Roughly how much refrigerant would it have to lose over 12 months to exceed its leak rate?

Leak repair requirements · EPA 608 Type III. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.

Allowable annual leak rates for low-pressure appliances.

The question

A 500-pound R-11 chiller serves an industrial process. Roughly how much refrigerant would it have to lose over 12 months to exceed its leak rate?

• AMore than 50 pounds
• BMore than 100 pounds
• CMore than 150 poundsCorrect answer
• DMore than 625 pounds

Why “More than 150 pounds” is correct

Industrial process refrigeration has a 30 percent leak rate, and the leak rate is the share of full charge that would be lost over 12 months. Thirty percent of 500 pounds is 150 pounds.

Source: 40 CFR 82.157(c); EPA: Leak Repair Requirements

Why the other answers are wrong

• More than 50 pounds — 50 pounds would be the 10 percent comfort cooling threshold for this charge.
• More than 100 pounds — 100 pounds would be the 20 percent commercial refrigeration threshold.
• More than 625 pounds — 625 pounds is 125 percent, the chronic leaker reporting level.

Practice more of this

More EPA 608 Type III practice questions, or see every EPA 608 practice test.