THE DAWN OF A NEW REFRIGERATION ERA · 3 6 9 12 16 19 23 25 30 34 40 43 48 50 52 54 58 61 66 70 73...

refrigeration, air conditioning, heat pumps and renewables

Official journal ofCentro Studi Galileo (CSG)

and European EnergyCentre (EEC)

international special issue 2018-19

Dir. resp. E. Buoni -Via Alessandria, 26 -Tel. + 39 0142 453684 - 15033 Casale Monferrato - ITALY

UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE ITALIAN MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT

THE DAWN OF ANEW REFRIGERATION ERA

THE KIGALI AMENDMENTFOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE

ISI COPERTINA 2018 BISS:COPERTINA 7/07 8-10-2018 9:48 Pagina 1

Forewords

Climate change The Environmental Challenge of Our TimeMarco Buoni - President of AREA,Technical Director of CSG, Secretary General of ATF

The impact of the refrigeration sector on climate change - Flammable refrigerantsDidier Coulomb – Director of International Institute of Refrigeration - IIR

Low-GWP Refrigerants for High Ambient Temperature Climates: Design Analysis and Risk AssessmentAyman Eltalouny - Coordinator International Partnerships, OzonAction programme UN Environment (UNEP)Ole Reinholdt Nielsen, Refrigeration and Aerosols Unit Chief, United Nations Industrial DevelopmentOrganization (UNIDO) Bassam Elassaad, RTOC member Consultant to UNEP/UNIDO High-Ambient Project

Enhanced and Localized Life-Cycle Climate Performance (EL-LCCP) Metric for Air ConditionersStephen O. Andersen, Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development (IGSD); James Wolf, GlobalPolicy Associate; Yunho Hwang and Jiazhen Ling, University of Maryland (UMD); and Marco Gonzalez,Montreal Protocol Technology and Economics Assessment Panel (TEAP)

Research status on the flammable characteristics of combustible refrigerantsZijian Lv, Zhaoyang, Biao Feng, Rui Zhai - School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, ChinaOn behalf of Chinese Association of Refrigeration (CAR)

Analysis of best practice training of refrigeration service personnel in ChinaXu Chen – Authorized Principal for Shenzen Qianhai Bingbing Education Investment Development, China

Selection of Refrigerants and Future TrendNoboru Kagawa - Professor, Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Member of InternationalInstitute of Refrigeration, President of Japan Society of Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (JSRAE)

The Latest Trends in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning in Japan (Regulation and Market Trend)Tetsuji Okada – The Japan Refrigeration and Air conditioning Industry Association (JRAIA)

Energy Efficiency Trends in Data CentersSanjib Seal - Senior Solution Manager, India Swegon BlueBox, Mumbai. On behalf of ISHRAE

Early Planning Will Prevent Poor PerformanceStephen R.Yurek – President & CEO, AHRI

Workshop on Flammable Refrigerant Charge Limits in a Low-GWP World – Can/should they be Higher?Ahmad Abu-Heiba, Viral Patel, Van Baxter, Omar Abdelaziz, Ahmed Elatar - ASHRAE

The Path to Low-GWP and Energy Efficient Refrigeration and Air ConditioningChallenges and Opportunities in Developing Countries: lessons learnt from The GambiaBafoday Sanyang – National Ozone Unit The Gambia

How Can Refrigeration Impact Positively the 17 SDGs in Africa?Madi Sakande – Expert Trainer CSG

Towards the Establishment of a National System of Certification in the Cold SectorYoussef Hammami, Coordinator of the National Ozone Unit (NOU) Tunisia

The Potential of Solar Cooling for Social Housing Buildings in MexicoPaul Kohlenbach, Uli Jakob - SOLEM Consulting

The New F-Gas Regulation Challenges RACHP Business on Multiple FrontsPer Jonasson, Director of the Swedish Refrigeration & Heat Pump Association - Past President of AREA

7 Lessons Learned from the EU F-Gas RegulationAndrea Voigt – European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE)

The Green Gas Research Project: Challenges and Opportunities for Low GWP Refrigerants Applicationin the Commercial Refrigeration SectorF. Barile, M. Masoero, C. Silvi - Department of Energy “Galileo Ferraris”, Politecnico of Torino

Training on Flammable RefrigerantsKelvin Kelly – Training Director Business Edge

Transforming the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry in AustraliaGreg Picker – Executive Director of Refrigerants Australia

Progress in Enabling larger HC Charge Sizes for RAC&HP SystemsD. Colbourne1, K. O. Suen2, D. Oppelt1, V. Kanakakumar1, K Skacanova3, D. Belluomini3, P. Munzinger4

1c/o HEAT GmbH, Germany 2Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London3Shecco, Belgium 4Proklima International, Climate Change, Environment, Infrastructure Division, GIZ, Germany

The SuperSmart Project: Removing Non-Technological Barriers to the Diffusion of Innovative Solutions- The Importance of Training and Dissemination in the Food Retail SectorAntonio Rossetti, Silvia Minetto, Sergio Marinetti - Construction Technologies Institute, CNR Padova, Italy

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Contents

FREE COPYAutorizzazione del Tribunale di Casale M.n. 123 del 13.6.1977 - Spedizione in a. p. -70% - Filiale di Alessandria - ITALY.

This magazine has been produced withpaper E.C.F. (Elementary clorine Free)

Cover photo:Colors of Jökulsarlon, Elia Locardi

About the picture on the cover:– The sun: our source of energy, isalso a major threat due to the Ozonehole and Climate Change– Ozone protection: the sky containsour Earth’s ozone shield– Climate Change: the Global Glacierretreat due to global warming is aglobal threat– Energy Efficiency and RenewableEnergy: glaciers and water are aprimary source of energy for ourhydroelectric plants

sommario inglese 2018:mod 2002 8-10-2018 12:24 Pagina 2

Italy strongly believes that climate change is a global challenge and thus needs aglobal response. Strong scientific evidence presented in many recent reports pointsto the acceleration of climate change and this leads to the unprecedented urgency toimplement global efforts to halt and reverse climate change in all regions. Theforthcoming publication of the IPCC Special Report on the impacts of globalwarming of 1.5 °C is likely to present new evidence on the negative impacts ofclimate change on human societies and natural systems, including impacts onhealth, livelihood, food, water as well as human security.After the historic success in Paris in 2015, this December in Katowice we all will becalled to confirm our commitment to the fight against climate change by adopting acommon and comprehensive set of rules (“rulebook”) applicable to all Parties thatwill finally operationalize the Agreement. We will do our utmost to craft a robust andbalance outcome at COP24 to help us to achieve the purpose and the long-term goals set in Paris.Since leaders announced their pledges in Paris during COP21, Italy and the rest of EU Member States haveaccelerated domestic action to deliver on the Paris Agreement long-term goals, while continuing to successfullydecouple economic growth from GHG emissions.Italy acknowledges particular attention to the international cooperation aimed at strengthening the global responseto the threat of climate change by both reducing emissions and adapting to climate change. Specific attention isdevoted to the least developed and most vulnerable countries where our priority is to enhance the capacity torespond to climate change. This is why we are undertaking continuous efforts to scale-up our international climatefinance to support mitigation and adaptation actions, to facilitate access to climate finance, to provide capacity

building and technology transfer to help meet the Paris agreement obligations and achieve its long-term goals. In the provision of public financial resources, we have worked and continue to work

to strike a fair balance between mitigation and adaptation support.Special focus is on Africa, with Sahel at upfront, and the small islands in the Pacific and inthe Caribbean. We will soon open, in partnership with FAO and UNDP, the African Centrefor Climate and Sustainable Development in Rome and we are considering similar initiativefor the other regions. We are also working in the context of numerous bilateral agreementto support the implementation of the NDC’s in these areas.Concerning energy efficiency in refrigeration and air conditioning, Italy will accelerate its

way to ratify the Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol in time for its entry into force on1th January 2019.

In line with its international obligations, the Ministry for the Environment will continue to ensurethe contribution of Italy to the Multilateral Fund for the implementation of the Montreal Protocol (MLF),

the global financial mechanism that supports developing countries in complying with the reduction targets bymeans of projects including industrial conversion, technical assistance, training and capacity building.To this aim, within the MLF rules which allows to allocate up to 20% of the yearly obligatory contribution forbilateral cooperation, Italy is also supporting a number of developing countries’ national plans to eliminate ozone-depleting substances with the aim to avoid conversion to HFCs and “leapfrog” directly to more climate-friendlyalternatives, including Argentina, China, Iran, Brazil, Mexico, Ghana and Nigeria. Stimulated by the requirementsof the EU F-Gas Regulation, the expertise and technological knowhow developed by Italian institutions andindustry - including small and medium enterprises - in a number of relevant sectors is in fact globallyacknowledged. We are convinced that these bilateral initiatives can facilitate the transfer of knowledge andtechnologies to developing countries that are in need of them through international public procurements carriedout by UN Agencies.In addition to that, our Government has recently seen approved under the Multilateral Fund a number of enablingactivities to fast start the implementation of the Kigali Amendment in some partner countries that, notwithstandingthe difficulties, are taking big steps towards a “green” refrigeration and cooling chain. I refer, in particular, to theMaldives, Tunisia, Lesotho and Rwanda, a country we shall all congratulate for having led so strongly thecommitment of African countries in Kigali to reduce HFCs.Finally, Italy is fully committed to work for the full implementation of the Paris Agreement and the KigaliAmendment and to support, under the Bilateral and International Agreements, the Least Developed Countries. Atstake is the future of the next generations, we are ready to do our part.

Sergio Costa, Italian Minister for the Environment, Land and Sea Protection

FOREWORDS

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On 16 September 2018, countries around the globe celebrated World Ozone Day,the annual commemorative day established by the United Nations GeneralAssembly to raise awareness of the work being done under the Montreal Protocolon Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. The Protocol is a landmark treatythat protects human life and the environment from harmful levels of ultraviolet raysfrom the Sun. This year’s celebration was organized under the theme “Keep Cooland Carry On.”This slogan is apt not just because it celebrates the tremendous work done so far,and the world community’s continuing efforts to protect both the ozone layer andclimate. It is also the term “keep cool” which can be understood both in thefigurative sense – “stay focused” – as well as a literal sense – “keep thetemperature at an appropriate level” in a world that is experiencing rapidlyincreasing global mean average temperatures. It is in this latter sense that the slogan gives recognition tothe pivotal role of the refrigeration and air conditioning sector. It is both for preserving our comfort, healthand well-being, and for helping us find sustainable, long-term solutions that grow the economy and at thesame time protect our common home, the Earth.In 2015, there were an estimated three billion refrigeration and air conditioning systems operatingworldwide. Each year some 270 million newly manufactured units are added to that stock. This is clearly asector that has a global reach and a global impact. Starting from 1987 and continuing until today, theMontreal Protocol has been a major factor influencing the evolution of the technology behind all of thiscooling and refrigeration equipment.

Thanks to the tireless work of governments, industry, academia and civil society, we havesuccessfully transitioned away from chlorofluorocarbons worldwide, nearly phased out

hydrochlorofluorocarbons in developed countries, and are in middle of doing so indeveloping countries. Now, with the entry in force of the Kigali Amendment on 1January 2019, we are embarking on a parallel effort to phase downhydrofluorocarbons. All of this could only happen with the support and activeparticipation of the millions of servicing technicians, installers, engineers, endusers, manufacturers and associations worldwide that comprise this vital sector.Each of those individuals – those “Citizens of Cool” – have played a role in the

Montreal Protocol’s success up until now. They need to “carry on” their excellentwork to realize the United Nations Member States’ vision for the Montreal Protocol.

They are the motive force that makes technology progress possible through learningnew skills, applying best practices, innovating and commercializing new products, and making

sound technology and policy decisions. As an Implementing Agency of the Montreal Protocol’sMultilateral Fund, UN Environment Programme through the OzonAction Branch is proudly assisting 147developing countries to make informed decisions about these technology transitions, with a particularfocus on the refrigeration and air conditioning servicing sector.Given this global mandate, our work can only be provided through partnerships with other like-mindedorganisations and expert institutions. OzonAction is honored to join again with Centro Studi Galileo, theInternational Institute of Refrigeration, the Italian Refrigeration Association and the European EnergyCentre to share key developments in refrigeration and air conditioning technology through this edition ofthe International Special Issue. The innovations, research findings and new ideas expressed in thesepages will help developing countries better understand this new refrigeration and air conditioning era thatis dawning thanks to a large degree to the Montreal Protocol and its Kigali Amendment.

Elizabeth Mrema, Director, Law Division, UN Environment Programme


The Kigali amendment enters into force on January 1st, 2019. It is now necessaryto implement this agreement in all the countries as quickly and efficiently as possible.Even in developing countries that have more time to phase down the use ofhydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), new strategies for the production and consumption ofrefrigerants are needed now to avoid very difficult and costly conversions later.It is desirable to:– Replace as of now hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), whose phase out is already

scheduled, by refrigerants with low greenhouse effect. This may require changes tothe phase-out schedules, focusing first on sectors where these refrigerants with lowgreenhouse effect can be quickly implemented.

– Seize the opportunity the replacement of these refrigerants represents, to improvethe energy efficiency of facilities and more generally, of entire systems (buildinginsulation, energy recovery, intelligent temperature control, ...). The IIR estimates that indirect emissionsrelated to the production of the energy necessary to run cooling systems (including air conditioning),represent approximately 2.61 gigatons of CO2 equivalent, or 63% of total emissions from the refrigerationsector. The European project SuperSmart, in which the IIR is partnering and which is presented in this issue,is an illustration of this main issue.All projections show a considerable increase in refrigeration requirements in developing countries, especiallyfor air conditioning and food and health applications. This increase will continue throughout the century fordemographic and development reasons: the energy policy of each country must take this into account.

– Implement all the necessary measures to install systems using refrigerants with low greenhouse effect safely,such as regulations on the design of facilities and the training and certification of operators. The

flammability, toxicity and high pressures of alternative refrigerants should be addressed in aresponsible and reasonable manner. Regulations, standards and building codes must be

adapted as soon as possible to both guarantee the same safety level and take theevolution of technologies into account. Attracting and training technicians on all thesetechnologies is important: some materials are presented here, others are available(Real Alternatives for Life in Europe…).– Improve the containment of refrigerants and their recovery at the end of currentfacilities’ operational lives.

– Increase the dissemination of information on existing technologies as well as research,development, demonstrations on effective, energy-efficient systems, adapted to alternative

refrigerants and alternative refrigeration technologies.Finally, it is worth remembering that refrigeration has also beneficial effects for the environment, by

limiting post-harvest losses or installing heat pumps that are a renewable energy, and that it is, in any case,necessary for human health.The articles selected in this issue present these various challenges in more detail and give some examplesof what shall and can be done, in all continents, both in developed and developing countries: solutions existeven if the challenges are huge. I hope that they will inspire you to build the best solutions for you and forthe planet.Through its scientific conferences, publications and international network of experts, the InternationalInstitute of Refrigeration (IIR) is involved in these initiatives aimed at limiting global warming and promotingsustainable development. The IIR provides science-based, objective, practical and up to date informationand expertise on the possible or future technologies and their possible uses in all the fields of refrigeration,including air conditioning, heat pumps and cryogenics. We are at your disposal for any assistance.

