In this report · Issue 46 •March 21, 2013 • Methods and Technologies •Vendors...

In this report: Sustainable Refrigeration

Issue 46 • March 21, 2013

• Methods and Technologies

• Vendors

• Policies and Programs

• Q&A with ASHRAE

EL Insights | © 2013 Environmental Leader LLC. Single license EL PRO subscription can be used by one person. For multiple users, purchase an enterprise license by emailing [email protected] for information.

EL Insights: Sustainable Refrigeration

Sustainable Refrigeration at a Glance

Refrigeration – whether for food storage, industrial cooling or refrigerated transportation – has several major environmental impacts. First, some refrigerants contribute to ozone depletion. Second, many refrigerants are also greenhouse gases, contributing to the global warming of the earth’s climate. For companies that rely on refrigeration, refrigerants’ contribution to climate change can be significant. For example, about a quarter of supermarkets’ carbon footprint comes from their refrigerants.1

The world’s second-largest retailer, Carrefour, recently said that refrigerant leakage makes up 41 percent of its carbon footprint, or 395,616 metric tons of CO2 a year.2 Such inefficiencies have a serious financial effect. In the case of Carrefour, the retailer spends about €9 million ($11.7 million) a year to replaced leaked refrigerants.3

Grocery stores are not the only companies that can benefit from addressing the environmental impacts of their refrigeration. Convenience stores, drugstores, food service companies, food and drink manufacturers, medical companies, chemical and petroleum firms, and even ice rinks depend on refrigeration.

1 http://www.eia-international.org/wp-content/uploads/chillingfacts1.pdf

2 http://www.eia-international.org/wp-content/uploads/EIA_ChillFactsIV_FINAL_lo-res.pdf

3 Ibid.

http://www.eia-international.org/wp-content/uploads/chillingfacts1.pdf

http://www.eia-international.org/wp-content/uploads/EIA_ChillFactsIV_FINAL_lo-res.pdf



Methods and Technologies

Methods for reducing the environmental impacts of refrigeration fall into a few basic categories: leak prevention; other efficiency repairs and maintenance; and refrigerant substitution (enabled by either retrofitting or replacing equipment).

Leak prevention

Refrigerant leaks are a major expense, and have a major environmental effect. The typical food retailer leaks about 25 percent of its refrigerant, or about 1,000 pounds a year. The key to prevention is regular maintenance. Not only will prevention keep many of these emissions from reaching the atmosphere, but servicing of poorly maintained equipment can result in refrigerant leaks of its own.4

Leak prevention should check the following:

Log refrigerant levels at each rack. A fall in receiver levels may indicate a leak.

Check for oil seepage from compressor racks, piping and valves in the mechanical room.

Check the control line temperature of all high-pressure switches. Temperatures above the mechanical room ambient temperature may indicate a leak.

Check pressure relief valves for signs of refrigerant releases.

Check all air-cooled condensers for oil seepage.

Check for cracking or tearing of metal in condenser fan blades.

Check for fan blade imbalance, as well as wear in motor mounts and bolts.

4http://www.epa.gov/greenchill/downloads/GreenChill_PreventiveMaintenance_09052012_WebVersion.pdf

http://www.epa.gov/greenchill/downloads/GreenChill_PreventiveMaintenance_09052012_WebVersion.pdf


Check piping and fittings for chafing and excessive stress.

Work with equipment suppliers to verify that the equipment is leak-tight when it leaves the factory.

Ensure proper functioning of leak detectors.

25%

13.71% 13.13% 13.10% 13.49% 12.95%

Industry average

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

GreenChill Partnership, Average Partner Leak Rate, and Industry Average

Source: EPA, GreenChill 2011 Progress Report, September 2012


Use an electronic leak detector, at its most sensitive setting, on: all mechanical room components; on a sales-area walk-through; and past the discharge air stream of each refrigerated case. Also check subsurface refrigeration access pits and overhead refrigeration lines.5

Improving efficiency

Leaks have a significant effect on energy efficiency, since a system low on refrigerant must work harder to maintain the desired temperature. Energy efficiency also declines with equipment wear and tear. Again, maintenance is key.

The following measures can help ensure efficiency and reduce wear and tear:

Regularly clean evaporator and condensing coils.

Clean motor and fan blades.

Check motor and compressor amperage.

Check thermostat settings and calibrate if necessary.

Clear debris and weeds away from outdoor condensing units.

Check compressor motor oil levels monthly.

Lubricate motor bearings yearly.

Check contractors and relays quarterly.

5Ibid.


Test controls and safety switches for proper functioning.

Check refrigerant lines, especially condensing units and evaporator coils, for insulation decay.

