QUESTION
Is there a code that prevents chillers and boilers from being located in the same mechanical room? If so, does anyone know when this went into effect? Is there any boiler or chiller size that triggers the code? And, why is there such a code, if it exists.
REPLIES
krb
I don’t think so. We have a couple of mechanical rooms here (in the US) with both in the same room. Some of them are new, so they comply with the latest codes. I was not the design engineer, so I don’t know what code review they went through.
However, after checking the ASHRAE 15 code a little more in depth, I found the following:
8.11.6 No open flames that use combustion air from the machinery room shall be installed where any refrigerant is used. Combustion equipment shall not be installed in the same machinery room with refrigerant-containing equipment except under one of the following conditions:
a) combustion air is ducted from outside the machinery room and sealed in such a manner as to prevent any refrigerant leakage from entering the combustion chamber, or
b) a refrigerant detector, conforming to 8.11.2.1, is employed to automatically shut down the combustion process in the event of refrigerant leakage.
SOURCE
https://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=110523
Above is a snippet.