Didier Coulomb, Director General of the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIF-IIR)


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The Executive Director of the UnitedNations Environment, Erik Solheim,told the press at a high-level eventhosted during the United NationsGeneral Assembly in New York:“Providing air conditioning is wellbe-ing, it is health, but we need to do it ina much more energy efficient way.Thetechnology is there to be explored andI am absolutely confident that if we aspoliticians give the direction, the pri-vate sector and market will find thetechnical solutions for this to happen.They are on the way; they just need togo all the way.”Mr Solheim acknowledges that theRefrigeration, Air conditioning and HeatPumps Sector is at the forefront of tech-nological advances and recognizes thatwe are willing and able to help.The Kigali Amendment to theMontreal Protocol will come into forceon the 1st January 2019 after thethreshold for the agreement was meton 17 November 2017, when it wasratified by 20 parties. Since this date,the Montreal Protocol has been rati-fied by a total of 55 parties.Mr Solheim announced in a recenttweet: “This has been a historic weekin our battle against climate change.Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia andthe European Union have ratified theKigali amendment to the MontrealProtocol. 53 countries have ratifiedthis important commitment to savingthe planet.” As a consequence, morethan 170 countries will phase downand reduce the use of high GlobalWarming Substances (HFCs) by morethan 80% over the next 30 years and

replace them with more environmen-tally-friendly alternatives.This is probably the first substantialglobal breakthrough agreed upon tochange the fate of our world, which isaffected inevitably by climate change.It marks the beginning of a new

Refrigeration era and the efforts ofRefrigeration, Air Conditioning andHeat Pumps Industry will be recog-nized as an example for other sectorsto follow.Parties to the Montreal Protocol strucka landmark legally binding deal to

Climate ChangeThe Environmental Challengeof OurTime

MARCO BUONI

President of AREA,Technical Director of CSG, Secretary General of ATF

Excerpt from “The Indu” Interview with Erik Solheim: At the moment, yes, I’m afraid itis.The data shows that even if all the commitments under the Paris Agreement are met— including those from the United States before President Trump announced he waspulling out — then we’re still headed for a temperature rise of 2.9 to 3.4 °C this centu-ry. That’s too far above the minimum goal of limiting temperature rise to 1.5 °C.

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reduce the emissions of powerfulgreenhouse gases in a move thatcould prevent up to 0.5 degreesCelsius of global warming by the endof this century, while continuing to pro-tect the ozone layer. Another battlethat has been won by our sector (andwhich in some parts of the world is stillongoing) is the move to substanceswhich are harmless to the environ-ment: this encompasses NaturalRefrigerants in many important appli-cations and less harmful syntheticsubstances such as Low GWP HFCs(namely HFOs) in applications wherethey cannot be abandoned complete-ly, for safety and practical reasons.UN Environment is committed to con-tinue fighting the effects of climatechange and states:• The Paris agreement pledges only a

third of what is needed to avoid theworst impacts of climate change;

• Adopting new technologies in keysectors, at an investment of underUS$100/tonne, could reduce emis-sions by up to 36 gigatonnes peryear by 2030, which is more than

sufficient to bridge this gap;• The Kigali Amendment to the

Montreal Protocol can also help min-imize climate impacts.

Our sector has therefore been givenan unexpected responsibility andopportunity to act as an inspiration,leading the fight against the largestproblem of our time, climate change.The Head of UN Environment hasdeclared that “climate change is asmuch an opportunity as it is a prob-lem. There are no excuses for inac-tion.” This interview was made to “TheHindu”, one of the most importantnewspapers in India, a country whichwill have an important impact on theworld’s future economy and energysources.The Refrigeration, Air conditioningand Heat Pumps sector therefore hasa once in a lifetime opportunity toprove that it can support and leadefforts to create a better world.Our sector is expanding rapidlybecause millions of people over thenext few years will come to access thebenefits of a well-working cold chain,

especially in Africa, for the conserva-tion and preservation of food and toreduce food wastage. Millions of newtechnicians will consequently approachand join our sector, working with us tosupport our mission.Additionally, billions of people will beable to access air conditioning toimprove the quality of their lifestyles. Incountries with high ambient tempera-tures, air conditioning will act as a vitalutility for conducting a normal life. As aconsequence of air conditioning tech-nology becoming more widely avail-able, new cities are growing in impor-tance and wealth: in the Middle East,Thailand, India, Africa, China andtropical areas, economies will expandthanks to our technology.Thousands of years ago mankindmoved north due to the heat availablefrom fossil fuels and the most affluentNations that developed were thosewith colder climates. Nowadays,advancements in renewable energytechnologies means that countrieswith much warmer climates can moreeasily produce energy from the sun

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through photovoltaics and solar ther-mal, as well as wind.In many ways, Refrigeration and AirConditioning technologies haveplayed a vital role to help poorerregions to become richer. This meansthat we are not only providing a serv-ice to the environment, we are alsohelping to improve the lifestyle of bil-lions of people. We should be veryproud of our mission.

Highlighted in blue are those withinwhich the RACHP sector could playan important role:17 Sustainable Development GoalsGoal 1 End poverty in all its formseverywhereGoal 2 End hunger, achieve foodsecurity and improved nutrition andpromote sustainable agricultureGoal 3 Ensure healthy lives andpromote well-being for all at all agesGoal 4 Ensure inclusive and equi-table quality education and promotelifelong learning opportunities for allGoal 5 Achieve gender equality andempower all women and girlsGoal 6 Ensure availability and sus-tainable management of water andsanitation for allGoal 7 Ensure access to affordable,reliable, sustainable and modernenergy for allGoal 8 Promote sustained, inclu-sive and sustainable economicgrowth, full and productive employ-ment and decent work for allGoal 9 Build resilient infrastruc-ture, promote inclusive and sus-tainable industrialization and fosterinnovationGoal 10 Reduce inequality withinand among countriesGoal 11 Make cities and human set-tlements inclusive, safe, resilientand sustainableGoal 12 Ensure sustainable con-sumption and production patternsGoal 13 Take urgent action to com-bat climate change and its impacts*Goal 14 Conserve and sustainablyuse the oceans, seas and marine

resources for sustainable develop-mentGoal 15 Protect, restore and pro-mote sustainable use of terrestrialecosystems, sustainably manageforests, combat desertification, andhalt and reverse land degradationand halt biodiversity lossGoal 16 Promote peaceful and inclu-sive societies for sustainable devel-opment, provide access to justice forall and build effective, accountableand inclusive institutions at all levelsGoal 17 Strengthen the means ofimplementation and revitalize theglobal partnership for sustainabledevelopment

Centro Studi Galileo, AssociazioneTecnici del Freddo, European EnergyCentre, AREA together with theUnited Nations Environment, IIR andEPEE will discuss these topics andthe link between Refrigeration, AirConditioning and Heat Pumps with theSDGs during the RAC RefrigerationWeek, which will run from the 6th to the12th June 2019 in the form of two inter-national conferences:European HVACR weekThe Latest Technology in RACIndustry at the Polytechnic Universityof Milan, 6th-7th June 2019Eureka 2019 at the College of Europein Bruges, 11th-12th June 2019 �

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Thanks to RAC we will hope toachieve several of the UN SDGs(United Nations SustainableDevelopment Goals)


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INTRODUCTION

In this issue, we decided to include thesummaries for policymakers of two IIRrecent Informatory Notes (Ins), whichseem particularly relevant for the polit-ical and technical decisions that allnational authorities should take.The whole documents are availablefree of charge on the IIR website(www.iifiir.org) in English and Frenchversions.The impact of the refrigeration sectoron climate change: some key figuresare presented, taking into account thelatest peer-reviewed references. Themain consequence should be the coor-dination of the energy policy on wholesystems (a building, a district, a vehi-cle…) and the policy on refrigerants.Flammable refrigerants: most alterna-tive refrigerants with low GlobalWarming Potential (GWP) are flam-mable, either natural refrigerants orHFCs and HFOs. Risks can be andshall be managed.Adapting regulations and standards,controls and trainings of technicians isa key issue for the success of thephase down of HFCs and this noteaddresses these issues.Other IIR Informatory Notes on refrig-erants were recently published andreferred to in this summary: they forma consistent set of documents easy toread and giving a global picture oftechnical and regulation issues relatedto refrigerants.We hope that these documents, as wellas other IIR publications and activities,will be useful decision-making tools.

Refrigeration plays an essential andgrowing role in the global economy,with significant contributions made infood, health, thermal comfort andenvironmental protection areas.The refrigeration sector includes allrefrigeration systems (as well as cryo-genic systems), air conditioning andheat pump systems. The total numberof these systems in operation world-wide is roughly 3 billion.

The sector is expected to grow in thedecades to come, particularly in devel-oping countries, where demand forrefrigeration is rising sharply. Thisgrowth must be sustainable, with limit-ed impact on the environment, andEarth’s climate in particular.According to IIR estimates, 7.8% ofglobal greenhouse gases (GHG)emissions are attributed to the refrig-eration sector, or 4.14 GtCO2eq1.These emissions can be divided intotwo groups: direct emissions and indi-rect emissions.

DIRECT EMISSIONS

Direct emissions of refrigerants occurduring maintenance operations orwhen a refrigeration appliance hasreached the end of its lifespan, butthey can also be caused by leaks dur-

Informatory Notes onRefrigeration TechnologiesThe impact of the refrigerationsector on climate changeFlammable refrigerants

DIDIER COULOMB

Director General of the International Institute of Refrigeration - IIR

35th Informatory Note onRefrigeration Technologies /November 2017

The impact of therefrigeration sector onclimate changeSummary for stakeholders

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ing operation. CFCs (chlorofluorocar-bons), HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocar-bons), and HFCs (hydrofluorocar-bons) are the refrigerants which con-tribute the most to global warming, asevidenced by their high GlobalWarming Potential (GWP), up to15,000 times higher than that of anequal mass of carbon dioxide (CO2).Direct emissions are equal to 1.53GtCO2eq1, or 37% of the total GHGemissions of the refrigeration sector.The implementation of the KigaliAmendment - whose aim is to pro-gressively reduce the production andconsumption of HFCs - could result inthe total of these emissions falling to0.7 GtCO2eq by 2050.This drop wouldrepresent a 44% to 51% decline incumulative HFC emissions over the2015-2050 period.The objective of the Paris Agreement isto “keep the increase of global averagetemperature to well below 2 °C abovepre-industrial levels”. In this context, it isimportant to underline the fact that theKigali Amendment would prevent apotential increase of average tem-peratures between 0.1 °C and 0.3 °Cby 2100 (not the frequently referencedfigure of 0.5 °C).Today, there are many alternatives tohigh-GWP refrigerants with compara-ble or superior energy efficiencies thatcan help reduce direct emissions.Examples include ammonia, CO2,hydrocarbons and HFOs. It should betaken into account, however, thatthese alternative refrigerants maypresent certain disadvantages suchas safety hazards (flammability, toxici-ty), environmental risks (decomposi-tion products), high workings pres-sures, or higher cost. Such disadvan-tages and risks should be considered,from the design of refrigeration facili-ties, to the training and certification ofoperators.

INDIRECT EMISSIONS

Indirect emissions are a by-product ofthe production of energy required todrive refrigeration systems. Threegreenhouse gases are generated byenergy production: CO2 (90% of indirectemissions), CH4 (9%), and N2O (1%).

Indirect emissions are equal to 2.61GtCO2eq1, or 63% of the total GHGemissions of the refrigeration sector.The first way to reduce these emis-sions is by lowering the energy con-sumption of refrigeration systems.While the potential to improve energyefficiency in refrigeration technologiesis ultimately limited by the laws of ther-modynamics as well as cost-relatedconstraints, it remains very important.Solutions to limit energy losses canstill be implemented, such as energyrecovery systems or better insulation.Another significant potential is in therational use of air conditioning andsmart control strategies, e.g. selectingcomfortable temperatures that are nottoo low in summer, while avoidingunnecessarily cooling empty rooms.Indirect emissions depend mostly onthe primary source of energy used (fos-sil, nuclear or renewable).However, thischoice is more linked to national ener-gy policies than it is to the refrigerationsector. Electricity production from fossilfuels must be reduced.The nature of the gases emittedmeans that the reduction of directemissions and that of indirect emis-sions will have somewhat different con-sequences for climate change.Contrary to HFCs and HCFCs, whichhave an atmospheric lifetime of sometwenty years, CO2 has a lifetime of sev-eral centuries, and plays a role in manyclimate mechanisms. Consequently,reducing the direct emissions (HFCsand HCFCs) will have a substantialpositive effect on the short and medi-um term while regulating CO2 emis-

sions would have an impact on alonger term.

RECOMMENDATIONS

With a view to reducing direct emis-sions, the IIR encourages govern-ments and the different actors in thesector to cooperate to make the KigaliAgreement a success. The IIR alsorecommends that HCFC and HFCrefrigerants, which have a high impacton global warming, are replaced withrefrigerants that have a low impact onglobal warming as soon as possible.Efforts are also needed in contain-ment and recovery, particularly forrefrigerants with a significant impacton global warming or presenting safe-ty risks (flammability, toxicity).The reduction of indirect emissions,whose impact on the climate isstronger than that of direct emissions,is essential. Governments mustencourage the use of renewable ener-gy and promote energy efficiency at alllevels of the economy, as well as edu-cational programs on the rational useof energy. It remains essential to con-tinue research and development ofalternative refrigerants and alternativerefrigeration methods to achieve highenergy efficiency and cost effective-ness of these novel technologies.Thanks to its various scientific confer-ences, publications and internationalnetwork of experts, the IIR will play aleading role in these initiatives to limitglobal warming and promote sustain-able development.

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1In 2014; IIR estimate


With the phase-out of ozone depletingsubstances, there has been growinginterest in the application of flammablerefrigerants.Following the Kigali Amendment underthe Montreal Protocol concerning thephase-down of hydrofluorocarbons,low GWP refrigerants will have to bebroadly applied.The majority of these refrigerants willbe flammable.The RACHP industry, especially with-in non-Article 5 countries (which aresubject to more rapid HFC phase-down schedules), must prepare tohandle flammable refrigerants to agreater extent than they have doneuntil now.• There are a variety of technical, reg-

ulatory and infrastructural considera-tions that have to be addressed by avariety of stakeholders. It requiresforethought of the entire lifetime ofRACHP equipment and the obliga-tions of the personnel involved.

• Flammable refrigerants possess avariety of characteristics that affectthe likelihood that they are ignitedand the type and severity of conse-quences in the event of ignition. It isappropriate to take these into con-sideration when designing RACHPequipment and also when carryingout risk assessments.

• The number and types of rules andregulations applicable to flammablesubstances in general and flamma-ble refrigerants in particular isdiverse, both within countries andinternationally. It is a complex situa-tion that necessitates a broadunderstanding of the topic.Appreciation of this information isrequired across many stakeholders,including design engineers, produc-tion staff, installation engineers,service and maintenance techni-cians and those involved withdecommissioning and dismantlingof RACHP equipment.

• Countries tend to have generic flam-mable gas regulations that governthe use and application of any flam-mable substance. Many adopt safetystandards that prescribe how flam-mable refrigerant may (or may not)be applied. A number of countrieshave national building regulations,which limit the use of flammablerefrigerants. It is critical for countriesto assess their national rules andregulation and ensure they do notunnecessarily inhibit the applicationof suitable refrigerants.

• On-going research and developmentrelated to the safe application offlammable refrigerants will likely

generate more robust and broadlyapplicable rules for the applicationof flammable refrigerants. Stakehol-ders, including those from industry,government and academia shouldinvolve themselves in the process tohelp minimise potentially undesir-able outcomes.

• Some RACHP sector safety stan-dards currently pose restrictions tosome flammable refrigerants forsome applications and these barri-ers need to be addressed to enablea wider and potentially more cost-effective choice of technical options.Since these RACHP sector safetystandards often comprise require-ments for flammable refrigerants thatare inconsistent with the historicalrequirements within the generic

safety standards flammable sub-stances, it is recommended thatcloser working relationships areneeded between standards groupsto help resolve aspects on all sides,including consistency between theIEC 60079-series and the RACHPsafety standards.

• Experience and also research on thesafe application of flammable refrig-erants remains relatively limited.There is a significant need for furtherresearch activities investigating thenumerous aspects associated withflammability risk. All interested stake-holders are encouraged to considercontributing to this objective.

This IIR Informatory Note on flamma-ble refrigerants will join the other notesrecently published by the IIR to com-plete its refrigerants series: counterfeitrefrigerants (23rd Note); containmentof refrigerants (24th Note); refrigerantcharge reduction (25th Note); overviewof regulations restricting HFC use(26th Note); alternative refrigerantsand their possible applications (31st

Note).These Informatory Notes form a con-sistent set of documents with the aimof promoting refrigerants with a lowenvironmental impact that use energyefficiently and in a safe manner. Forthe actors in the refrigeration sector,they are also an essential decision-making tool.