Inspect electrical connections yearly.6

Eliminating harmful refrigerants

Certain refrigerants are now prohibited under international law, others are scheduled for prohibition, and still others, while legal, have significant environmental drawbacks and should be considered for phase-out. Companies replacing refrigerants may either retrofit or replace their equipment. Major refrigerant types are:

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs): The 1987 Montreal Protocol required developed countries to begin phasing out CFCs in 1993, and in 1992 the Copenhagen Amendment targeted these substances for complete phaseout by 1996.7 As a consequence, most commercial refrigeration in the US uses either hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) or hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants.8

Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs): These were introduced in the 1990s as a transitional substance, to replace CFCs until the HCFCs could also be phased out by the Montreal Protocol. These refrigerants contribute to ozone depletion,9 although at a much lower level than CFCs. But their climate effects are


7 http://www.epa.gov/ozone/intpol/history.html


9Ibid.


http://www.epa.gov/ozone/intpol/history.html



considerable, with global warming potentials up to 2,000 times that of carbon dioxide.10 The main HCFC in use today is hydrochlorofluorocarbon-22 (HCFC-22, also known as R-22), but this is due to be almost completely phased out by 2020, so companies must think now about alternatives.1112

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs): These refrigerants are the key substitutes for R-22. They do not contribute to ozone depletion, but their climate effects are profound, and often greater than those of HCFCs. A pound of the most commonly used HFC has the same climate change effects as nearly 4,000 pounds of carbon dioxide.13 Companies might consider moving from high-GWP (global warming potential) HFCs to lower-GWP HFCs as an interim measure.

Low-GWP refrigerants: The prevention focus of refrigerant sustainability programs is increasingly shifting from ozone depletion to global warming potential (GWP). The only such refrigerant currently in use in US commercial refrigeration systems is carbon dioxide (CO2). The systems using CO2 as a primary refrigerant, in both chilled and frozen food temperature cycles, are called transcritical CO2 systems.14 Meanwhile, subcritical or hybrid systems use CO2 only in the frozen food cycle, and use either hydrocarbons or HFCs in the chilled cycle. 15

10http://www.unep.org/ozonaction/Topics/HCFCHelpCentre/tabid/6426/Default.aspx#Introduction

11Ibid.

12 http://www.epa.gov/ozone/title6/phaseout/22phaseout.html


14 http://www.epa.gov/greenchill/alttechnology.html

15 Ibid.

http://www.unep.org/ozonaction/Topics/HCFCHelpCentre/tabid/6426/Default.aspx#Introduction

http://www.epa.gov/ozone/title6/phaseout/22phaseout.html


http://www.epa.gov/greenchill/alttechnology.html


Acceptable Substitutes for HCFCs (Class II ODS) in Retail Food Refrigeration

Substitute (Name Used in the Federal Register) Trade Name Refrigerant being Replaced Retrofit

/New

THR-03 22 N

ISCEON 59, NU-22, R417A ISCEON 59, NU-22 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b R, N

R-410A AZ-20, Suva 9100, Puron 22 and blends containing HCFCs N

R-410B 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b N

R-407C Suva 9000, Klea 66 22 and blends containing HCFCs R, N

R-507, R-507A AZ-50 22 and blends containing HCFCs R, N

Ammonia Vapor Compression With Secondary Loop 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b N

R-404A HP62 22 and blends containing HCFCs R, N

Self-Chilling cans using CO2 22 R, N

RS-44 (2003 formulation) 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b R, N

ISCEON 79, R-422A ISCEON 79 22 and blends containing HCFCs R, N

R-421A Choice R421A 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b R, N

R-421B Choice R421B 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b R, N

R-422D ISCEON MO29 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b R, N

R-424A RS-44 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b R, N


KDD5, R-438A ISCEON MO99 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b R, N



Acceptable Substitutes for HCFCs (Class II ODS) in Retail Food Refrigeration

Substitute (Name Used in the Federal Register) Trade Name Refrigerant being Replaced Retrofit

/New

R-428A RS-52 22 and blends containing HCFCs R, N

R-125/290/134a/600a (55.0/1.0/42.5/1.5) ICOR AT-22 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b R, N

R-422B XAC1, NU-22B 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b R, N

R-422C XLT1 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b R, N

R-407A KLEA 60, KLEA 407A 22 and blends containing HCFCs R, N

R-427A Forane 427A 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b R

R-744 (Carbon Dioxide, CO2) 22 and blends containing HCFCs N

HFC-134a 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b R, N

SP34E SP34E 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b R, N

HFE-7100 as a secondary heat transfer fluid in not-in-kind systems 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b N

HFE-7200 as a secondary heat transfer fluid in not-in-kind systems 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b N

RS-24 (2002 formulation) 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b R, N

R-407B KLEA 61 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b R, N

Hot Shot 2 Hot Shot 2 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b R

R-407F Genetron Performax LT 22, blends containing 22 and/or 142b R, N

Propane (R-290) Note: Acceptable for use in stand-alone refrigerators and freezers only.

