TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH certifies that Multi Kühlsysteme GmbH is a specialist company in accordance with § 62 AwSV (Ordinance on Facilities for Handling Substances Hazardous to Water) and the German Water Resources Act (WHG).
Following a successful annual inspection, the “Specialist Company in accordance with WHG” certificate was extended until September 2019.
As a certified specialist company, Multi Kühlsysteme is authorized to design, install, maintain, and decommission systems that operate with water-hazardous liquids having a flash point above 55 °C. The certificate covers the following areas: storage, filling, treatment, transfer/handling, and manufacturing.
The AwSV was published in the Federal Law Gazette on April 21, 2017, and entered into force on August 1, 2017. It replaced the previously applicable 16 state regulations, thereby establishing a uniform national standard. The AwSV contains both new and more precisely defined requirements for handling substances hazardous to water. According to § 1 AwSV, the purpose of the regulation is to protect bodies of water from adverse changes to their properties caused by the release of water-hazardous substances.
Substances and mixtures are classified as “not hazardous to water” or assigned to one of three water hazard classes:
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Water Hazard Class 1: slightly hazardous to water (e.g. ethylene glycol)
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Water Hazard Class 2: hazardous to water (e.g. diesel fuel)
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Water Hazard Class 3: highly hazardous to water (e.g. benzene)
Based on the hazard class and the corresponding system volume, the hazard level of a facility can be determined (§ 39 para. 1 AwSV). This hazard level defines the technical requirements the system must meet as well as the operator obligations. Fundamental system requirements are defined, among other provisions, in § 17 AwSV, which stipulates that leaking water-hazardous substances must be detected quickly and reliably and retained.
The German Environment Agency (UBA) publishes the results of inspections and classifications of substances and substance groups online and in the Federal Gazette. If the classification of a substance mixture is unclear, a regulated self-classification is also possible. The UBA reviews self-classification documentation for completeness and plausibility. In cases of uncertainty, Water Hazard Class 3 (highly hazardous to water) must be assumed as the determining category.
Especially in the field of dry coolers and refrigeration systems, water mixed with ethylene glycol—classified as slightly hazardous to water—is a relevant topic for Multi Kühlsysteme. The water/glycol mixture enables increased frost protection within the system. The higher the glycol content, the lower the achievable medium temperatures without freezing.
In such systems, underground piping, for example, is only permissible using double-walled pipelines. Any leakage in the pipe walls must be automatically indicated by a leak detection system, and uncontrolled release of the mixture must be prevented. According to § 46 para. 1 AwSV, operators are obligated to regularly verify that systems handling water-hazardous substances are free of defects.
Through close cooperation between the client (system operator) and Multi Kühlsysteme, proper construction and compliant operation of the systems are ensured.
Further information:
https://www.tuev-sued.de/uploads/images/1499072236405822550846/mb-wassergefaehrdende-stoffe.pdf
https://www.bmub.bund.de/awsv-verordnung/