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36th Informatory Note onRefrigeration Technologies /January 2018

Flammable refrigerants

Summary for policymakers


12

FORWARD

The main result of PRAHA, the projectto evaluate low-GWP refrigerants inair conditioning applications at highambient temperatures, is that it wentbeyond the level of being an individualproject with specific planned out-comes and outputs and turned to be aPROCESS at different levels, i.e., gov-ernmental, local industry, institutionalas well as international technologyproviders. A number of activities andprojects are currently being implement-ed to address alternatives for highambient conditions and they were alltriggered by the PRAHA process whichstarted in 2012, and they are following,more or less, a similar approach.UN Environment and UNIDO ap-proached the Multilateral Fund seek-ing support for stage-II of PRAHAwhich is designed to address the feasi-ble priority areas identified in PRAHA-I.The Executive Committee of theMultilateral Fund of Montreal Protocolapproved, in its 76th meeting May2016, stage-II of the project which isnow called PRAHA-II.This main objective of the project is tomaintain the momentum generated byPRAHA-I and advance the technicalcapacities of stakeholders to enablethe adoption and use of low-GWPsustainable technologies for highambient temperature countries bysupporting the decision-makingprocess related to the acceptance andpromotion of low-GWP refrigerantsand advancing the technologicalcapabilities of the local industry to

design with those refrigerants.This article details the goals and thechallenges of this stage and howPRAHA-II is advancing the dialogueon not only refrigerant selection, butthe search for energy efficiency tomeet the Kigali Amendment goals andaspirations.

PRAHA-II GOALS

The project has two major compo-nents and three goals: building thelocal industry design capability tomeet or exceed the baseline designsof the presently used technologies,and developing a comprehensive riskassessment model for high ambientcountries’ conditions with the help ofinternational associations with experi-ence in this field.PRAHA-II had three main goals: 1) tobuild the capacity of the local industryin designing and testing productsusing efficient low-GWP flammablerefrigerants; 2) to evaluate and opti-mize the prototype built for PRAHA-I;and 3) To build a risk assessmentmodel for the high ambient tempera-ture countries.

CAPACITY BUILDING

The first goal of building capacitylooked at the sources of the new tech-nologies that are being proposed toreplace both HCFCs and high-GWPHFCs. It is evident that the three tech-nologies that are developed or being

developed are the HC-290 technologywhich is mostly led by China, the HFC-32 technology which is led by Japan,and the emerging HFO technologywhich the chemical companies in theUS are still developing.The capacity building efforts ofPRAHA-II opened up for participantsfrom countries other than the originalGulf Cooperation countries and Iraq.PRAHA-II encompassed the partici-pants of the sister testing projectEGYPRA which is part of the EgyptHPMP and which includes eightEgyptian OEMs. EGYPRA testedmore refrigerants in more prototypes,and at more temperatures thanPRAHA. EGYPRA detailed results willbe published during the third quarterof 2018, but mainly confirm the con-clusion of the other research projectsthat there are viable alternatives toHCFC-22 and R-410A that are capa-ble of delivering equivalent or betterperformance and/or energy efficiencythan the baseline refrigerants. Theother participants of the capacitybuilding efforts came from Tunisia,Vietnam, and Pakistan.PRAHA-II organized two workshops:one in Japan and one in China. Theworkshop in Japan took place inDecember 2016 and included attend-ing the Japan Refrigeration and AirConditioning Industry Association(JRAIA) International Symposium on“New Refrigerants and Environmentaltechnology” which was held in Kobe.The main purpose of the trip was aone-day workshop in Tokyo by JRAIAon the risk assessment conducted by

Low-GWP Refrigerants for HighAmbientTemperature ClimatesDesign Analysis and Risk Assessment

AYMAN ELTALOUNY1, OLE REINHOLDT NIELSEN2, BASSAM ELASSAAD3

1Regional Montreal Protocol Coordinator International Partnerships, OzonAction programme, UnitedNations Environment (UNEP)

2Unit Chief, Refrigeration and Aerosols Unit, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)3RTOC member Consultant to UNEP/UNIDO High-Ambient Project

United Nations Environment Network MeetingNorth Africa and Middle East

imp PRAHA:mod 2002 8-10-2018 16:22 Pagina 12

JRAIA, Japan’s safety guidelines, andbasic requirements for design withA2L refrigerants which include HFC-32.The trip also included plant tours tosee firsthand the safety proceduresthat are implemented in manufactur-ing products using A2L refrigerants.The trip to China took place in April2017 and included a workshop inNingbo, a visit to a production line, anda visit to China Refrigeration Expowhich was held in Shanghai for thatyear. The workshop in Ningbo,“Designing and Risk Assessment withR-290 Refrigerant” was organized incollaboration with the ChinaHousehold Electrical AppliancesAssociation (CHEAA) and focused onHC-290 benefits and risk assessment.The International workshop was alsosupported by UNDP, GIZ and ChinaRefrigeration and Air ConditioningAssociation (CRAA) and included filedvisits to showcase the use of HC-290by different Chinese industries.At the China Refrigeration Expo,PRAHA presented the experiencefrom PRAHA-I at an event entitledOzone2Climate Roundtable andincluded updates on alternative tech-nologies, global refrigerants substitu-tion trends, and solutions to the coldchain and logistics. PRAHA shared itsknowledge of the challenges in phas-ing-out HCFCs in high ambient tem-perature countries as assessed by theproject coordinators and as experi-enced by the local industry.

PRAHA also facilitated those stake-holders who were attending theASHRAE conference in Las Vegas inJanuary 2017 to attend a course ofrefrigerants and organized a session topresent the results of the three highambient research programs which alsoinclude the Air Conditioning, Heating,and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI)“Alternative Refrigerant EvaluationProgram” (AREP), and Oka RidgeNational Laboratory (ORNL) “Alterna-tive Refrigerant Evaluation for High-Ambient-Temperature Environments:R-22 and R-410A Alternatives for Mini-Split Air Conditioners” as well asEGYPRA preliminary testing results.

PRAHA also participated at the“Sustainable Technologies for Stationa-ry Air Conditioning Workshop” organ-ized by the Climate and Clean AirCoalition (CCAC).

EVALUATING AND OPTIMIZINGPROTOTYPES

The ultimate objective of this part ofthe project is to evaluate the designlimitation of PRAHA-I prototypes, opti-mize the designs based on best prac-tices and using a Modelling program,evaluate optimized prototypes andnew refrigerants not evaluated duringPRAHA-I, and finally, analyzing theimpact of leak-charge effect on theperformance of high-glide alterativerefrigerants. This effort aligns with theneed for developing safe solutions foralternative lower GWP refrigerantsolutions for the HVAC&R industry.The evaluation and optimizationefforts include several activities:• Conduct first order evaluation of unit

by reviewing the test data to identifyimprovement opportunity and thecauses of poor performance;

• Optimize some of units with specificrefrigerants using a modelingapproach;

• Building these units per the optimiza-tion;

• Testing the built units with chargeoptimization performed at 35°C foreach unit, then test the units at 35°Cand 46°C using the optimum charge;

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Workshop at JARN in Tokyo – Japan on risk assessment of A2L flammable refrigerants.

Participants from PRAHA and EGYPRA visiting the Jiaxing institute during the study tour to China.


• To test the performance in case of aleak, a portion of the refrigerant willbe branched out from the systemvapor line (the amount is TBD), thenthe same amount of new refrigerantblend will be charged back to thesystem (or the amount that matchesthe previous sub-cooling). The per-formance will be measured and therefrigerant from the system shouldbe recovered to a separate tank forcomposition analysis;

• A portion of refrigerant will bebranched out from the system liquidline (the amount is TBD), then sameamount of new refrigerant blend willbe charged back to the system (orthe amount that matches the previ-ous sub-cooling). The performance ismeasured and the refrigerant fromthe system will be recovered to a sep-arate tank for composition analysis.

PRAHA believes that these activitieswill enable the original prototypedesigners in understanding how to fur-ther optimize their units to enhancethe energy efficiency performanceusing the low-GWP alternative refrig-erants.

RISK ASSESSMENT MODEL

The objective of empowering local insti-tutes to play a key role in assessing thelocal technological needs related to thepromotion of low-GWP alternativesthrough the development of a compre-hensive risk assessment model,PRAHA-II will enable these local insti-tutes to build a model that is applicablefor high ambient temperature countries.UN Environment’s OzonAction, incooperation with UNIDO, is currentlyleading the way to build the first RiskAssessment Model for Flammable

Refrigerants in high ambient coun-tries. This innovative demonstrationproject is helping countries that expe-rience sustained high average outsidetemperatures to evaluate whethercommercially-available alternativesand technologies are effective solu-tions for their climate zones, and if not,what solutions are needed.As a background, JRAIA developed acomprehensive risk assessmentmodel for A2L refrigerants, while the

Chinese industry associations andinstitutes built their own local riskassessment model for the use of A3refrigerants in unitary air-conditioningapplications. Simultaneously, AHRI incooperation with ASHRAE and otherUS-based institutes have been con-ducting their own risk assessmentresearch on both A2L and A3 refriger-ants. There has been not so far anydocumented risk assessment workrelated to operations at high ambienttemperature conditions done on alocal or regional basis in the highambient temperature countries ofWest Asia.This component of PRAHA-II includesdesigning, developing, and examininga risk assessment model suitable foroperation at high ambient temperatureconditions, in particular for the GCC

region. The concept is to work closelywith local institutes & experts in highambient temperature countries, in col-laboration with international associa-tions and institutes to build a specialrisk assessment model that suits thelocal needs and operating conditions.The process will be conductedthrough the following elements:I. Developing comprehensive terms of

reference for building the local riskassessment model;

II. Analyzing the needs of local institu-tes to implement the risk assess-ment model including the technicalcapacities of personnel and labora-tories;

III. Examining the risk assessment mo-del and validate its applicability atlevels of manufacturing, installa-tions, operation and servicing.

Each of the above elements will be ledby local research institutes in consul-tation and cooperation with interna-tional associations that will be partner-ing on this project.

In this regard, PRAHA-II held anInternational Roundtable meeting onRisk Assessment Model for the useof low-GWP Refrigerants in HighAmbient Temperature Countries inKuwait in October 2017 to review thework done by international associa-tions and research organizations cov-ering A2L and A3 refrigerants.Methodology and results of researchdone was presented including therisk assessment work done byJRAIA, AHRI, Underwriters laborato-ry (UL), and ASHRAE as well localinstitutes. Materials of the roundtablemeeting can be accessed through:http://www.ozonactionmeetings.org/international-roundtable-meeting-risk-assessment-model-use-low-gwp-refrigerants-high-ambient-3.The elements of the proposed risk

The initial plan is summarized by the diagram below:

14

Meeting with local experts from Kuwait and Egypt on the risk assessment model.


15

assessment model for high ambienttemperature countries include the ini-tial proposal for the outline of the RiskAssessment Mode, the role of localresearch institutes and the contribu-tion of industry to the risk assessmentprocess, and a roadmap for govern-ments’ actions in facilitating thisresearch.The conference also discussed therole and technical backstoppingrequired from UN and internationalpartners in this respect.Through cooperation with the JapanRefrigeration and Air-ConditioningIndustry Association (JRAIA), assess-ing the risks associated with the use oflower flammability (A2L) refrigerantswill be studied, with a special focus onlogistics, i.e. installation, operation,servicing and decommissioning ofapplications. The model is based on ascientifically-validated methodologydeveloped by JRAIA and its local part-ners that combines field data analysisand simulation of hazards related toflammable refrigerants.To start building the model, UNEnvironment convened a specialexpert’s meeting in August 2018 inCairo to discuss, review, and commenton the data collection methodologydesigned. The meeting was attendedby selected experts from the air-condi-tioning servicing and firefighting sec-tors, and including participation of twomembers from the Montreal ProtocolRefrigeration Technical OptionsCommittee and members of theHalons Technical Options Committee,as well as research institutes experts,servicing sector expert and NationalOzone Officers from Egypt andKuwait. JRAIA experts joined themeeting through web-conferencingduring the two days.The meeting built clarity and betterunderstanding about the model sug-gested by JRIAA before the next step,when the participation of the group willbe expanded to include other regionalresearch institutes.UN Environment and UNIDO are alsoworking to build another parallelmodel for HAT countries addressingflammable (A3) refrigerants in coopera-tion with China, given that country’sexpertise and knowledge about R-290(i.e. hydrocarbon) refrigerants.The Risk Assessment Model for

Flammable Refrigerants is a lengthyprocess that starts by data collectionmoving to analyzing and build riskscenarios and concluding by stepsand actions for safe practices at differ-ent levels of interaction with applica-tions that operate with flammablerefrigerants.

HOW ISTHE KIGALI AMENDMENTAFFECTING PRAHA PROCESS

The Kigali amendment for the phase-down on HFC refrigerants is alreadyenshrined in the PRAHA-II projectthrough the concentration on low-GWPrefrigerants and the emphasis on ener-gy efficiency (EE). PRAHA made ener-gy efficiency the major basis for build-

ing the prototypes for testing in part oneas well as the optimization efforts ofpart two.At the Open Ended Working Group(OEWG-40) in July 2018, Partiesasked the Energy Efficiency Task Forceto provide in their updated report for theMeeting of the Parties (MOP) inEcuador in Nov 2018, an update of theresearch projects, and in particularPRAHA, and how the results arereflecting in the search for viable andsustainable alternatives, especially forhigh ambient countries.This is a further proof of the legacyand the good outcome that PRAHAhas left and continues to contribute tothe Montreal Protocol, the researchefforts, and the industry in general.

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6 INTERNATIONAL SPECIAL ISSUESSINCE 2006

UNEP – IIR – CSG


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ABSTRACT

The Kigali Amendment to theMontreal Protocol on Substances thatDeplete the Ozone Layer phasesdown the production and consumptionof hydrofluorocarbon greenhousegases that were once necessary torapidly phase out ozone depletingsubstances but are no longer neededbecause alternatives have been andwill continue to be commercialized.The Kigali Amendment complementsthe emission controls of the UnitedNations Framework Convention onClimate Change Kyoto Protocol andcontributes to satisfying the “nationallydetermined contributions” to reducegreenhouse gas emissions pledgedunder the 2016 Paris ClimateAgreement. In 2016, InternationalInstitute of Refrigeration proposedusing Life-Cycle Climate Performancemetric for air-conditioning systemswhile summing up carbon-equivalentdirect refrigerant emissions, indirectpower plant greenhouse gas emis-sions, and carbon-equivalent embod-ied emissions. This paper describesan Enhanced and Localized Life-Cycle Climate Performance metricdeveloped by a team of internationalexperts to reflect real life air condition-ing system operations.

NEW METRIC VISION

With no barriers of data, computation,or programming, Enhanced andLocalized Life-Cycle Climate Perfor-mance (EL-LCCP), as shown in Figure1, will ultimately account for: 1) local cli-mate conditions, including high temper-ature and humidity; 2) local seasonaland time-of-day carbon intensity ofelectricity sources, including backupelectricity generation; 3) electricitytransmission and distribution losses,including through the application of anyvoltage stabilizers; 4) energy embodiedin water used for power plant cooling; 5)black and brown carbon power plantemissions; 6) more realistic assump-tions about the actual temperature ofAC condensers, which are predomi-nately located in urban heat islands,often stacked and clustered, arranged

with poor ventilation, and placed indirect sunlight; and 7) realistic assump-tions about matching air conditioner(AC) capacity to cooling load and serv-icing to maintain efficiency over the life-time of the installation.

EL-LCCP RESOLVESTHREECHALLENGES OF ESTIMATINGREAL WORLD AC CARBONFOOTPRINT

1) ACs Operate in Far HotterConditions Than Indicated byWeather Data and TestProcedures

Local weather data is collected world-wide using standardized monitoringstations sited above lawn and soil inlocations that avoid the effects of build-ings and pavement (WMO, 2008). The

Enhanced and Localized Life-CycleClimate Performance (EL-LCCP)Metric for Air Conditioners

STEPHEN O. ANDERSEN1, JAMES WOLF2,YUNHO HWANG3,JIAZHEN LING3, MARCO GONZALEZ4

1Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development (IGSD)2Global Policy Associate3Center for Environmental Energy Engineering (CEEE), University of Maryland (UMD)4Montreal Protocol Technology and Economics Assessment Panel (TEAP)(*)

(*) The authors are grateful for the substantialcontributions of other members of the CarbonMetrics Team, including: Suely Carvalho, DidierCoulomb, Hilde Dhont, Michel Farah, GabrielleDreyfus, Alex Hillbrand, Jinxing Hu, NancySherman, Mike Thompson, Viraj Vithoontien,Stephen Yurek, and Zhong Zhifeng.