22 N

Source: EPA


CO2 systems also offer energy efficiency benefits, and present better waste heat recovery opportunities than any other refrigerant. A Coop Switzerland study found that transcritical CO2 systems cut energy consumption per meter of cabinets from 4,500 to 1,400 kWh. The colder the climate, the greater the energy benefits of these systems.16

Other low-GWP refrigerants with good potential in the US market, though not currently in wide use, include ammonia, hydrocarbons, and hydrofluoro-olefins (HFOs). Their use is more common in Europe. For example, British supermarket Waitrose uses hydrocarbon-cooled cabinets together with water cooling.17

There are some concerns about the flammability of hydrocarbons, but companies have dealt with these by ensuring they keep charge sizes very low, and take other safety precautions.18

Retrofitting

Retrofitting is one major means by which companies change their refrigerant type. (The other is replacing equipment.) Retrofitting is also a good opportunity for companies to address potential leaks.19

16 Ibid.

17 Ibid. 18 Ibid. 19http://www.epa.gov/greenchill/downloads/GChill_Retrofit.pdf

http://www.epa.gov/greenchill/downloads/GChill_Retrofit.pdf


Steps preparing equipment to handle a new fluid can vary from a few minimal changes to a nearly complete overhaul. The current system installed and the chosen HFC or HFC/hydrocarbon blend will help to determine the amount of mechanical, lubricant and control changes needed. A more bare-bones retrofit helps to minimize capital costs and disruptions. But companies can beef up their retrofit to include seal changes, system cleans, leak repairs, oil changes, changes to electronic thermal expansion valves, upgrades to refrigeration controls, condenser fan motor control upgrades and the addition of liquid amplification pumps. Buying new equipment for the retrofit will increase capital costs and disruption, but is helpful in the long term because it matches the system to the chosen refrigerant, which can help maximize performance.20

Replacement

Companies looking to replace their refrigeration equipment will probably want to look at advanced refrigeration systems. These fall under several categories:

Distributed systems: Unlike typical refrigeration systems known as centralized direct expansion systems, distributed systems use several smaller units located close to the display cases that they serve. Compressors could be on the roof above the cases, behind a wall or even above or next to the case. This allows the systems to use less piping and a smaller refrigerant charge, which often decreases total refrigerant emissions.

Secondary loop systems: These reduce refrigerant charge and emissions substantially compared to direct expansion systems. A secondary loop system uses both a primary and a secondary refrigerant. The secondary fluid is cooled by the primary in the machine room, and then pumped throughout the store.

20 http://www.epa.gov/greenchill/downloads/RetrofitGuidelines.pdf

http://www.epa.gov/greenchill/downloads/RetrofitGuidelines.pdf


Cascade systems: These also reduce refrigerant charge and carbon footprint. A cascade system consists of two independent refrigeration systems, using different refrigerants suitable for different temperature ranges, but sharing a common heat exchanger.21

Doors

An additional efficiency consideration is the use of doors on freezer and chiller cabinets. The use of doors on freezers is now fairly standard in European supermarkets. Doors on retail refrigeration units are less common, and some companies are concerned that these could deter sales. But the European supermarket chain Coop found that customers believe produce behind doors is fresher and more appealing. Doors can save substantial amounts of energy, and can also cut shoplifting and reduce maintenance. At Coop, the use of doors, hydrocarbon refrigerants, LED lighting and heat recovery cut natural gas use by 90 percent, energy by 40 percent, and carbon by 80 percent, while increasing sales. Ahold Europe estimates that doors cut energy per meter of cooling cabinets by 20 percent, or about three percent of a store’s electricity use.22

Vendors and Products

Manufacturers of advanced refrigeration systems include the following, all members of the EPA’s GreenChill partnership (see Standards and Industry Commitments):

Arneg USA: (www.arnegusa.com): Manufacturer of refrigerated cabinets, including serve-over counters, open islands, closed islands, vertical cabinets and semi-vertical cabinets.

21 http://www.epa.gov/greenchill/alttechnology.html


http://www.arnegusa.com/

http://www.epa.gov/greenchill/alttechnology.html



Hillphoenix (www.hillphoenix.com): A manufacturer of display cases, refrigeration and power systems, walk-ins and specialty products. The company says it has more equipment at GreenChill stores than any other manufacturer.

Hussman (www.hussmann.com): Offers display cases, refrigeration systems, installation and service. Also offers door upgrades for reduced energy costs and improved product visibility.

Kysor/Warren (www.kysorwarren.com): Manufactures frozen, medium-temperature and heated display merchandisers, mechanical refrigeration systems and remote mechanical and electrical houses.

Zero Zone: (www.zero-zone.com): Makes display cases and refrigeration systems, including R410A systems and glycol-based secondary systems.

