Refrigeration / Cooling Systems Engineering Expert Witnesses

Expert in Boilers, Piping, Explosions including Water Hammer.  Visit www.ais-forensic-engineering.com and www.accidents-inspections.com for a fuller description of capabilities.

Eduardo A. Ford, PE, has approximately 50 years of of experience in the Engineering, Design, and Construction of Industrial Refrigeration Systems for use in the food and beverage industries.

Background Experience - Mr. Ford has experience ranging from Applications Engineering for Multistage Centrifugal Refrigeration Systems to Design of Custom-Built Packaged Refrigeration units for Chemical and Gas Processing Applications. He has been responsible for the Execution and Management of Anhydrous Ammonia Refrigeration Capital Projects for a major industrial refrigeration equipment manufacturer, two major food companies, and a major industrial refrigeration contractor. He currently has 9 years of experience as a Principal of a refrigeration engineering consulting firm.

Litigation Support - Mr. Ford provides expert witness services to attorneys on cases involving Ammonia Industrial Refrigeration Systems. Ideal clients include Frozen Meat and Poultry Plants, Wineries, Beverage and Bottling Plants, Ice Cream and Dairy Plants, and Large Industrial Refrigeration Contractors. Mr. Ford's services are available to attorneys representing plaintiffs and defendants and include thorough investigation and reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise: Design, Installation, Mechanical Integrity, Code and OSHA PSM Regulatory Compliance Requirements of Ammonia Industrial Refrigeration Systems.

Degrees/Certification

• BS Engineering, California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo, CA.
• Registered Professional Engineer, Mechanical, State of California.
• Certified National Council of Examiners for Engineers and Surveying (NCEES)
• Certified Assistant Refrigeration Operator (CARO)
• Life-Member, International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR).
• Life-Member, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
• Past-Member, Board of Directors, Refrigerating Engineers and Technicians Association (RETA).
• Past Member, IIAR Standards and Code Committees.

John Hatcher is an industry leader in Building Systems Engineering including, Security, Building Automation Systems, Fire Alarm Systems, Intelligent Building Concepts and Commissioining. He has worked on some of the most prestigious facilities in the world including the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Russia, India and Southeast Asia. 

Security Expertise:

• Access Control
• CCTV Surveillance
• Emergency Communications
• Operations
• Risk Assessments

Building Automation Expertise:

• Energy Management
• HVAC Controls
• Operations
• MEP Commissioning

Other Systems Expertise:

• Fire Alarm
• Telecommunication
• Intelligent Buildings

Scott Friesen, PE, is a licensed Professional Engineer in California, Florida, Arizona, Hawaii, Mississippi and two Canadian provinces (Alberta and Manitoba), and is LEED Accredited (CaGBC) and certified as an Energy Manager. Scott has more than 14 years of experience in Design and Construction of HVAC, Plumbing and Building Energy Conservation, System Design, Construction and Forensic Analysis. He has also performed commissioning, energy audits and was involved in marketing and business development.

Scott's responsibilities at Ivey include design and forensic analysis of HVAC, plumbing, fire protection and energy management systems. He performs site inspections, testing, research, product analysis, cost estimating and is responsible for writing reports and testifying in depositions, hearings and trials.

Scott is a member of Association of Professional Engineers, Geologist, Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA), American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) and Canadian Green Building Council (CaGBC).

Experience (partial listing):

• Approximately 75 HVAC, fire protection and plumbing design projects
• Approximately six design error and omission expert engagements
• Approximately 20 residential construction defect expert engagements
• Approximately 16 commercial construction defect expert engagements
• 10 LEED design projects
• 8 HVAC and plumbing commissioning projects

C. Samuel Martin, PhD, is an Expert in Waterhammer in various liquid systems. He has over 40 years of experience involving waterhammer in fossil and nuclear power plant piping, water distribution systems, and refrigeration piping.

A Former professor of Hydraulics at Georgia Tech, Dr. Martin is a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). He is the author of some 60 papers in waterhammer. Dr. Martin servers as an International consultant to numerous industries concerning waterhammer problems in nuclear piping and has conducted waterhammer experiments in both water and ammonia piping. He is an ASME sanctioned lecturer on waterhammer in piping to numerous industries.

Litigation Support - Dr. Martin provides expert witness services for the following cases:

• Condensation-induced waterhammer litigation regarding steam explosions
• Hydraulic shock litigation regarding ammonia refrigeration piping
• Admiralty litigation regarding hydraulic issues on inland waterways

Areas of Expertise:

Cavitation Hydraulic Engineering Mechanical Engineering Nuclear Engineering

Vessel Operations Water Distribution Waterhammer Refrigeration Piping