Figure 1. Enhanced and localized LCCP of AC.

imp ANDERSEN:mod 2002 8-10-2018 13:00 Pagina 16

problem is that ambient temperaturesin urban heat islands where ACs oftenoperate are hotter than the tempera-tures measured in the isolated weatherstations. Also, AC condensers that dis-burse heat removed from buildings bythe AC are often stacked and clustered,located in direct sun, and/or with poorair circulation, so hot air dischargedfrom one condenser heats another.The urban heat island effect resultsfrom human activities, including modifi-cation of land surfaces and generationof heat through energy usage (US EPA,2018). On a hot, sunny day, dryexposed urban surfaces, such asroofs and pavement, can be 27 ~ 50°C(50 ~ 90°F) hotter than air tempera-ture measured at the closest stan-dardized weather stations (Berdahland Bretz, 1997).The annual mean airtemperature of a city with a populationof one million or more can be 1 ~ 3°C(2 ~ 6°F) warmer than its surroundings(Oke, 1997). The energy impact ofstacked and clustered condensersdepends on the equipment design(cooling air intake and exhaust), spatialconfiguration, air exchange (includingfrom wind and thermo-siphoning), andthe amount of cumulative heat generat-ed by the condensers (Bruelisauer etal., 2014; Choi et al., 2005).

2) The Carbon Intensity ofElectricity (CO2-eq carbon/kWh)as Delivered to AC Equipment isFar Higher at High AmbientTemperatures and CoincidentPeak Energy Loads

AC carbon footprint is properly calcu-lated at the point of use to take intoconsideration transmission and distri-bution (T&D) losses of the grid or sub-grid where the equipment is installed.The calculation should also includeenergy losses from any voltage stabi-lizing device at the point of use, whichcan add 5% electric loss. Electricitypower transmission and distributionlosses are temperature dependentand significant (Bartos et al., 2016),with a current global average loss ofabout 8%. Losses range from 1% orless for countries with small and/ormodern grids (e.g. Singapore 0%,Iceland 2%, Germany 4%, Bahrain5%, and China 6%) to as high as 87%for large countries with dispersed,obsolete grids and/or old infrastruc-

ture (e.g. Togo 87%, Haiti 55%,Republic of Congo 44%, Iraq 33%,and Honduras 31%) (The World Bank,2017). The portion of electricity takenillegally from the grid is not included inthe carbon intensity measurement ofelectricity for AC.At high ambient temperatures, whenAC cooling load is peaking, the carbonintensity of electricity increasesbecause: 1) power plants are pushedbeyond their most efficient output; 2)moth-balled and stand-by powerplants that have much higher fuel useand GHG emissions are brought online; 3) water- and air-cooled thermalpower plants are less efficient andrequire more electricity for fans andpumps, and gas turbines become lessefficient as the density of air decreas-es (Sieber, 2013; Durmayaz andSogut, 2006; Kimmell and Veil, 2009);and 4) electricity transmission and dis-tribution is less efficient at high tem-peratures when grid line capacity ispushed and transformers require pow-ered cooling. Another problem facingthermal power generation is thedecreasing volume of available waterfor condenser cooling, particularly dur-ing hot-weather droughts. For exam-ple, the 2018 Nordic region heatwaves increased sea water tempera-tures such that some nuclear reactorshad to reduce power output or shutdown altogether, which made neces-sary the import of electricity from con-tinental Europe at higher cost and car-bon intensity (ClimateWire, 2018).

Similar impacts of limited water supplyand high cooling water temperaturesare reported for coal and nuclearpower plants in France, Germany, andSwitzerland (Montel News, 2018).

3)The Carbon Intensity ofElectricity is Miscalculated atAverage RatherThan Hour-by-Hour Marginal Values of theElectricity Generation

In most hot climates, peak annualenergy consumption occurs as a con-sequence of air conditioning on thehottest days during the hours betweenmid-day and evening. Purchasinginefficient ACs contributes to the needfor new power plant capacity and pay-ing for new power plants can be moreexpensive to electricity rate payersthan the purchase of super-efficientACs, especially considering thatsuper-efficient ACs have far loweroperating costs. (Smith and Hittinger,2018).Improving the energy efficiency ofACs reduces electricity consumptionwhile the AC is operating, includingduring peak hours. As demand for ACgrows, improving equipment’s energyefficiency at a large market scale canreduce the need to build new powerplants (IEA 2018; Shaw et al., 2015). Ashift of investment from new powerplants to higher energy efficiencysaves money, reduces air pollution, andfights climate change (IEA, 2014).One of the most important features ofthe EL-LCCP metric is that it calculates

17

Figure 2. Extra carbon emissions due to various losses.


hour-by-hour carbon footprint based onthe carbon intensity of the electricity asdelivered that would be avoided withhigher AC energy efficiency. Typically,the least fuel-efficient plants would bethrottled down, not the clean renew-able sources like solar and wind thatmust be consumed as generated orthe hydroelectric that can be re-sched-uled if reservoir capacity is available.EL-LCCP identified a worst-case sce-nario summarized in Figure 2, with anextra 2% decrease in power plant effi-ciency, 0.5% greater transmission anddistribution losses; 5% loss from thevoltage stabilizer; leading to a 48%carbon emission increase as com-pared to standard scenario.

CONCLUSIONS AND POLICYIMPLICATIONS

This paper describes the EL-LCCPmetric, which estimates that the car-bon footprint of ACs can be up toabout 50% or higher than convention-al estimates that overlook typical real-world operating conditions such astransmission and distribution losses,heat island and stacking and cluster-ing of condensers.The policy implications include:• Higher energy efficiency is more ef-

fective at protecting climate than hasbeen previously calculated becausefor every kWh saved through energyefficiency, much more than a kWh ofelectricity in generation is avoided.

• The combined cost of a super-effi-cient AC and the added power plantcapacity necessary its operation dur-ing peak circumstances can be farless than the combined cost of aninefficient AC and a greater powerplant investment; and

• Solar and wind energy can have aneven greater economic advantageover fossil fuel electricity generationwhen located near the places wherethe energy is used.

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REFERENCES

Bartos, Matthew, Mikhail Chester, Nathan Johnson,Brandon Gorman, Daniel Eisenberg, Igor Linkov,and Matthew Bates. 2016. Impacts of Rising AirTemperatures on Electric Transmission Ampacityand Peak Electricity Load in the United States.Environmental Research Letters, Volume 11,Number 11, 114008.

Berdahl, Paul and Sarah Bretz. 1997. Preliminarysurvey of the solar reflectance of cool roofing mate-rials. Energy and Buildings, 25:149-158.

Bruelisauer, Marcel, Forrest Meggers, EsmailSaber, Cheng Li and Hansjürg Leibundgut. 2014.Stuck in a stack—Temperature measurements ofthe microclimate around split type condensing unitsin a high-rise building in Singapore, Energy andBuildings, 71:28-37.

Choi, Seok-Ho, Kwan-Soo Lee, Byung-Soon Kim.2005. Effects of Stacked Condensers in a High-RiseApartment Building, Energy, 30(7): 968-981.

ClimateWire. 2018. NUCLEAR: Prices spike asNorwegian utilities cope with warm water. 2. August:https://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2018/08/02/stories/1060091905.

Durmayaz, Ahmet and Oguz Salim Sogut. 2006.Influence of cooling water temperature on the effi-ciency of a pressurized-water reactor nuclear-powerplant. International Journal of Energy Research,30:799-810.

EC (European Commission). 2017. EU countries trig-ger entry into force of Kigali Amendment to MontrealProtocol. https://ec.europa.eu/clima/news/eu-coun-tries-trigger-entry-force-kigali-amendment-montreal-protocol_en.

IEA (International Energy Agency), 2018. TheFuture of Cooling: Opportunities for energy-efficientair conditioning. https://webstore.iea.org/the-future-of-cooling.

IEA, 2014. Capturing the Multiple Benefits of EnergyEfficiency.http://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/Multiple_Benefits_of_Energy_Efficiency.pdf.

IIR (International Institute of Refrigeration), 2016.Guideline for Life Cycle Climate Performance.http://www.iifiir.org/userfiles/file/about_iir/working_parties/WP_LCCP/08/Booklet-LCCP-Guideline-V1.2-JAN2016.pdf.

Kimmell, T.A. and Veil, J.A. 2009. Impact of droughton US steam electric power plant cooling waterintakes and related water resource managementissues. DOE/NETL-2009/1364. United StatesMontel News. 2018. From Finland to Switzerland –firms cut output amid heatwave (27 July):https://www.montelnews.com/en/story/from-finland-to-switzerland—firms-curb-output-amid-heat/921390.

Kimmell, T.A. and Veil, J.A. 2009. Impact of droughton US steam electric power plant cooling waterintakes and related water resource managementissues. DOE/NETL-2009/1364. United States

Oke, Tim R. 1997. Urban Climates and GlobalEnvironmental Change. In: Thompson, R.D. and A.Perry (eds.) Applied Climatology: Principles &Practices. New York, NY: Routledge. pp. 273-287.

Shah N., Max Wei, Virginie Letschert, AmolPhadke. 2015. Benefits of Leapfrogging toSuperefficiency and Low Global Warming PotentialRefrigerants in Room Air Conditioning, ErnestOrlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,LBNL-1003671.

Sieber, Jeannette. 2013. Impacts of, and adaptationoptions to, extreme weather events and climatechange concerning thermal power plants. ClimaticChange, 121(1), 55-66.

Smith, C. N., and Hittinger, E. 2018. Using marginalemission factors to improve estimates of emissionbenefits from appliance efficiency upgrades. EnergyEfficiency, 1-16.

The World Bank, Electric power transmission and dis-tribution losses (% of output), 2017, Retrieved fromhttp://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EG.ELC.LOSS.Z.S.

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Latest conference on new technology in RACNext UN Environment, IIR, CSG Conference will be on 6-7 June 2019


19

Research Status onthe Flammable Characteristicsof Combustible Refrigerants

ZIJIAN LV, ZHAO YANG, BIAO FENG, RUI ZHAI

Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Low and Medium Grade Energy,MOE, School of Mechanical Engineering,Tianjin University, ChinaOn behalf of the Chinese Association of Refrigeration (CAR)

Refrigeration and Heat-Pump Laboratory,MOE, School of Mechanical Engineering,Tianjin University.

ABSTRACT

The natural refrigerant (HCs, ammo-nia, etc), HFCs with low GWP (R161,R152a, etc), HFOs (R1234yf,R1234ze, etc) and HFEs (RE170,etc), which are environment friendlyand also have outstanding thermody-namic properties, have been consid-ered as the potential candidate fornext generation refrigerants. However,most of the new generation refriger-ants are flammability and explosive-ness. So it is very significance to studythe combustion characteristic andflame-retarding mechanism of theflammable refrigerants. This paperintroduced several experimentalmethod and facility about basic flam-mable characteristics, and summa-rized the influence of the flame retar-dants of flammable gas. And the mix-ture of flammable refrigerants andextinguishing agents could be a com-promise between the high GWP andflammability.Keywords: Refrigerant, Substitute,Flammability, Flame-retarding mecha-nism.

1. INTRODUCTION

According to the report that the ozonehole in South and North Pole is begin-ning to recover, the achievement isattribute to the limit and eliminationuse of HCFC refrigerant.The MontrealProtocol on substances that depletethe ozone layer has decided to phaseout R22 and other HCFCs early

in1987, which has a forward-looking insafeguard the ozone layer [1].Now HFCs, such as R410 are chosenas the alternative for R22 as well asother HCFCs. HFCs have no harm tothe ozone layer, but the global warm-ing potential is very high and evenhigher than R22. Hence, the new envi-ronment problem about global warm-ing makes HFCs facing elimination inthe long term use [2]. Therefore, theParis agreement was adopted at theParis climate change conference onDecember 12, 2015 and signed inNewYork on April 22, 2016, which is toset an agreement to response theglobal climate change after 2020, aim-ing to control the rise of the globalaverage temperature under 2°C in thiscentury. Then, the European Unionenacted the F-gas Regulation and theEPA (Environmental ProtectionAgency) extended the provisions ofsection 608 of the Clean Air Act. And,in 2016, nearly 200 countries aroundthe world signed Kigali Amendmentand it will enter into force on January1, 2019, which clearly pointed out thetimetable of HFCs phase out for eachcountry. So it is very urgent and impor-tant to reduce greenhouse gas emis-sions and mitigate greenhouse effectfor all over the world.Accompany with elimination andphasing out of the HCFCs and HFCswith nonzero ODP and high GWP,respectively, the organizations of gov-ernment, academic and manufacturerwill face major challenges, which willhave a promoting and guiding effect tothe development of the new genera-

tion working fluid with zero ODP andlow GWP. As researches shown inrecent years, the natural refrigerant(HCs, ammonia, etc), HFCs with lowGWP (R161, R152a, etc), HFOs(R1234yf, R1234ze, etc) and HFEs(RE170, etc), which are environmentfriendly and also have outstandingthermodynamic properties, have beenconsidered as the potential candidatefor next generation refrigerants andwill be widely applied in prospect.For example, the HCs refrigerant,R290, which has better heater transferin heat exchanger, lower compressordischarge temperature[3] and lowerrefrigerant charge[4], has been con-sidered as the candidate for chillersand room air conditioners. And R600ahas been applied in heat pump waterheater and refrigerator. As the substi-tution for R134a, HFO1234yf may bethe best choice for mobile air condi-tioner and vending. The HFCs withultra-low GWP, such as R161andR152a, will be used in the developingcountries as a transitional selection fora long time.However, most of the new generationrefrigerants are flammability andexplosiveness. And if a leakageoccurs in the refrigeration and heatpump system, there will be seriousconsequences. Thus, it is imperativeto research the flammable character-istics of refrigerant to evaluate andreduce the risk of fire. And the lowerflammability limit (LFL), upper flamma-bility limit (UFL), flame propagationvelocity and explosion pressure arebasic flammable characteristics to

imp HU CAR cina:mod 2002 8-10-2018 12:49 Pagina 19

evaluate the intensity of combustion.But beyond that, flame-retardingmechanism of different refrigerantsalso should be studied.

2. STUDIES ON COMBUSTIBLEREFRIGERANTS

In this section, the experimentalmethod and facility of basic flammablecharacteristics will be introduced, andsome studies have been summarized.The flammability limit could be testedby the method given in the ChineseNational standard GB/T 12474 [5] andISO 10156, which introduce a methodto test for explosion limits of com-bustible gases in air of normal temper-ature and pressure.The main reaction vessel is a longglass tube. Besides, the internationalstandard ASTM E681: Method for con-centration limits of flammability ofchemicals and ASHRAE standard 34[6]: Designation and safety classifica-tion of Refrigerants suggest anothermethod to research the explosioncharacteristics of flammable gasesusing a 12L spherical glass flasks atthe atmospheric environment, asshown in Figure 1.However, the two reaction vessels:long glass tube and spherical glassflask, cannot hold high pressure, andbefore igniting the flammable gas, therelief valve should be switched on. Fora comprehensive evaluation of theexplosion risk, the explosion pressureand explosion index of the flammablegas also should be measured.And the test chamber is a stainlesssteel spherical vessel, which can holdhigher pressure and test the explosionproperties in varies initial pressureand different oxygen-enriched atmos-phere.By using the above experimentalmethod, many scholars, institutions ormanufacturers have researched onthe characteristics of flammable gasas follows. Wu et al. researched on theflammability characteristics of severalbinary blends of 1-Chloro-1, 1-difluo-roethane and extinguishing agentsusing the 12L spherical glass flasks.Honeywell and DuPont have used theASTM E681 apparatus to measurethe flammable limit of R1234yf [7].Chen et al.[8] measured the ethylene

explosion characteristics under stan-dard atmospheric conditions by usinga 20L stainless steel spherical vessel.And several researches have shownthat test method, shape of combustionchamber and the type of ignition allhave an influence on the flammabilityof refrigerant. In addition, the flamma-ble characteristics of those compoundare also affected by temperature,humidity and pressure.For example, Kondo et al. [9] meas-ured the flammable limits in air for sev-eral compounds classified as 2Lrefrigerants such as R32, R143a,

R1234yf and R1234ze, in a 12L spher-ical glass ball at the temperature variesfrom 5 to 100 ℃ and the humidityvaries from 0 to 90%. Furthermore,Kondo [10] also measured the flam-mability limits of R1234yf, R32 andmethane at the pressure from oneatmosphere to 2500kpa in a 5L stain-less-steel spherical vessel.Additionally Zhang and Yang [11] car-ried out a series of experiment toinvestigated the explosion pressureand rate of pressure rise of R290 atvaries initial pressure by using a 20Lball explosion experimental device.