Retrofit chemical and secondary fluid manufacturers include the following, all members of the GreenChill partnership:

Arkema (www.arkema-inc.com/fluorochemicals/forane-refrigerants/forane-refrigerants): Manufacturer of HCFCs and HFCs, as well as next-generation refrigerant products.

Dow (www.dow.com/sustainability/stories/energy/refrigeration.htm): The company makes Dowfrost propylene glycol-based heat transfer fluid, used in secondary loop refrigeration systems. It says the fluid has no known impact on the ozone layer or contribution to global warming.

DuPont (http://www2.dupont.com/Refrigerants/en_US): The company offers Isceon, a family of non-ozone-depleting HFC retrofit refrigerants for CFC and HCFC equipment; Opteon low-GWP fluids; and the Suva refrigerant line.

Honeywell (www.honeywell-refrigerants.com): The manufacturer’s product line includes Genetron non-ozone-depleting refrigerants and Solstice low-GWP alternatives to HFCs.

http://www.hillphoenix.com/

http://www.hussmann.com/

http://www.kysorwarren.com/

http://www.zero-zone.com/

http://www.arkema-inc.com/fluorochemicals/forane-refrigerants/forane-refrigerants

http://www.dow.com/sustainability/stories/energy/refrigeration.htm

http://www2.dupont.com/Refrigerants/en_US

http://www.honeywell-refrigerants.com/


ICOR International (www.icorinternational.com): The company manufactures Hot Shot 2 (R-417C), along with replacements for R-12, R-22, R-134a, R-401B, R-402A, R-402B, R-404A, R-407C, R-408A, R-409A, R-416A, R-417A, R-420A, R-422D, R-500, R-502 and R-507A.

Mexichem (www.mexichem.com/English/Fluor/productos_fluor.html): The company produces fluorine for use in primary and secondary refrigerants.

National Refrigerants, Inc. (www.refrigerants.com): The company produces HFCs R-23, R-134a, R-404A, R-407A, R-407C, R-410A, R-422B, R-422C, R-422D, R-507 and R-508B; and HCFCs R-22, R-123, R-124, R-401A, R-401B, R-402A, R-402B, R-403B, R-408A, R-409A and R-414B.

Benefits and Challenges

Benefits

Environmental impact: As outlined above, today’s common refrigerants have a lower ozone impact than previous, phased-out substances. Now companies are moving towards low-GWP refrigerants to reduce their burden on the environment.

Savings: Regular leak-prevention maintenance is always less expensive than repairs, according to the EPA.23 Companies have also found HFC-free systems to be less expensive over their lifetime. For example, Carrefour estimates its operational cost savings from HFC-free systems to be about 15 percent, and says hybrid systems save about eight percent compared to conventional systems. Operational costs make up about 70 to 75 percent of total equipment costs, the Environmental Investigation Agency says – and gases such as CO2, ammonia and hydrocarbons are cheaper than traditional refrigerants.24



http://www.icorinternational.com/

http://www.mexichem.com/English/Fluor/productos_fluor.html

http://www.refrigerants.com/




Customer comfort: Using refrigeration units with doors keeps stores from getting too cold for customers.25 If they’re comfortable, customers could stay longer to shop.

Challenges

Costs: As with many environmental technologies, low-GWP and efficient refrigeration requires upfront capital investment. But in many cases companies have found they easily earn the money back in operational savings (see above). Certain measures, such as leak prevention, are also less capital-intensive and may represent good starting points for cash-strapped companies.

Technical training: Technical knowledge, and proper training for refrigeration engineers, has proven to be a challenge.26

Efficiency trade-offs: Some of the commercial HFC options now available actually are less efficient than the HCFC-22 systems they replaced. But this can be overcome. Reduced discharge temperatures, particularly in low-temperature systems, can make up for the difference. Efficiency will be better or worse depending on system design, refrigerant chosen and geographic location.27

25 Ibid.

26 Ibid.

27 http://www.epa.gov/greenchill/downloads/RetrofitGuidelines.pdf

http://www.epa.gov/greenchill/downloads/RetrofitGuidelines.pdf


Policies and Programs

Montreal Protocol: This agreement between 196 governments addresses the phase-out of ozone depleting substances including CFCs and HCFCs, but also halons, methyl bromide, carbon tetrachloride and methyl chloroform.28

For developed countries, HCFCs (including the popular R-22) must be cut to 10 percent of the baseline (set at 102.8 percent of 1989 consumption) by 2015, and must be completely phased out by 2020. There is an exception for servicing of refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment until 2030, limited to 0.5 percent of the baseline.29

European Union: Recently, the EU has considered phasing out HFCs. At one point the EU dropped proposed bans on the substances in commercial and industrial refrigeration, after intense lobbying by chemical manufacturers, but as of March 2013 the ban seemed back on the table.3031

Standards, Certifications and Industry Commitments

GreenChill Partnership: This EPA-led program aims to help companies reduce their impact on the ozone layer and climate. Members measure their corporate-wide refrigeration emissions, set annual reduction targets and report their progress to the EPA each year. Individual stores can earn platinum, gold or silver certification by achieving environmental performance criteria.

