classification systems
8. Retrofitting chillers with alternative refrigerants
9. R-123 performance
10. R-123 compatibility and handling
11. Retrofit of R-134a into existing equipment
12. Oil/refrigerant relationships
13. R-12/R-134a procedure for retrofit
14. Planning and acting for the future

Safety Code for Mechanical Refrigeration

1. Purpose scope and application
2. Occupancy classification
3. Refrigerating system definition
4. Refrigeration system classification
5. Refrigerant classification
6. Design and construction of equipment systems
7. Refrigerant piping, valves, fitting and related parts
8. Components other than pressure vessels and piping
9. Service provisions
10. Pressure relief protection
11. Setting of pressure relief devices
12. Pressure vessel protection

Test Preparation and Administering

1. Testing preparation
2. Administering test through Ferris State University

For more details email fsantaniello@neit.edu.