Table 1.Physical and environmental data of some refrigerants.

Number

HC-290

HC-600a

HFC-161

HFC-152a

DME

HFO-1234yf

HFO-1234ze(E)

HFO-1234ze(Z)

HCFO1233zd(E)

Critical parameters

TC,K

369 4251 231 A3 0.041 0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

~20

~20

12

133

1

<1

<1

<1

1.34

0.016

0.18

1.5

0.015

0.029

0.045

–

0.071

A3

–

A2

A3

A2L

–

–

A1

260

235

249

248

243

254

282

301

3629

5091

4516

5336

3382

3640

3970

–

407

375

386

400

367

382

426

439

PC,KpaNBP,K

Std 34safetygroup

Atomsphericlife (yr) ODP GWP,

100yr

Figure 1.General view of the testing method of gaseous flammability.

20


3. FLAME-RETARDINGMECHANISM

Many manufacturers have adoptedmixed refrigerant solutions in responseto the wave of elimination of refrigerant.The binary blends or ternary blends offlammable refrigerants and nonflam-mable refrigerants is a compromiseproposal to solve the current dilemma,which can make the new refrigerant getlower GWP and less flammability.Chemours has developed a new refrig-erant named XP10 (R513A) as thesubstitution of R134a, the main compo-nents are R1234yf and R134a and theGWP of the binary mixtures is 573.Arkema’s alternative to R134a isR516a, a ternary blend of R1234yf,R134a and R152a. R516a may be thelong term replacement to R134a withthe very-low GWP (<150).Our laboratory has researched theinhibitory effect of flame retardants onsome refrigerants (such as HC, HFCand HFO) in prevision works. Somerefrigerants’ physical and environmen-tal data is shown in Tab.1. Here, areview about our laboratory’s worksconducted on the inhibitory effect offlame retardants is performed.

3.1 HCs, HFCs and its flameretardantsWu et al.[12] performed a series ofexperiments to evaluating the securityof binary mixture with the addition ofthe flame-retardant R245fa. And theflame-retarding characteristics of

R245fa on R290, R152a, DME andR600a were studied. The result showsthat the flame-retarding effect ofR245fa on HCs was worse, and was alittle better on HFCs, but both worsethan that of R134a, R125 and R227ea.They[13] also studied the flammablelimits of blends: R245fa/R142b,R134a/R142 and R227ea/R142b, andfound that the flame images ofR245fa/R142b, R227ea/R142b andR134a/R142b are quite different fromthat of R600a/R142b in color andshape. As the potential new generationrefrigerants, R161 has the suitable ther-modynamic properties with low GWP.And our lab laboratory [14] also hastested the flame suppression effects ofR227ea, R13I1, and R1234ze to R161.

3.2 HFOs and its flame retardantsThe HFO refrigerants, such asR1234ze(E) and R1234yf, are regard-ed as the competitive candidates ofrefrigerants. The fundamental flamma-ble characteristics of R1234ze (E) andR1234yf, as well as their blends, havebeen researched in the follow two arti-cles. Yang et al. [15] found that therewas no flame observed under theexperimental volumetric concentrationrange of 6%~24% for R1234ze (E) inthe dry air. While the test is under thehigh humidity condition, R1234ze (E)was ignited. As for the binary blends,R1234ze(E)/R161 and R1234ze(E)/R152a, with the increase of concentra-tion ratio of R1234ze (E) to R152a (orR161), the flammability limit range

was shrank to some extent. In 2018,Feng et al.[16] has studied the sup-pression effects of flammability ofR1234yf by flame retardants, R134aand R227ea, obtained the critical sup-pression ratios of the two mixtures,and also compared and analyzed theflame colors and flame propagationvelocity characteristics of R1234yfbefore and after the addition flameretardants. And some results areshowed in Figure 2.For the flame-retard agents such asR125, R134a, R227ea, and R245fa,the value b (defined as the ratio of thenumber of F atom to H atom in the mol-ecule) greatly affect the flame-inhibitingeffect. In general, the greater the bvalue is, the better the flame retardingeffect. And according to the b value, therankings of flame-inhibiting effects the-oretically is R227ea > R125 > R134a >R245fa. Although the flame retardingeffect of R245fa is not better than theother three, its GWP is the lowest.

4. CONCLUSIONS

Some studies about the basic flamma-ble characteristics and the influence ofthe flame retardants of flammable gasare summarized in this study. Addedthe extinguishing agents in the flamma-ble refrigerants may be a compromisebetween the high GWP and flammabil-ity. For the future works, the addition ofextinguishing agents to the oil may bea new method to suppress the com-

Figure 2.

Flammable limits of R227ea and R134a to R1234yf [16]

21


22

bustion of the flammable gas. And theextinguishing agents added in the oilcould be liquid or solid, which has littleeffect on the property of refrigerants.

AcknowledgmentsThis work has been supported by theNational Natural Science Foundationof China (Grant No.51476111 and51741607), Key Program of NaturalScience Foundation of Tianjin City(Grant No.16JCZDJC33900), Tianjintalent development special supportprogram for high-level innovation andentrepreneurship team.

�REFERENCES[1] Corberán J M, Segurado J, Colbourne D, et al.Review of standards for the use of hydrocarbonrefrigerants in A/C, heat pump and refrigerationequipment[J]. International Journal of refrigeration,2008, 31(4): 748-756.[2] Teng T P, Mo H E, Lin H, et al. Retrofit assessmentof window air conditioner[J]. Applied ThermalEngineering, 2012, 32: 100-107.[3] Cheng S,Wang S, Liu Z.Cycle performance of alter-native refrigerants for domestic air-conditioning systembased on a small finned tube heat exchanger[J].Applied thermal engineering, 2014, 64(1-2): 83-92.[4] Padalkar A S, Mali K V, Devotta S. Simulated andexperimental performance of split packaged air con-ditioner using refrigerant HC-290 as a substitute forHCFC-22[J]. Applied Thermal Engineering, 2014,62(1): 277-284.[5] The National Standard, P.R.C., Testing Method ofthe Explosion Limit of the Flammable Gas in the Air,GB/T 12474-90.[6] ANSI/ASHRAE 34-2010, Designation and safetyclassification of refrigerants, 2010[7] Spatz M, Minor B. HFO-1234yf: a low GWP refrig-erant for MAC. Review of Automotive AirConditioning; 2008 January 29-30; Tokyo, Japan.[8] Chen C F, Shu C M, Wu H C, et al. Ethylene gasexplosion analysis under oxygen-enriched atmos-pheres in a 20-liter spherical vessel[J]. Journal ofLoss Prevention in the Process Industries, 2017,49: 519-524.[9] Kondo S, Takizawa K, Tokuhashi K. Effects of tem-perature and humidity on the flammability limits ofseveral 2L refrigerants[J]. Journal of FluorineChemistry, 2012, 144: 130-136.[10] Kondo S, Takahashi A, Takizawa K, et al. On thepressure dependence of flammability limits of CH2=CFCF3, CH2F2 and methane[J]. Fire Safety Journal,2011, 46(5): 289-293.[11] Zhang W, Theoretical and experimental researchon the flammability hazards of an air conditioner sys-tem using refrigerant R290 and R32[D]. Tian jin uni-versity, 2015.[12] Yang Z, Wu X, Peng J. Theoretical and experi-mental investigation on the flame-retarding charac-teristic of R245fa[J]. Experimental Thermal and FluidScience, 2013, 44: 613-619.[13] Wu X,Yang Z, Tian T, et al. Experimental researchon the flammability characteristics of several binaryblends consisting of 1-Chloro-1, 1-difluoroethane andextinguishing agents[J]. Process Safety andEnvironmental Protection, 2014, 92(6): 680-686.[14] Yang Z, Wu X, Tian T. Flammability of Trans-1, 3,3, 3-tetrafluoroprop-1-ene and its binary blends[J].Energy, 2015, 91: 386-392.[15] Yang Z, Wu X, Wang X, et al. Research on theflammable characteristics of fluoroethane (R161)and its binary blends[J]. International Journal ofRefrigeration, 2015, 56: 235-245.[16] Feng B, Yang Z, Zhai R. Experimental study onthe influence of the flame retardants on the flamma-bility of R1234yf[J]. Energy, 2018, 143: 212-218.

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About us


ABSTRACT

China have more than one millionrefrigeration employees, in the past,due to weak awareness of environ-mental protection and irregular opera-tion, the random discharge of refriger-ants often occurred, causing environ-mental pollution and destruction of theozone layer. In recent years, with thestrong promotion of UN environmentand the Chinese government, Chinahas carried out the good practice train-ing project for refrigeration industry,the aim is to carry out training andpublicity activities for refrigerationpractitioners to protect the ozonelayer, standardize the operation andresponsible use of refrigerants, andpromote green and environmentfriendly refrigerants, through stan-dardized operation training, enhancethe environmental protection aware-ness and practical operation skills ofthe vast number of refrigeration practi-tioners. This project has achieved verygood economic and social benefits, ithas been highly praised and recog-nized by the vast number of practition-ers at the same time.Key words: Refrigeration and air con-ditioning, good practice training, envi-ronmental protection.

1. BACKGROUND

China is the world’s largest producerand consumer of HCFCs and HFCssubstances, accelerated HCFCsphase-out poses great challenges to

China’s refrigeration service sector.According to incomplete statistics,China’s room air conditioner mainte-nance enterprises in about 110,000,More than 10,000 refrigeration and airconditioning maintenance enterprisesfor industrial commercial, millions ofpeople are employed in refrigerationindustry.The refrigerant Leakage caused byrandom discharge of refrigerant andnon-standard operation during main-tenance of refrigeration equipment bymaintenance personnel often occurs,it brings certain negative effects to theenvironment.

2. DEVELOPMENT OF TRAINING

2.1 Establishment of training centerChina has set up the training center forrefrigeration and maintenance goodpractice training since 2014. The aim isto provide the refrigeration teachersand technicians training and publicity inozone layer protection and ODS refrig-erant recovery, enhance the awarenessof environmental protection for refriger-ating personnel. As of May 2018, Chinahas established 25 training centers in13 provinces and 4 municipalitiesdirectly under the central government, itincludes 2 national training centers.

23

Analysis of BestPracticeTraining of RefrigerationService Personnel in China

XU CHEN

Authorized Principal for Shenzen Qianhai Bingbing Education InvestmentDevelopment, China

Xu Chen (middle) received the Certificate atCentro Studi Galileo from Marino Bassi(right), Embraco and Stefano Sarti (left),CSG expert trainer.

NATIONAL

REGIONAL LEVEL

TRAINING CENTERS

imp CINA Xu Chen:mod 2002 8-10-2018 18:14 Pagina 23

More than 500 teachers have beentrained, and more than 7000 practition-ers have been trained in refrigeration.Refrigeration good practice training arewelcomed by practitioners, while stan-dardizing training, they also improvedtheir technical level and environmentalknowledge, it has achieved very goodsocial benefits.

2.2 Compilation of trainingmaterialsThe compilation of training materials isan important part of training, in order toensure the quality and effectiveness,the national training center combinesregional training centers to develop rel-evant teaching materials. According tothe characteristics of good practice ofrefrigeration maintenance, combinedwith the actual situation in China, andconsulted extensively the suggestionsof Refrigeration Association and refrig-eration technicians, the preliminarytraining materials and videos werecompiled, contents include copper tubeprocessing, welding, refrigerant recov-ery, air conditioning standard installa-tion, etc, the teaching materials areshared with the training centers toensure the unity of training quality andeffect.At the same time, the national trainingcenter organizes experts to carry outthe construction of the examinationquestion bank, which includes ozonelayer protection, refrigerant recovery,good operation and so on, it furtherenhances the importance of ozonelayer protection in training.

2.3 Update of national skillsstandardsChina’s Ministry of human resourcesand social security department is alsoactively promoting the evaluation crite-ria of national skilled talents, it includesrefrigeration installers, refrigerers andcentral air conditioning operators.Under the national talent strategy,future refrigeration maintenance tech-nicians not only need to master profes-sional skills, but also should have adeep understanding of environmentalprotection knowledge, master refriger-ant recycling operation and other envi-ronmental protection skills. Under theleadership of the Ministry of NationalPeople’s Society, refrigeration associa-tions, University teachers, enterprise

engineers and other experts are invitedto form a group of experts to revise thestandards, and to seek opinions andsuggestions in the industry to furtherimprove the national skills standards.

3.TRAINING INTERNATIONALCOOPERATION

In order to enhance the technical abili-ty of refrigeration and maintenanceteachers and technicians, with the sup-port of the State EnvironmentalProtection Department, China has senta number of refrigeration teachers andtechnicians to Europe and other devel-oped countries for refrigeration opera-tion training and exchange. Thetrainees learned advanced environ-mental protection concepts and goodoperation standards in developedcountries through training abroad, thetrainees’ awareness of ODS refriger-ants and the importance of good oper-ating practices are greatly enhanced,they have a deeper understanding ofthe importance and urgency of environ-mental protection in the field of refriger-ation and maintenance.At the same time, in order to promotethe professional ability of refrigerationtraining teachers, strengtheningexchanges between teachers andtechnicians of refrigeration and mainte-nance in neighboring developing coun-tries, help them improve the traininglevel and skills of refrigeration mainte-nance. China has also conducted spe-cial training in R290 combustible refrig-erant air conditioning products withCambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam andother countries. Discuss the technologyof HCFCs refrigerant replacement andexchange knowledge and skills witheach other.

4. SUMMARY

China is the world’s largest producerand user of refrigerants and refrigera-tion equipment, with more than onemillion refrigeration maintenanceworkers.At this stage, people do not knowenough about environmental protec-tion in refrigeration maintenance. Inorder to carry out environmental pro-tection work in the field of refrigerationand maintenance and accelerate theelimination of HCFCs refrigerants, theChinese government is actively carry-ing out HCFCs substitution work, andat the same time nationwide collectionof refrigeration and maintenance goodoperation training center, aimed atstrengthening the refrigeration andmaintenance practitioners’ awarenessof environmental protection andupgrading skills.At the same time, the training center isactively promoting the elimination ofHCFCs and preparing training materi-als to train after-sales personnel. Inthe area of refrigerant substitution,China has been committed to the pro-motion and application of 0 ODP andlow GWP refrigerants, and has suc-cessfully carried out many demonstra-tion projects. However, we should notneglect the shortage of after-salesrefrigeration training capacity and theupgrading of new refrigerant applica-tion skills.At present and in the future, China’srefrigeration maintenance training willlearn the advanced technologies andconcepts of developed countries, andjoin hands with developing countries inODS refrigerant substitution to contin-ue efforts to effectively implementODS substances.