28 http://www.unep.org/ozonaction/AboutTheBranch/tabid/6182/Default.aspx

29http://www.unep.org/ozonaction/Topics/HCFCHelpCentre/tabid/6426/Default.aspx#Introduction

30 http://www.racplus.com/news/rapporteur-calls-on-european-parliament-to-impose-widespread-hfc-ban/8643861.article

31 http://www.endseurope.com/30931/ep-rapporteur-seeks-tighter-restrictions-on-fgases

http://www.unep.org/ozonaction/AboutTheBranch/tabid/6182/Default.aspx

http://www.unep.org/ozonaction/Topics/HCFCHelpCentre/tabid/6426/Default.aspx#Introduction

http://www.racplus.com/news/rapporteur-calls-on-european-parliament-to-impose-widespread-hfc-ban/8643861.article

http://www.endseurope.com/30931/ep-rapporteur-seeks-tighter-restrictions-on-fgases


Consumer Goods Forum: The 400-plus members of this association for retailers, manufacturers and service providers have committed to begin phasing out HFCs by 2015.32

32 http://sustainability.mycgforum.com/images/sustainability-pic/Board_Resolutions_on_Deforestation_and_Refrigeration.pdf

25%

3.8%

0.5% 0.0%

Industry average

Silver Gold Platinum

Average Percentage of Refrigerant Leaked, GreenChill-Certified Stores and Industry Average (%, as of Dec. 2011)


http://sustainability.mycgforum.com/images/sustainability-pic/Board_Resolutions_on_Deforestation_and_Refrigeration.pdf


Fédération des Entreprises du Commerce et de la Distribution (FCD): In January 2012, this association of French retailers committed to putting doors on 75 percent of all refrigerated cases by 2020. The pledge is expected to cut refrigerator energy use by up to 50 percent, according to one study – saving annual energy equal to that consumed by Lyon, one of France’s biggest cities.33

ISO: Refrigeration-related standards set by ISO include:

ISO/R 916:1968: Testing of refrigerating systems.34

ASHRAE: Refrigeration-related standards and guidelines set by ASHRAE include:

Standard 15 - Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems (TC 10.1)

Standard 20 - Methods of Testing for Rating Remote Mechanical-Draft Air-Cooled Refrigerant Condensers (TC 8.4)

Standard 22 - Methods of Testing for Rating Water-Cooled Refrigerant Condensers (TC 8.5)

Standard 23.1 - Methods of Testing for Performance Rating Positive Displacement Refrigerant Compressors and Condensing Units That Operate at Subcritical Temperatures of the Refrigerant (TC 8.1)

Standard 24 - Methods of Testing for Rating Liquid Coolers (TC 8.5)

33 http://www.fcd.asso.fr/actualites/article/id/18

34http://www.iso.org/iso/home/store/catalogue_tc/catalogue_tc_browse.htm?commid=50356

https://www.ashrae.org/standards-research--technology/standards--guidelines/titles-purposes-and-scopes#15



https://www.ashrae.org/standards-research--technology/standards--guidelines/titles-purposes-and-scopes#23-1


http://www.fcd.asso.fr/actualites/article/id/18

http://www.iso.org/iso/home/store/catalogue_tc/catalogue_tc_browse.htm?commid=50356


Standard 25 - Methods of Testing Forced Convection and Natural Convection Air Coolers for Refrigeration (TC 8.4)

Standard 26 - Mechanical Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Installations Aboard Ship (TC 10.6)

Standard 30 - Methods of Testing Liquid Chilling Packages (TC 8.2, 8.5 Co-C)

Standard 33 - Methods of Testing Forced Circulation Air Cooling and Air Heating Coils (TC 8.4)

Standard 34 - Designation and Safety Classification of Refrigerants (TC 3.1)

Standard 35 - Method of Testing Desiccants for Refrigerant Drying (TC 3.3)

Standard 40 -Methods of Testing for Rating Heat Operated Unitary Air-Conditioning and Heat-Pump Equipment (TC 8.3)

Standard 41.1 - Standard Method for Temperature Measurement (TC 8.1 Co-C)

Standard 41.2 - Standard Methods for Laboratory Air-Flow Measurement (TC 8.1 Co-C)

Standard 41.3 - Standard Methods for Pressure Measurement (TC 8.1 Co-C)

Standard 41.4 - Method for Measurement of Proportion of Lubricant in Liquid Refrigerant (TC 8.1 Co-C)

