Audible and visual alarms at IIAR Natural Refrigeration Conference & Heavy Equipment Expo 2025. Visit Booth 451 to learn how to comply with new regulations.
Pfannenberg, Inc. will highlight their combined visual-audible signaling products at the upcoming IIAR Natural Refrigeration Conference & Heavy Equipment Expo March 2-5, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. Pfannenberg, the industry expert in ammonia gas detection alarming, produces visual alarms (strobes), audible alarms (horns), and combined devices. These critical technologies make Pfannenberg’s signaling devices industry leaders in quality, safety, and robustness for proper ammonia coolant system design under IIAR-2A standards.
Ammonia gas leaks can be both dangerous and deadly. Ammonia leaks continue to rise due to 1) the increased use of natural refrigerants over fluorinated gas counterparts, and 2) population growth, which increases the need for cold storage. In the face of this increased risk to worker safety, the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR) has updated its standards for the safest regulation of this dangerous gas.
As of 2021, IFC refrigeration systems that use ammonia refrigerant, along with the buildings where they are used, must comply with IIAR-2 for system design and installation, IIAR-6 for maintenance and inspection, and IIAR-7 for operating procedures. Though these standards help ensure safety and efficacy, guidelines for selecting the correct audible and visual alarms can be buried deep within this regulatory code and, accordingly, these standards can be difficult to adhere to.
“Ensuring worker safety in environments where ammonia refrigerants are present is paramount. Our PATROL PA X Series Audible and Visual Alarms and PYRA Compact LED Traffic Lights provide robust, reliable, and highly visible warnings in challenging conditions, not only safeguarding personnel but also meeting the latest IIAR-2A standards for industrial refrigeration safety,” said Jacob Vernon, Product Manager, Audible and Visual Signaling.
Pfannenberg offers an effective approach to product selection, one that assists the customer in choosing the correct signaling device based on the conditions of the area where ammonia is present. This approach, known as Signaling 3D-Coverage, ensures that the workers can hear and see an alarm when it is activated, no matter where they are when ammonia is present.
Pfannenberg specifically seeks to foreground the durable PATROL PA X Series Audible and Visual Alarms, the ideal solution for alarm applications for adverse environmental conditions like high ambient noise levels or bright surroundings. The PATROL PA X Series Audible and Visual alarms range from 100 dB to 122 dB in sound output. The PA X Series is easy to install making it extremely safe. It also boasts extremely high efficiency and good penetration of acoustical obstacles, which significantly reduces the required number of sounders for a location. The alarms feature 80 tones and a 5-15J Xenon Strobe.
Also on display will be the PYRA Compact LED Traffic Lights (PY L-S-TL). For facilities that may have ammonia present, this “traffic light” style device is intended to notify people of the ammonia levels for specific rooms before they walk into them. With green, yellow, and flashing red with audible alarm levels, employees can be warned of impending danger based on the present ammonia levels. The product can be ordered pre-assembled or it can be composed according to a facilities needs, making this a flexible solution for ammonia signaling.
The updated IIAR-2A regulations harmonize with Pfannenberg’s cutting-edge methods for selecting proper signaling devices, such as the PA X PATROL Series Alarms. In light of the incredibly high risks of ammonia leaks, this combined effort can save lives.