�

24

imp CINA Xu Chen:mod 2002 8-10-2018 18:14 Pagina 24

1. INTRODUCTION

Refrigeration and air conditioning sys-tems are used in various fields, andthe amount of energy used by the sys-tems corresponds to 7% (CO2 equiva-lent) of the whole energy in Japan.However, the circumstances sur-rounding refrigerants and thermalinsulating materials used in the refrig-eration and air conditioning systemsdramatically changed. Referring to thereduction schedule of the HFC pro-duction volume by the KigaliAmendment to the Montreal Protocoladopted in 2016, the Japanese gov-ernment tries to reduce the volume to85% of a standard value by 2036. Thestandard volume is 70,000,000 CO2-tcorresponding to an average of theannual quantity in 2011-2013.With this Kigali Amendment, it is nec-essary to change the conventional flu-orocarbon refrigerants to new refriger-ants with less environmental load.Besides the refrigerants, it is requiredto modify the refrigeration and air con-ditioning systems and the thermalinsulating materials to satisfy the envi-ronmental requests. However, thedeveloped new refrigerants have limit-ed cycle performances equivalent tothe conventional refrigerants.In this report, selection of the newrefrigerants and the developing situa-tions of their systems in Japan will beintroduced. In addition, difficulties ofthe refrigerant selection with both oflow global warming potential (GWP)and high safety are described basedon their thermophysical properties

and cycle performances. Consideringthem, the future trend of refrigerantsand measures will be suggested.

2. SELECTION OF NEWREFRIGERANTS

Since the adoption of the MontrealProtocol on Substances that Depletethe Ozone Layer in 1987, the conven-tional CFC and HCFC refrigerantshave been replaced with the HFCrefrigerants that contain no chlorineatom. The released amount of theHFC refrigerants filled in the refrigera-tion and air-conditioning systems tothe atmosphere are remarkablyincreasing in Japan: 3.0 million CO2-ton in 2000, 8.8 million in 2005, 20.3million in 2010, and 35.4 million in2015. However, as a result of adoptingthe Kyoto Protocol in 1997 to preventglobal warming, the HFC refrigerantsare classified as substances subject toemission reduction.To reduce the emission of the refriger-ants with high GWP, the FluorocarbonsRecovery and Destruction Law ofJapan (promulgated in 2001) has beenrevised, and the Act on Rational Useand Proper Management of Fluorocar-bons was effective on April 1, 2015.The regulation law is to control a hugenumber of the systems includinghousehold air conditioners (approx.100 million units). It is followed by auto-mobile air conditioners (75 million),commercial air conditioners (10.5 mil-lion including 1 million for building), andsmall freezer-refrigerators (7.6 million).

In order to suppress the emission ofthe fluorocarbon refrigerants in a hugenumber of refrigeration and air condi-tioning systems, it is necessary to takeeffective measures in a wide range offields. From the estimated amount ofsupplied refrigerants and its flow in theJapanese market (Figure 11,2)), itshows that a large amount of refriger-ants has been supplied and kept in themarket. The stocked amount in themarket corresponds to about 11 timesof the annual volume. The volume isobtained by adding the chargedamount in the newly manufacturedmachines to that required at theirinstallation and supplied for mainte-nance.Simply after the introduction of thenew refrigerants, it might take morethan ten years by the replacement ofthe conventional refrigerants is com-pleted. It is clear that not only earlydevelopments of the new refrigerantsand their systems but also establish-ments of refrigerant management sys-tem are required. The latter must takea central role including strict refriger-ant leakage countermeasures, refrig-erant recovery system with a highrecovery rate, and more recycledrefrigerant usage. From the limited dif-ference between the flow figures of2008 and 2016 in Figure 1, it is clearthat the tackling should be continueduntil the stocked refrigerants are most-ly replaced with the new refrigerantsbecause of the difficulties of the refrig-erant management. It is strongly desir-able to build a recycle/reuse system atan early stage not only in Japan but

25

Selection of Refrigerantsand FutureTrend

NOBORU KAGAWA

President, Japan Society of Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (JSRAE)Professor, Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, National Defense Academy of JapanExecutive Committee Member and Managing Committee Member, International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR)

imp KAGAWA selection:mod 2002 8-10-2018 13:48 Pagina 25

also in each country and region.Table 1 shows the target fiscal yearand the GWP target value for eachproduct category presented by theMinistry of Economy, Trade andIndustry of Japan (MITI). In addition,representatives of the currently usedrefrigerants and new candidate refrig-erants are shown in the table.According to Table 1, the target for thecommercial air conditioners for build-ings is not set yet. Depending on theproduct classification, some HFCrefrigerants regulated by the KigaliAmendment, hydrofluoroolefin (HFO)refrigerants and natural refrigerants,e.g. isobutane (R 600a), ammonia (R717), CO2 (R 744), must be used asthe new refrigerants. Their lower/higherflammability becomes a big issue touse.Under such circumstances, it is desir-able to develop a new refrigerant suit-able for each system. However, it isrequired to have a normal boiling pointsuitable for operating temperature.And also, many requirements on therefrigerant performance should be sat-isfied3), e.g. all of GWP, flammability,and toxicity should be as low as possi-ble, chemical stability such as materi-al compatibility is excellent, cycle effi-ciency (coefficient of performance)keeps good. Many research anddevelopment are being conducted onthe candidate refrigerants filled incommercial air conditioning systemsincluding for buildings (VRF/VRV), inmedium-size refrigeration and freez-ing systems, in stand-alone and con-densing units.At the present time, however, there isno new candidate refrigerant with a sin-gle substance among the fluorocarbonrefrigerants. Therefore, the researchand development are conducted main-ly on refrigerant mixtures with somecomponents of low-GWP refrigerants.Recently, some Japanese companiesbrought out systems for medium-sizerefrigeration and freezing systems withrefrigerant mixtures, e.g. R 407H (R 32/125/134a), R 448A (R 32/125/134a/1234yf/1234ze(E)), R 463A (R 32/125/134a/744/1234yf).In order to predict the reduction effectby the regulation, the relationshipbetween the refrigeration amountstocked in the market and the leakageamount were estimated in the previ-

ous report4). The leakage amounts in2012 and 20 years after replacing therefrigerants were calculated from leak-age factors published by Japanesegovernment. The leakage amounts

from the air conditioning systems ofboth large and room air conditioners,and the refrigerated display caseswere dominant, even though after thetarget years.

26

Table 1. Target year and GWP of designated products

*1: the capital letter corresponds to toxicity (A, B) and the digit to flammability (1,2,2L,3).*2: Excluding rated compressor output of 1.5 kW or less.*3: For newly shipped for freezing refrigerated warehouse of 50,000 m3 or more.*4: Excluding floor-mounted type.*5: For passenger cars excluding those with a capacity of 11 or more.*6: For spray foam for house building materials.*7: Excepting non-flammable applications.

Table 2. Component materials of the candidate refrigerant mixtures


Though the natural refrigerants suchas carbon dioxide and ammonia havebeen developed mainly for the medi-um to large-size refrigeration andfreezing systems, and for the refriger-ated display cases, their productprices rise due to development of newcomponents and installation of safetydevices. Therefore, subsidies by thegovernment are necessary for dis-semination of systems using thesenatural refrigerants. In Japan, the sub-sidies started from 2005. The budgethas increased each year and the fiscalyear 2018 budget achieves to 6.5 bil-lion yen (sixty million dollars). In thecase of that the safety must be con-cerned mainly, developments of sys-tems with new fluorocarbon refriger-ants are also desired instead ofammonia.However, the new refrigerant candi-dates, particularly with the fluorocar-bon refrigerants, have not yet beendetermined.Table 2 shows basic prop-erties of the component substances ofthe refrigerant mixtures currentlybeing considered as the new refriger-ants3). The capital letter of safety codecorresponds to toxicity (A, B: lower,higher) and the digit to flammability (1,

2L, 2, 3: no, lower burning velocity,lower, higher)).Figure 2(a) shows the relationshipbetween the normal boiling point andthe molar mass of the refrigerant can-didates. The molar mass increaseswith the normal boiling point. Thetrends differ between the A3 and otherrefrigerant groups. It should be notedthat a pressure loss tends to increaseas the molar mass increases.Therefore, it will be required to takecare about decreasing cycle perform-ance by the pressure loss whendesigning the system with long tubeexcept for the A3 refrigerants. Fig. 2(b)shows the relationship between thenormal boiling point and GWP. In theplotting range of the boiling point,there is no low GWP refrigerantexcept for the A3 (HC) and A2L refrig-erants.For a refrigerant mixture whose tem-perature difference in the normal boil-ing points of the component sub-stances remarkably differs, a tempera-ture glide (temperature gradient)under an isobar will occur in the two-phase region. The temperature glidesat the normal boiling point are shownin Figure 2(c). When the temperature

glide can not be ignored: it is morethan 1 K, it is classified as a non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture, not apseudo-azeotrpic one. For non-azeotropic refrigerant mixtures, it isnecessary to redesign cycles and ele-ment parts. In addition, in the case ofa large temperature glide, heat trans-fer performance in heat exchanger isgenerally degraded as compared withsingle refrigerant. The mixing ratio iseasily changed in constituent ele-ments in which the refrigerant isretained. The mixing ratio changes inthe cycle circulation and the changingcauses lowering the cycle perform-ance.Therefore, as a trend on the selectionof the new refrigerants, it is conceiv-able to explore the development of thefollowing refrigerant mixtures or use ofthe higher flammable natural refriger-ants.Mix.1: Refrigerant mixtures with higherflammable natural refrigerants (A3)such as propane, butane, isobutane,propene.Mix.2: Refrigerant mixtures obtainedby mixing natural refrigerant (A3) suchas propane with HFO refrigerant (A2L)such as R 1234yf.

27

Figure 1. Flow of refrigerants for refrigeration and A/C

(b) 20162)

Commercial refrigeration and A/C only (not includinghousehold and automobile)

(a) 20081)

Numbers mean refrigerant amounts (ton), Numbersin parentheses mean ratio to net refrigerant amounts(= domestic refrigerant production + import – export


Mix.3: Refrigerant mixtures with refrig-erant of Mix.1 or Mix.2. obtained bymixing HFC refrigerant (A1, A2L) suchas R 32, R 134a.Although Mix.1 can reduce GWP, it isrequired to take care about flammabil-ity. Besides, though the flammability islowered for Mix.2, the temperatureglide becomes large.When the molec-ular mass is large, the influence of thepressure loss may increase. Also,Mix.3 is depending on the combina-tion and the mixing ratio, the tempera-ture glide and the flammability can bereduced but the GWP increases.When safety becomes one of impor-tant issues to design, a refrigerantmixture using HFC refrigerant of Mix.3is also expected.

3. REFRIGERANT MANAGING

Under many but limited options areexpected for the new refrigerants, it isnecessary to develop refrigerants suit-able for each application satisfying theKigali Amendment. As describedabove, it is expected that some candi-date refrigerants will include HFCrefrigerants regulated by the amend-ment. Therefore, it should be consid-ered to build a refrigerant managementsystem and to use the existing HFCrefrigerants as precious resources for along time1,3). According to the refriger-ant management system, there aremany items to be developed such asmeasures against the refrigerant leak-age from systems, new piping and cou-pling methods, refrigerant recoverysystem with the highest possiblerecovery rate, and fair recycling sys-

tem of the recovered refrigerants.Most of them are under development

and new technologies will be reallyrequired.

28

Figure 2. Fundamental characteristics of refrigerants

(b) 20162)

(a) Normal boiling point and molar mass (b) Normal boiling point and GWP (c) Normal boiling point and temperature glide

Figure 3. Refrigerant recovery from specific products at disposal5)

Figure 4. Recycle and destruction amounts of fluorocarbons5)


According to a survey by the MITI, andMinistry of the Environment of Japan(MOE), it was found that leakage dur-ing use was relatively large due toinsufficient maintenance and ageddeterioration of refrigeration and airconditioning systems. Currently, alongwith the application of the fluorocar-bon emission control law, five termshas been implemented in Japan.• Reduction of new production volume

by replacement and recycling of fluo-rocarbons

• Promotion of refrigerant replacement• Proper management of commercial

systems• Fulfillment of proper charging, recov-

ering obligation.• Optimization of recycling and destru-

ction processes.Trends of recovery volume from thespecific products and recovery one atdisposal are shown in Figure 35).Currently, the recovery of the fluoro-carbon refrigerants used for commer-cial refrigeration and air conditioningsystems is obliged to be recovered atthe time of disposal, but the recoveryrate is sluggish at about 30% from2003 to 2011. After 2011 the rateslightly increased and reached 39% in2016. Further efforts are required toachieve the Japanese target value of70%. The actual results of recycle anddestruction amounts of the fluorocar-bon refrigerants are shown in Figure4. The destruction amount is almostflat: CFC:HCFC:HFC=194:2464:2161ton in 2016, were 153:2363:2268 tonin 2017. The ratio of the HFC refriger-ants is increasing. The recycling

amount of the HFC refrigerants tendsto increase: CFC:HCFC : HFC = 35 :733 : 197 ton in 2016, became 30 : 868: 350 ton in 2017.By utilizing logbook of refrigerantmanagement system, useful informa-tion can be obtained, e.g. a trend ofelapsed years of system use and thenumber of leaks/failures of systems.Japan Refrigerants and EnvironmentConservation Organization takes careof it systematically. As shown in Figure52,6), it is possible to know when sys-tem with high leakage/failure frequen-cy was installed, and what kind ofrefrigerant is used. By managing theinspection history of the systems, it ispossible to identify the location of thefailure, and to analyze the cause ofthat. As the result, the amount of leak-age during use can be reduced.

4. PROPOSALS

It is estimated that the atmospherictemperature will increase by 0.1 to 0.3K by 2100 due to the emission of theHFC refrigerants7).Therefore, it is pos-sible to prevent the temperature incre-ment by the volume reduction of theHFC refrigerants. However, in additionto suppressing the emission of the flu-orocarbon refrigerants including HFC,it is also important to reduce basicunits of using energy and indirecteffects of total equivalent warmingimpact, TEWI7).Therefore, selection ofthe optimum refrigerant for each sys-tem is important so as to reduce theenvironmental burden: coefficient of

performance and system performanceshould be improved. On the otherhand, efficient usage of these systemswith sufficient maintenance will bealso required. To realize ideal solutionfor this problem, the yellow areas inFigure 1 which correspond rations ofrecovery and recycling of refrigerants,should be increased, and the blackarrows must be decreased.Global warming is a global problem.Therefore, international efforts arenecessary. The greenhouse gas emis-sions from the refrigeration and airconditioning systems in the wholeworld are equivalent to 7.8% of thetotal. Japanese technologies and poli-cies are relatively going ahead in thisfield and will play an important roleinternationally. We should try to dis-seminate the technologies to World.

�REFERENCES1) Noboru Kagawa, New Refrigerants forRefrigeration and Air-conditioning: Current Situationand Future Aspect based on ThermophysicalProperties, Reito, 731-739, JSRAE (2013.11) (inJapanese).2) Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan,www.meti.go.jp/meti_lib/report/H29FY/000205.pdf(2018-5)3) Noboru Kagawa, New refrigerants and refrigerantmanagement for refrigeration and air conditioning-Current situation in Japan and future aspect-,Industria&formazione, International special issue2014-2015, pp.15-19 (2014.10)4) Noboru Kagawa, Refrigerants and New SystemsDevelopments in Japan, Industria&formazione,International special issue 2016-2017, pp.33-36(2016.10)5) Ministry of the Environment of Japan, https://wwwenv.go.jp/press/y0615-06/mat03.pdf (2017.9)6) Japan Refrigerants and Environment ConservationOrganization, https://www.jreco.jp/public/assets/file/guide_05.pdf (2017-10)7) IIR, The impact of the refrigeration sector on cli-mate change, IIR Informatory Note (2017.11)

29

Figure 5. Availability of logbook data

(a) Case 1: Frequency of leakage and malfunction6) (b) Case 2: Frequency of refrigerant charging at maintenance2)


30

1. INTRODUCTION

It is already well-known, it was agreedas “Kigali amendment” under the par-ticipation of 197 countries at the 28thMOP held in Kigali, the capital ofAfrica’s Rwanda in November 2016,“Stepwise reduction of HFC (hydroflu-orocarbon) refrigerants” has beenadvanced worldwide.In Japan, regulation of HCFC refriger-ant, which is already covered in 1996,has been started, and new productsusing HCFC refrigerant are no longeravailable. Strictly speaking, HFC

refrigerant, which is the targetedrefrigerant of this time, cannot besaid to be an ozone-depleting sub-stance and it can be said that it isslightly shifted from the main point ofthe original treaty, but in the generalinternational discussion, the MontrealProtocol as the reduction of ozone-depleting substances is steadily pro-gressing, there was also a meaningto apply this reduction scheme.In this article, I will explain how todeal with “Kigali amendment” inJapan, and will mainly discuss issuesand the future.