Standard 41.6 - Standard Method for Measurement of Moist Air Properties (TC 8.1 Co-C)

Standard 41.7 - Method of Test for Measurement of Flow of Gas (TC 8.1 Co-C)

Standard 41.8 - Standard Methods of Measurement of Flow of Liquids in Pipes Using Orifice Flowmeters (TC 8.1 Co-C)
















Standard 41.9 - Calorimeter Test Methods for Mass Flow Measurements of Volatile Refrigerants (TC 8.1 Co-C)

Standard 41.10 - Standard Methods for Volatile Refrigerant Mass Flow Measurement Using Flowmeters (TC 8.1 Co-C)

Standard 41.11 - Standard Methods for Power Measurement (TC 8.1 Co-C)

Standard 63.1 - Method of Testing Liquid-Line Refrigerant Driers (TC 3.3)

Standard 63.2 - Method of Testing Liquid-Line Filter-Drier Filtration Capability (TC 3.3)

Standard 78 - Method of Testing Flow Capacity of Suction Line Filters and Filter-Driers (TC 3.3)

Standard 97 - Sealed Glass Tube Method to Test the Chemical Stability of Materials for Use Within Refrigerant Systems (TC 3.2)

Standard 147 - Reducing the Release of Halogenated Refrigerants from Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Equipment and Systems (TC 3.8)

Standard 173 - Method of Test to Determine the Performance of Halocarbon Refrigerant Leak Detectors” to the list of standards.

Standard 182 - Method of Testing Absorption Water-Chilling and Water-Heating Package (TC 8.3)

Guideline 06 - Refrigerant Information Recommended for Product Development and Standards (TC 3.1)

Guideline 22 - Instrumentation for Monitoring Central Chilled Water Plant Efficiency (TC 8.2 Co-C)35

35 https://www.ashrae.org/society-groups/committees/cebccda7-7b5b-4258-986f-b7a1a5a2febd









http://www.techstreet.com/ashrae/standards/ashrae/173_2012?product_id=1846872&ashrae_auth_token=


https://www.ashrae.org/standards-research--technology/standards--guidelines/titles-purposes-and-scopes#Gdl6

https://www.ashrae.org/standards-research--technology/standards--guidelines/titles-purposes-and-scopes#Gdl22

https://www.ashrae.org/society-groups/committees/cebccda7-7b5b-4258-986f-b7a1a5a2febd


Refrigeration-related standards and guidelines currently in development at ASHRAE include:

Standard 23.2P - Method of Test for Rating Positive Displacement Compressors that Operate at Supercritical Temperatures of the Refrigerants (TC 8.1)

Standard 175P - Metal Pressure Vessel Method to Test Materials Used in Refrigeration Systems (TC 3.2)

Standard 177P - Method of Test for Measuring Fractionated Compositions of Refrigerant Blends (TC 3.1)

Standard 179P - Methods of Test for Life Testing Positive Displacement Refrigerant Compressors (TC 8.1)

Standard 181P -Methods of Testing Liquid-to-Liquid Heat Exchangers for Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Refrigeration Applications (TC 8.5)

Standard 184P - Method of Test for Field Test of Liquid-Chilling Packages (TC 8.2)

Standard 196P - Method of Test for Measuring Refrigerant Leak Rates (TC 3.8)

Standard 210P - Method of Testing for Rating Commercial Walk-in Refrigerators and Freezers (TC 10.1)36

36 https://www.ashrae.org/society-groups/committees/cebccda7-7b5b-4258-986f-b7a1a5a2febd

https://www.ashrae.org/standards-research--technology/standards--guidelines/titles-purposes-and-scopes#SPC23-2P

https://www.ashrae.org/standards-research--technology/standards--guidelines/titles-purposes-and-scopes#SPC175P







https://www.ashrae.org/society-groups/committees/cebccda7-7b5b-4258-986f-b7a1a5a2febd


Latest Developments in Refrigerants

US and Global Markets

In the US, one force driving refrigerant emissions reductions is the GreenChill Partnership. Partners avoided 64 metric tons of ozone-depleting potential and HFCs worth 4.12 million metric tons of CO2

2.99 3.32

3.76 4.00

6.21

1.53 1.85

2.15 2.38

4.12

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

GreenChill Partnership Annual Emissions Avoided, HFCs and Ozone-Depleting Substances, 2007-2011 (mmtCO2e)

ODS & HFCs HFCs only



equivalent in 2011. But participation is far from universal – shown by the EPA’s calculation that if supermarkets nationwide reduced their leaks to the GreenChill average, they would annually prevent about 240 ODP tons and 22 million metric tons of CO2e. This could generate cost savings of over $100 million, the EPA says.37

In Europe, HFC-free refrigeration is now commonplace. The number of UK retailers using climate-friendly technology increased 44 percent from 2011 to 2012.38

Adoption by Businesses

Giant Eagle: Last year, for the fourth time in GreenChill’s five-year history, Giant Eagle won the program’s best emissions rate award for achieving the lowest corporate-wide emissions rate of all GreenChill supermarket companies.39

Albertsons’: The company’s Carpinteria store earned GreenChill’s best certified store award for being the first in the nation to use only low global warming potential refrigerants.40

Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market: In 2012, the company won GreenChill’s store certification excellence award, given to the partner that achieved the most certifications in the previous year.41

37 http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/documents/GreenChill_ProgressReport2011_09062012.pdf


39 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/09/11/giant-eagle-albertsons-whole-foods-among-2012-greenchill-awards-winners/



http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/documents/GreenChill_ProgressReport2011_09062012.pdf


http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/09/11/giant-eagle-albertsons-whole-foods-among-2012-greenchill-awards-winners/




Whole Foods: The company has 18 GreenChill-certified stores, the most of any retailer.42

Sprouts Farmers Market: The grocery chain has 11 GreenChill-certified stores and has installed enterprise asset management software from Verisae to help it comply with Clean Air Act requirements related to refrigerants. The software will also aggregate and analyze data on the entire lifecycle of Sprouts’ assets, including equipment purchasing, parts and inventory tracking, remote monitoring of asset efficiency and management of third-party service contractors.43,44

Waitrose: The supermarket committed to phase out HFCs by 2020. A quarter of its stores are now HFC-free. Waitrose uses hydrocarbon water-cooled refrigeration systems with cold air retrieval and integration to heating systems.45

Co-operative Group: The UK-based chain committed to introducing only HFC-free equipment at new stores as of 2015, and across all stores by 2030. It plans to install doors on refrigeration units at 2,000 stores by 2020. The group fitted stand-alone refrigeration units for medium and low temperatures at 420 stores in 2011, and says that it cut refrigerant gas leaks at stores and distribution centers by 53 percent from 2006 to 2011.46

42 http://www.epa.gov/greenchill/achievements.html

43 http://www.epa.gov/greenchill/achievements.html

44 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/11/30/sprouts-invests-in-energy-refrigerant-management-software/


46 http://www.hydrocarbons21.com/news/view/3495

http://www.epa.gov/greenchill/achievements.html

http://www.epa.gov/greenchill/achievements.html

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/11/30/sprouts-invests-in-energy-refrigerant-management-software/


http://www.hydrocarbons21.com/news/view/3495


Marks & Spencer: The company says that all new installations are using CO2 systems wherever possible. It is trialing the use of R407a to replace R404a.47

47 http://plana.marksandspencer.com/about/the-plan/climate-change/2

123 139

183

220

304

349

20 30

40 59

124

194

14 17 21 27 45

58

9 13 16 21 36

47

7 10 13 18 31

41

4 6 8 11 20 28

2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030

HFC Emissions from Refrigeration, by Region, Historical for 2005 and Business-As-Usual Projections to 2030, Million Metric Tons CO2e

OECD Non-OECD Asia Non-OECD Europe & Eurasia Central & S. America Africa Middle East

Source: EPA

http://plana.marksandspencer.com/about/the-plan/climate-change/2


The Future of Refrigerants

Projections

The key challenge for the refrigeration sector is changing. Where once regulatory and CSR efforts were focused on reducing ozone-depleting substances, the shift to HFCs means greenhouse gas emissions are now the primary concern. This means leak prevention becomes far more important than before.


However, HFC emissions from refrigeration are projected to steadily rise across all global regions over the next several decades. Within OECD countries, the biggest driver of these emissions will continue to be retail food, while industrial processes will overtake refrigerated transport as the number two emissions contributor (see charts, this page and previous).

2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 Retail food 77.13 94.91 129.94 157.55 217.43 249.27 Refrigerated

transport 27.70 22.10 22.64 24.63 33.99 38.97

Industrial process refrigeration 9.07 13.69 20.15 26.58 36.68 42.06 Chillers 6.36 5.24 5.69 6.04 8.33 9.55 Cold storage 2.38 3.19 4.39 5.63 7.77 8.90

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

HFC Emissions from Refrigeration in OECD, by End Use, Historical for 2005 and Business-As-Usual Projections to 2030, Million Metric Tons CO2e

Retail food

Refrigerated transport

Industrial process refrigeration

Chillers

Cold storage

Source: EPA


Refrigerants: What does all this mean?

Global warming potential has emerged as the key environmental concern for refrigeration.

Addressing leaks is a key first step for companies seeking to control their refrigerant emissions, and can reap considerable savings.

It is also key for companies to keep abreast of regulatory changes and make plans for retrofitting and equipment purchase well in advance of deadlines. Not only HCFCs, but also HFCs could be on the chopping block.