2. MARKET TRENDS

1) Japanese marketFirst of all, I would like to mentionJapanese domestic market.Table 1 shows the domestic salesvolume of each device in 2017 (cal-endar year).Overall, in all products, figures closeto 100% are seen compared with theprevious year, although variouschanges in the market economic envi-ronment are pointed out, the refrigera-tion air conditioning equipment isalmost stable.The right column also lists the refrig-erant used in each equipment.Although the specific explanation willbe described later, the introduction ofrefrigerants with a smaller GWP(global warming potential) is pro-gressing for each device.

2) The world market for airconditionersFigure 1 shows the sales trends of theair conditioning equipment (homeuse and business use) in the worldmarket.In terms of the number of units,except for North America, householduse is dominant, but on an absolutescale, Chinese market size cannotbear close to others. From the view-point of the growth market, regionssuch as Asia (other than China) andthe Middle East are steadily growingand are expected to be promisingmarkets in future with Africa andSouth America.

The LatestTrends in Refrigerationand Air Conditioning in JapanRegulation and MarketTrend

TETSUJI OKADA

President of The Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning IndustryAssociation (JRAIA)

Table 1.Market situation in Japan and Alternative Refrigerants.

imp THE LATEST okada:mod 2002 8-10-2018 13:44 Pagina 30

3. LEGISLATION IN JAPAN

In response to two large global levelregulations, the following laws and reg-ulations are enforced in Japan.Following the global regulations, thedevelopment to corresponding domes-tic laws and regulations has been done.

1) Revised Ozone LayerProtection Act:It was established in 1988 mainly forthe purpose of properly enforcing theMontreal Protocol on substancesdestroying the ozone layer for theVienna Convention and its concretepromotion in the country. Following thecurrent Kigali amendment, the bill torevise this law was decided by theCabinet in March 2018 and approvedat the ordinary Diet session in August.In Japan, for the stepwise reduction ofHFC decided by Kigali amendment,as shown in Figure 3, in the currentoutlook, we plan to comply with thesteady reduction step towards stepdown in 2025. However, we have alsolearned that further consideration is

necessary for stepping down sup-posed in 2029, and since 2018 wehave started a new research projectwith the support of NEDO.Table 2 means that the weighted aver-age GWP value of products shipped tothe market by the target fiscal year isless than the target GWP, which is the

“designated product” set in Japan toreduce concrete HFC. It is obligatory.

2) Act on Rational Use and ProperManagement (Revised Fgas Act):For the purpose of protecting theozone layer and preventing globalwarming, for the purpose of suppress-

31

Figure 2.Timeline of Legislation in Japan.

Figure 1.World Market Situation of Air Conditioners.


ing emission of chlorofluorocarbonsinto the atmosphere which brings seri-ous effects on global warming, etc. the“Freon Recovery and DestructionLaw” which was enforced until thenwas revised in 2016. The outline isshown in Figure 4. This law has beenfinely regulated from the manufactureof refrigerants, equipment manufactur-ers to use refrigerants, users (admin-istrator) to use them, contractors formaintenance and inspection, collec-tion and destruction.

3) High Pressure Gas Safety Law:In order to prevent disasters causedby high pressure gas, the HighPressure Gas Safety Act regulates themanufacture, storage, sale, import,movement, consumption, disposaletc. of high pressure gas, as well asvoluntary activities relating to highpressure gas by private companiesand the High Pressure Gas SafetyInstitute. It is a law aimed at promotingpublic activities and ensuring publicsafety in Japan. The refrigerants usedin the refrigerant circuit of the refriger-ation and the air-conditioning equip-ment are also regulated not only fromthe pressure but also from the view-point of flammability and toxicity

4. RESPONSE AS JRAIA

1) Basic policyIn order to comply with the global per-spective and the domestic regulationsas described above, it is necessary tochange the refrigerant currently usedto refrigerant with smaller GWP.Although the candidate refrigerant isdifferent according to each character-istic of the equipment, in the presentsituation it has been recognized thatmost of the conventional alternative

refrigerant is not a non-combustiblerefrigerant candidate so far but is a lit-tle more flammable refrigerant.As JRAIA, we mention “S + 3E” as afundamental policy for refrigerant con-version, and this concept has notchanged since the past. This is theidea shown below as Fig. 5.Safety: Use low-toxicity, low-burningrefrigerant.Environment Performance: Use arefrigerant that does not destroy theozone layer and has a low global

32

Figure 3.HFC phase down latest status in Japan under Kigali Amendment.

Table 2.Designated Products in Revised “OLP” Act.


33

warming potential.Energy Efficiency: Use energy effi-cient refrigerant.Economic Feasibility: Use a refriger-ant that can realize reasonable costand low running cost.We believe that it is important to selectthe refrigerant to be used for variousequipment under the idea that it isbasic to choose the refrigerant by bal-ancing the three E while taking safetyas the top priority.

2) Risk AssessmentAs mentioned in the previous section, itis now known that most of the refriger-ants, which are regarded as alternativecandidates, have flammability some-how. For this reason, investigations onflammability which have hardly beennoticed with conventional non-flamma-ble refrigerants are important and indis-pensable conditions.JRAIA has been promoting riskassessment of A2L (mildly flammablerefrigerants) since 2011 in cooperationwith the New Energy and IndustrialTechnology Development Organization(NEDO) and the Japan Refrigerationand Air Conditioning Association.This project evaluated the risk of usingA2L (three types of R32, R1234yf,R1234zd (E)) refrigerants for eachrefrigeration and air conditioning equip-ment, including countermeasures forsafely using these refrigerants.We completed all the work in 2016 andissued the JRA standards and guide-lines (GL) .Another important point is deregulationof the High Pressure Gas Safety Lawmentioned in paragraph 4-3). This isbecause the above-mentioned A2Lrefrigerant is classified into “other” inwhich the high twisting gas is classifiedaccording to the conventional high-pressure gas safety act, so the proce-dure of applying to the municipality etc.is indispensable when using the refrig-erant. As a result, it became an imped-iment to popularization. (3-5 Legalrefrigerate tones) For this reason, afterconfirming the security guaranteebased on the results of the risk assess-ment conducted by JRAIA, the HighPressure Gas Safety Act was deregu-lated in November 2016 and the sameas before in response, the soil for theintroduction of A2L refrigerant hasbeen settled.

In addition, Guideline GL-20 issued onthe basis of the risk assessment imple-mented by JRAIA “Appropriate meas-ures to prevent combustion whenrefrigerant gas in refrigerant equipmentusing specified inert gas leaks”.

5. CONCLUSION

As described above, the major chal-lenges currently faced by the refrigera-tion and air conditioning industry arerefrigerant conversion and energy effi-ciency improvement (energy conserva-tion) for the prevention of global warm-ing. In particular, the response to the“Kigali amendment” mentioned aboveis recognized that it is a major issue

related to the entire industry. In someequipment, the optimum refrigerant forspecific conversion has not yet beenidentified and it is no exaggeration tosay that not only equipment manufac-turers but also future activities includ-ing refrigerant manufacturers willaffect the fate of the industry. From2018 onwards, technological develop-ment related to mid- and long-termresearch and development and intro-duction and various measuresbecome necessary and important. Forthe development of the industry,JRAIA aims to seriously addressthese issues and to promote steadyactivities aimed at curbing globalwarming.

�

Figure 5.Fundamental Policy of JRAIA.

Figure 4.The Outline of Act on Rational Use and Proper Management.


34

INTRODUCTION

A data center is a facility used tohouse computer systems and associ-ated components such as telecommu-nications and storage systems. All ouronline activity is delivered throughdata centers and the more we sendemails, watch online video, use socialmedia like Facebook, conduct busi-ness online, use Cloud, Big Data,Internet of Things and BYOD, themore data centers grow.Data centers are responsible for about2% of global carbon emissions today

and use 80 million megawatt hour ofenergy annually.As per a study, at the current growthrate and without improvements inenergy efficiency, data center will pro-duce 360 megatons CO2 by 2020.

HOW HEAT IS GENERATEDIN A DATA CENTER

At an average, 45% of the heat gener-ated in a data center is to meet the cool-ing demand: the chiller consumes 33%,humidifier 3% and Computer Room AirConditioning (CRAC) unit 9%.

The rest of the heat is generated by ITequipment (30%), PDU (5%), UPS(18%), lighting (1%) and switchgear/generator (1%).

REDUCING COOLING ENERGY

There are various ways to reducepower consumption for cooling/ventila-tion to less than 30% .• Increasing server room tempareture• Increasing cooling equipment effi-

ciency• Reducing cooling distribution

Energy EfficiencyTrendsin Data Centers

SANJIB SEAL

Senior Solution Manager, Swegon BlueBox, Navi Mumbai, IndiaOn behalf of the Indian Society of Heating Refrigeration Air ConditioningEngineers (ISHRAE)

Figure 1: Developments in the Data Center Market

Source: BSRIA Cooling Technologies Report 2015

imp ENERGY EFF india:mod 2002 8-10-2018 13:39 Pagina 34

Right Temperaturein a Data Center

The traditional view is that CRAC returnair temperature should be 18 °C-20 °C.New technologies do not use paper inservers anymore. Hence tempareturecan be increase further.ASHRAE Technical Committee 9.9-2015 has published the recommend-ed and allowable environmentalspecifications for IT equipment (Table1), with a view to achieving energysavings.The recommended server inlet temper-

ature is 18 °C to 27 °C; the humiditylevel is recommended as 41.9 °F (5.5°C) dew point to 60% RH and an allow-able range of between 20-80% RH.

Data Center Cooling SystemEfficiency

There are primarily two types of cool-ing in a DC:1. Mechanical cooling2. Free coolingMechanical cooling and free coolingcan be further classified as shown inFigure 2.

MECHANICAL COOLING PROCESSES

• Perimeter cooling (room oriented): Amechanical cooling system (or a mixof mechanical cooling and free cool-ing) is based on the combination of acooling generator (positioned out-side the IT area) and several termi-nal units (positioned in the IT area).CRAC units are located at theperimeter of the room and useunderfloor air distribuion or ducting.

• In-row cooling (row oriented): In-rowcooling units are located adjacent tothe server rack. The cooling coil with

supply fans is located adjacentent tothe server rack. The number of unitswill depend on the server load densi-ty and load distribution. The cool airtravel path is minimum.

A chilled water system is more energy

35

Table 1: ASHRAE recommended and allowable environmentalspecifications for IT equipment

Figure 2: Classification of mechanical and free cooling

Figure 3: Perimeter cooling

Figure 4: In-row cooling


efficient compared to a direct expan-sion system, particularly in large datacenters.Some of the advanced technologiesthat can be used in data centers toachieve higher energy efficiency arelisted below.1. Inverter scroll compressor with DC

motor2. Integrated Inverter screw compres-

sor3. Fan with EC motor4. Primary variable pump with multi-

sensor logic

REFRIGERANT

Globally HFCs – R410A & R134a – arethe most common refrigerant used inCRAC/chiller. But HFC use will be limit-ed in future due to their high GWP. Tomeet the forthcoming changes in regu-lations, hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs), alsoknown as unsaturated hydrocarbons,are considered to be the most viableplatforms, with R1234ze, R1234yf,R1233zd as the main isomers consid-ered to have similar applications in thecooling industry. Currently some chillerOEMs have started using R1234Ze forscrew chillers and R1233Zd for cen-trifugal chillers.

CONTAINMENT COOLING(AISLE ORIENTED)

Containment means to physically sep-arate hot and cold sides.Hot aisle/cold aisle data center designinvolves lining up server racks in alter-nating rows with cold air intakes facingone way and hot air exhausts facingthe other. The rows composed of rackfronts are called cold aisles. Typically,cold aisles face the air conditioner out-put path.The rows the heated exhaustpours into are called hot aisles. In thisprocess, typically more air is circulatedthan required. Air mixing and short cir-cuiting lead to low supply temperatureand low ∆T.Containment systems started out asphysical barriers that simply separatedthe hot and cold aisles with vinyl plas-tic sheeting or Plexiglas covers. Today,vendors offer plenums and other com-mercial options that combine contain-ment with VFDs to prevent cold air andhot air from mixing.Both of them suit either perimetercooling or inirow cooling. Both HAC &CAC have their own advantages:1. In a contained configuration, the

cooling system can be set to highersupply temperature within the

recomended ASHRAE guidlines,thereby saving energy and gettinghigher cooling capacity. A typicaluncontained system uses 7 °C waterin the cooling coil, resulting in 10 °Coutlet, wheras in a contained system18 °C water can be used. Comparedto a conventional DC, this improvesenergy efficiency by 25% to 40%.

2. Isolation ensures uniform supply airtemperature at server inlet, elimina-tion hot spots.

3. Economizer hour will increase due tohigher room temperature.

In HAC, the return air temperature canbe much higher (exceeding 35°C).This maximises the efficiency of cool-ing units. When HAC is used withperimeter cooling, it is not focused oncooling; hot air ducting leads to higherpressure losses; overhead space isrequired for ducts; and retrofitting isdifficult.When HAC is used with in-row cool-ing, it is more efficient and no ductsare required. But it is not focused oncooling.In CAC, the amount of recirculation/hotspots is virtually zero. This guaranteesthe correct cold air temperature to theservers with the help of constant supplysensor logic. When CAC is used with

36

Figure 5: Hot and cold aisle containments

Figure 6: Chilled water and air temperatures in uncontained vs. contained systems


perimeter cooling, there is higher cool-ing load compared to HAC; it meetsASHRAE requiremnts; raised floor isneeded; and it is more retrofitting-ori-ented. When CAC is used with in-rowcooling, there is maximum cooling load,higher efficiency and it is more retro-fitting-oriented

DIRECT FREE COOLING

In this process, outdoor cold air isdirectly blown throght filters in the datacenter to control the indoor tempera-ture. Fresh air is continuosly introducedindoors.The Air Side Economizer concept suits,in particular, large enterprise data cen-ters.Here temperature/humidity control, fil-tration, ventilation and 100% back upcooling are needed.Direct free cooling has its constraints.The quality of outdoor air used for ven-tilation, pressurization and coolingremains a source of contaminants.Even clean air requires filtering.A data center must be kept clean to

ISO 14644-1 class B. This requiresthat:1. Room air should be continuously fil-

tered with MERV 8/G4/F5.2. Air entering must conform to MERV

13 / F7.Gaseous contamination should bewithin ISA 71.04: 2013 with seventylevel of GI Mild.In this case, filters reduce the air flow,expend energy to pull the air throughthem, and require cleaning andreplacement, which requires labour.Humidity also has to be controlled.The best locations for free cooling aregenerally lower-humidity areas. Highhumidity requires dehumidification,which requires mechanical refrigera-tion, which is what basically we aretrying to reduce with free cooling.

INDIRECT AIR FREE COOLING

In this process, outside cold air is usedto cool down the recirculated air in thedata center without introducing freshair and maintainig the indoor spaceisolated. The outside air brings the

temperature down indirectly throughheat exchnagers.

ADIABATIC FREE COOLING

Another indirect cooling, which is avariation on air-side free cooling, isthat in which the air is brought to somesort of a chamber and used along withwater evaporation to cool the air. Thissuits, in particular, medium/large co-location data centers.These two solutions combine a lot ofadvantages of direct free cooling withcomplete flow separation.The efficien-cy decreases a bit compared to adirect free cooling solution, but itallows a very strict control on theindoor air condition.Cool outside air is drawn through a

heat recovery unit and immediatelyexhausted, while internal air is drawnfrom the room and circulated throughthe heat recovery unit before being re-introduced to the room.The outside air’s cool thermal energyis thus transferred to the internal airvia the heat recovery unit without the

37

Figure 7: Air side economizer

Figure 8: Indirect free cooling


two streams directly mixing.As the internal air never mixes withoutside air, there is a reduced possi-bility of the internal atmosphere beingcompromised by external pollutants,so this is an ideal strategy for criticalenvironments.