Q&A

Thomas Watson, P.E., 2012-13 ASHRAE President, and chief engineer at Daikin McQuay

What commercial/industrial sectors tend to be big users of refrigeration?

ASHRAE publishes a Handbook on refrigeration every four years, which addresses refrigeration equipment and systems for applications other than human comfort. The Handbook identifies major uses as food cooking and storage; refrigerated transport; food, beverage and floral applications; industrial applications such as ice manufacture, ice rinks, supermarkets, domestic refrigeration, medical devices, industrial cooling particularly in the chemical and petroleum industries; and then low-temperature applications, such as cryogenics and ultra-low temperature refrigeration.

What are the most important steps companies can take to reduce the environmental impact of their refrigeration? What has the greatest impact - preventing leaks, replacing harmful refrigerants, installing more efficient equipment? Or something else?


Most critical is reduction of energy consumption through efficient use of a refrigerant. Optimization of refrigerants charges is critical as is optimizing equipment sizing for the application.

Containment should be considered in all phases of a system’s life, including design and construction of leak-tight and easily serviced systems; leak detection and repair; recovery during service; and recovery at end of life or during system disposal.

Risks of all types can be lessened by reduction of total system charge. Smaller charges can reduce the safety risks of a flammable refrigerant and may allow the use of such refrigerants in more applications. Reduction of charge would reduce the environmental consequences of refrigerant release due to leaks, accident or improper disposal. System charge reduction should not be made without ensuring energy consumption is not impacted.

What should companies do to improve their leak monitoring? Do you recommend certain types of equipment or software?

Three types of leak detection, all of which allow for measuring and improving containment, are options to help improve monitoring. These are global, local and automated performance.

Global detection indicates whether a leak exists but does not identify its location. This is more useful at the end of construction and when the system is open for repair or retrofit. Local detection pinpoints locations of leaks and usually is used during servicing. Automated performance monitoring is now being developed to produce pre-alarm messages as soon as a drift in refrigerant charge is observed. These developments are in their early stages but their general adoption would give better control over discovering refrigerant leaks.

Clearly, proper system management is necessary to reduce leaks. These management systems can range from manual logs to automated monitors.

As a non-commercial technical society, ASHRAE does not recommend particular equipment or software.


What do you think are the biggest challenges companies encounter in trying to limit the environmental impacts of their refrigeration?

Choosing a refrigerant for a given application has become more complex as refrigerants must satisfy a number of requirements related to safety, chemical stability, environmental properties, thermodynamic characteristics and compatibility among materials. Refrigerant choice is increasingly impacted by government pressures that could lead to less than optimal solutions for a given application.

What recommendations do you have for companies that would like to lower the environmental impacts of their refrigeration, but don’t have a lot of capital to spend?

All users should ensure that their systems are clean (without fouling), contain the appropriate refrigerant and are functioning properly. Poor maintenance can lead to 30 to 40 percent increases in energy consumption. Also, monitoring for leaks is critical to reducing environmental impacts. Upgrading leak detection equipment is another area to consider.

In addition, training of the staff that operates the refrigeration plant is extremely effective and has minimal capital requirements.

What do you see as the biggest recent trends in environmentally friendly refrigeration, and what trends might we see emerge in the next few years?

Last fall, ASHRAE hosted a refrigerant conference with the National Institute of Standards and Technology. At the conference, keynote speaker James M. Calm shared his thoughts on refrigerant transitions. Calm categorized the transition of refrigerants into four generations. The first generation spanned from the 1830s-1930s and could be characterized by “using whatever worked.” The second generation (1931-1990s) focused on safety and durability, which included introduction of CFCs and HCFCs as well as continued use of ammonia, and to a lesser extent, hydrocarbons. More recently was the third generation (1990-2010s), when industry concern turned to ozone protection and began phaseout of CFCs and later HCFCs.


We are now entering the fourth generation of refrigerants (2012 and beyond) with focus on global warming and low GWPs options. He emphasized the need to address the several application requirements and looming environmental concerns – including new ones – together, as piecemeal approaches will not meet the eventual targets.

Our industry must be forward-looking and make selections that go beyond minimum mandates or we will be forced to face still another generation of refrigerant transitions… again.

Another speaker, Dr. Andy Pearson from the United Kingdom, discussed future opportunities for ammonia. As you know, ammonia has many properties which make it particularly suitable for use as a refrigerant. Dr. Pearson shared with us these properties in the light of over 150 years of continuous use of ammonia in refrigerating systems and explains their implications for system design and operation.

In this report · Issue 46 •March 21, 2013 • Methods and Technologies •Vendors...

Documents

Transcript of In this report · Issue 46 •March 21, 2013 • Methods and Technologies •Vendors...