AIR COOLED CHILLERFREE COOLING

In this process, when the ambienttemperature is higher than the tem-perature of the water and glycol solu-tion returning from the system, all therefrigeration capacity is generated bythe compressors. The free cooling sec-tion and relevant fans remain inactiveand therefore the operation of the unitis that of a classic compression chiller.Free cooling starts automatically whenthe external air temperature is lowerthan the temperature of the water andglycol solution returning from the sys-

tem. The free cooling system acts incombination with the mechanical cool-ing system to ensure full coverage ofthe heat load.The solution is partially cooled in thefree cooling coils by external air; theremaining refrigeration capacityneeded is produced by the chillersection that works in reduced capac-ity mode. This gives an immediateenergy saving that, as the ambienttemperature falls, becomes increas-ingly substantial.Below a certain external air tempera-ture, the unit operates only in free-cool-ing mode: cooling of the glycol solutiontakes place only in the water coils,while the compressors and fans of thechiller section remain switched off.For even harsher external air temper-atures, part of the free cooling fans willbe switched off gradually to avoid run-ning the risk of cooling the glycol solu-tion too much.

INDIRECT WATER FREE COOLINGWITH WATER SIDE ECONOMIZER

Water side free cooling, where a cool-ing medium such as water or glycolcirculates directly through cooling tow-ers or dry coolers rather than thechillers or compressors. It suits in par-ticular medium/large data centers, andis useful when no contamination isallowed. A complete back up coolingsystem is generally needed due to theintrinsic inefficiency of free cooling.

WASTE HEAT REUSE

Wasted heat is recirculated to heat theoffice space and is mixed with outsideair in the penthouse to meet the tem-perature set point and warm the airbefore it enters the data center.Waste heat can be used in differentways.• Chiller cold water is used in DC cool-

38

Figure 10: Waste heat reuse

Figure 9: Chiller cooling, hybrid free cooling and total free cooling


39

ing and by-product hot water is usedto meet the cafeteria or building hotwater demand.

• Waste heat from the server can bestored directly for hot water demand.

Practically heat reuse-Energy ReuseEffectiveness (ERE) gives more sav-ing then improving the Power UsageEffectiveness (PUE).

Liquid Cooling

Traditional air cooled data centers usechiller and air conditioning systems togain lower temperature in order tomaintain the chip temperature on themotherboard.To resolve the conflict between effi-ciency and performance in the datacenter, liquid cooled solutions arestarting to be seen more often in mod-ern new data centers.There are three types of liquid coolingsystems available:

• Indirect Liquid Cooling – Air is pas-sed through servers and thenthrough a rear door or in-row airwater heat exchanger.

• Direct Liquid Cooling – Liquid istaken direct to some components.CPU board is air cooled but air iscooled by heat exchangers and fansin the adjacent racks.

• Total Liquid Cooling – All compo-nents are cooled directly by liquid.Air side losses are minimized. In thisprocess there will be no fan and nooutside air.

Liquid mineral oil or 3M Novec is gen-erally used in this process. Both the

fluids have dielectric properties.Electronics can be submerged in thefluid (not moving parts). In this processheat is transported by circulation.The advantages of liquid cooling are:1. Low energy used for cooling (liquid

pump).2. Efficient cooling – CPU runs faster.3. Higher liquid temperature than going

via air, hence higher free coolinghour and possibility of heat reuse.

There are some limitations of liquidcooling also:1. Corrosion and bacteria in hot water

– filters, devices to take away air,chemicals, black.

2. Shortens lifetime of DC equipment.3. Lack of standards – different tem-

peratures and pressures, differentrequirement of clean water.

CONCLUSION

Data centers are amongst the mostenergy consuming facilities with rapid-ly growing and updated technologies.With increased awareness and byemploying a few of the recommendedmodifications listed in this article alongwith the existing approaches can saveenergy.

�

Figure 12: Total liquid cooling

Table 2: ASHRAE liquid cooling guidelines


40

There is a saying in the U.S. military(which apparently is a big fan of alliter-ation): Prior Planning Prevents PoorPerformance. As nations prepare toimplement the Kigali Amendment tothe Montreal Protocol, which estab-lishes a global schedule for the phas-ing down of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)refrigerants, that saying comes tomind, because it illustrates how ourindustry has operated throughout thisentire process.Long before it was the policy of theU.S. government, long before the suc-cess of the Kigali Amendment, ourindustry was advocating for a globalphase down of HFC refrigerants, get-ting out front on an issue we knewwould soon be at the forefront of glob-al environmental efforts. At the sametime, we began researching alterna-tive refrigerants to ensure their avail-ability when (as we were sure wouldoccur) HFCs began to be replacedwith lower-global warming potential(GWP) alternatives. Prior planningmeans there will be no poor perform-ance, not in our industry.The plan of each nation and regionwith respect to the coming refrigerantchangeover (in the case of Article 5countries, two separate changeovers)must be undertaken with a full under-standing of the breadth of issues,safety and otherwise. Understandingavailability timelines for new equip-ment and refrigerants, along with theircharacteristics, will be key, as will therequirements of updated buildingcodes in those nations or regions.This paper will cover those topics,

along with the current state ofresearch and a discussion of installa-tion and maintenance challenges like-ly to accompany the coming move tolow-GWP refrigerants in particular.This is an interesting and volatile timefor our industry, as governments allacross the globe are taking steps toreduce greenhouse gas emissions toaddress climate impacts. As of this writ-ing, sufficient nations have ratified theamendment to place it into force.Although the United States voted at theConference of the Parties to approvethe treaty, it has not yet been submittedby President Trump to the UnitedStates Senate for ratification. AHRIand a coalition of partner organizationsare working diligently to convince theTrump Administration to do so.A word here about that: It is relativelyrare, at least in the United States, forindustry and environmental advocacygroups to band together to advocatefor government regulation, particularlyfor something that is not currently reg-ulated. For while we share many of thesame goals, we often differ about howto effectively (both technically andeconomically) achieve them. In thiscase, industry and the environmentalcommunity have been singing from thesame sheet of music for nearly adecade, and are working closelytogether to achieve this important goal.Why is it important that we get thisright? Well, safety is one reason, anda very important one, but so are healthand welfare. It is no exaggeration tostate that refrigerants are so importantto the health, comfort, and well-being

of people around world that we simplycannot do without them. It is not just aquestion of comfort – in fact, a 2012study by researchers at theMassachusetts Institute of Technologyfound that between 1960 and 2004,there were about 3,000 fewer heat-related deaths in the United Statesthan there would have been if the useof air conditioning remained as it wasin the 1950s. In other words, air con-ditioning does not just keep peoplecool and comfortable; it is actually alife-saving technology. A similar casecould easily be made for refrigerationtechnology and the way it keeps foodand medicines fresh and safe.All this is why it is so important that weunderstand where we are today andwhat we need to do to ensure that wecan continue to provide these safetyand comfort technologies to theworld’s citizens while limiting theimpact on the environment.With the understanding, stated earlier,that prior planning prevents poor per-formance, the HVACR industry in theUnited States began preparing forKigali long before it became a reality –5 years before, to be exact. In 2011,even as organizations such as AHRIbegan trying to persuade the U.S. gov-ernment to advocate a global phasedown plan, our industry launched theLow-GWP Alternative RefrigerantsEvaluation Program (Low-GWPAREP). As with the highly successfulprogram of a similar name, thisresearch program’s purpose is toidentify alternatives to those refriger-ants subject to being phased down.

Early Planning Will PreventPoor Performance

STEPHEN R.YUREK

President & CEO of the Air-Conditioning, Heating and RefrigerationInstitute (AHRI)

imp AHRI:mod 2002 8-10-2018 14:03 Pagina 40

That program is in its third phase,whereby promising alternative refrig-erants are being field-tested to deter-mine their safety suitability in variousapplications.The research that AHRI has undertak-en so far, with the cooperation of theU.S. Department of Energy, the stateof California, and ASHRAE, hasproved what we already knew – thatthere are no magic replacements forthe current high GWP options. Whenwe began the Low-GWP AREP pro-gram, the National Institute ofStandards and Technology, which ispart of the U.S. Department ofCommerce, conducted a comprehen-sive study of more than a million com-pounds to evaluate their potential asrefrigerants. Taking into account fourimportant characteristics: GWP, toxic-ity, flammability, stability, and criticaltemperature, the NIST researchersfound only 62 out of those million wor-thy of further consideration.After two rounds of research, there isno obvious successor that possessesall, or even most, of the positive char-acteristics of the current dominantclass of refrigerants that would beappropriate for most air conditioningand refrigeration products. As I statedearlier, choosing a refrigerant for aspecific application cannot be basedon just one factor – it involves identify-ing and deciding which trade-offs — insafety, energy efficiency, availability,cost, and GWP – one can live with.Only when all of those aspects arefully explored is an informed decisionpossible.

Refrigerants have unique operatingcharacteristics, which make them suit-able for some applications, while lesssuitable for others. Some refrigerants,for example, operate at pressuresunsuitable for certain equipment,while others are incompatible withlubricants that might be used in equip-ment. Some are incompatible withcertain metals or alloys used in someequipment, while still others mighthave flammability levels incompatiblewith equipment installed in close quar-ters or in close proximity to people orcombustible products.Our research identified several prom-ising alternative refrigerants that whilelow-GWP are also currently classifiedas either mildly flammable or flamma-ble. While there are different classifi-cations of flammable, it is important toremember that flammable is flamma-ble – thus field testing in various con-ditions is essential. If these alterna-tives are to be approved for wide-spread use, current flammability rulesin the U.S. and in other places willneed to be re-examined. In the UnitedStates, the current limit for flammablerefrigerants in a system is 150 grams,but a typical U.S. residential unit usesabout 4,000 grams. Safety codes,therefore, will need to be revised ifsome of the flammable (mildly or oth-erwise) refrigerants that otherwisepossess the positive characteristicswe’re looking for can be used.The latest phase of our research pro-gram, illustrated in Figure 1, is testingthe most promising alternatives in var-ious field applications to determine

how they perform in specific situationsand under different stress factors. Theresults will be shared with the commit-tees currently working on updates tonational building codes. The resultsalso will be shared abroad.Figure 2 illustrates the various refrig-erants that have been tested, alongwith their GWP and their flammabilitycharacteristics. As you can see, clus-ters of the lowest-GWP potential alter-natives are classified as at least mild-ly flammable.The United States has already met thefirst reduction step (10 percent by2019), so the next major milestone willbe in 2024, which our industry plans tomeet, with or without U.S. ratificationof Kigali. So, by that time, the newrefrigerants need to be approved forwidespread use. They will have to bewidely available and components thatcan use those refrigerants will need tobe developed. Then, manufacturersneed time to design and test newequipment followed by time to designand develop new manufacturing lines.Finally, we will need to properly trainthose who will install and maintain theequipment that uses these refriger-ants. It will be a lengthy, but neces-sary process.This new reality of multiple refrigerantsand refrigerants that are flammable oroperate at high pressure will impactour industry in varied – and important– ways. For equipment distributors,the move to multiple refrigerants willresult in more parts to stock andinventory and the need for greaterknowledge with respect to new tech-nologies and which refrigerant willwork with which product or system.For contractors, the move will entail agreater knowledge base for techni-cians, who will have to develop profi-ciency in handling several differentrefrigerants, all of which operate underunique pressures and have discretehandling characteristics.So, what does our industry need to doto prepare for this new reality? We willneed to come together as an industryto develop a plan for educating, train-ing and communicating. This is truenot just in the United States, butaround the world.Proper installation and maintenance isnot a trivial issue. Equipment that isimproperly installed or poorly main-

41

Figure 1


42

tained can result in up to a 40 percentloss in efficiency. What that means is,countries can institute the strictestregulations regarding system efficien-cy, and nearly half of it can be undonebefore the first BTU is saved becauseof poor installation. So, it is a very seri-ous issue.In the U.S., AHRI will lead a collabora-tive effort among our industry partnersto ensure we are prepared. Leveragingour resources and skills – as well as thevaluable information gleaned from our

research — we can ensure that exist-ing technicians are properly educatedand trained, that new technicians aretaught about the intricacies of variousrefrigerants in the classroom and intheir field work, and that all of themhave access to appropriate informa-tion in the field to ensure proper equip-ment installation and maintenance.We are prepared through the newGlobal Refrigerant ManagementInitiative to do the same international-ly. The idea is to build awareness of

the challenges we face in this area,develop and disseminate best prac-tices, and develop training and certifi-cation for technicians. This initiative,coupled with the UN-based RefrigerantDriving License (RDL) program, can beinstrumental in preparing technicianworkforces around the world for thenew reality. Working together, we canensure a seamless transition to multi-ple refrigerants, ensuring the continuedcomfort, safety, and productivity of ourcustomers.In summary, we are in a much differ-ent situation than we were when theHCFC to HFC transition began. Inthat transition, we had readily avail-able, non-ozone depleting refrigerantsthat were non-toxic and non-flamma-ble. However, today we are still devel-oping potential refrigerants and haveeven expanded consideration to refrig-erants that were disqualified in thepast because of their flammability.There is much work that remains to becompleted, but we are heartened byour progress and proud of the workthat has been done thus far – on aglobal basis. We also are proud of ourindustry’s foresight in this enormousundertaking. We are moving forward -for the benefit of our industry AND theenvironment. And that is somethingwe can all be proud of.

�

Figure 2

The Presidents of the XVII EU Conference UNEP-IIR-CSG from Leading Global Associations and Institutions “United in the Transition”.


ABSTRACT

A workshop was held to discuss differ-ent aspects of the application of flam-mable refrigerants in refrigeration andair conditioning equipment. The partici-pants included stakeholders fromindustry, regulatory bodies, and the sci-entific community. The goal was tosolicit feedback on the critical scientific,regulatory and practical issues for safeemployment of flammable refrigerantsin heating, ventilation, air-conditioningand refrigeration equipment.This paperreports on the outcome of the work-shop and presents review of relevantpast studies when available.The report-ed outcome may serve well as a guideto further research needed as adoptionof flammable refrigerants increases.

1. INTRODUCTION

Environmental protection goals arebecoming progressively stricter toreduce negative global environmentalimpacts of refrigerants. Hydrofluorocar-

bons (HFCs) like R410A and R134aare used for many HVAC&R applica-tions but have relatively high globalwarming potentials (GWP). In October2016, the Kigali Amendment to theMontréal Protocol was adopted tophase-down the use of HFCs in devel-oped countries to be reduced to 15%of the average consumption for 2011-2013 by 2036 [1]. Proposed lowerGWP alternatives to HFCs fall in sev-eral categories: hydrocarbons (R290),inorganics (R717, R744), hydrofluo-roolefins (HFO) or blends of low-GWPHFCs and HFOs. Many of these alter-natives are flammable, listed as A2L,B2L, A2, or A3 in ASHRAE 34 [2].Thispresents new challenges to the usageof these refrigerants centered aroundthe personal safety and the deflagra-tion risks associated with using flam-mable material. Safety standardsinclude charge limits for flammablerefrigerants to ensure safety in case ofleakage. These limits were based onnumerical analyses of refrigerant leak-age into confined spaces as well asrisk analyses of associated ignitionevents. Despite the large number ofstudies that investigated the usage offlammable refrigerant, there remainsresearch gaps that need to be coveredas basis for the development of the rel-evant standards. In 2016, the AirConditioning, Heating and Refrige-ration Institute (AHRI), the AmericanSociety of Heating, Refrigerating andAir Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE),the California Energy Commission(CEC) and the United StatesDepartment of Energy (DOE) under-

took a collaboration to advanceresearch to facilitate wider use of flam-mable refrigerants.Oak Ridge National Laboratory(ORNL) initiated a project under thiscollaboration to examine the currentlimits and identify reasonable adjust-ments as appropriate. On October 24,2016 ORNL held a workshop to solicitinput from stakeholders to help guidethe project. Attendance at the work-shop was by invitation only. Inviteeswere selected based on consultationwith members of the AHRTI Flam-mable Refrigerants Subcommittee andthe Association of Home ApplianceManufacturers (AHAM.)ASHRAE hosted the workshop inAtlanta. Forty invited stakeholders par-ticipated in the workshop, joiningseven ORNL and DOE staff. Theseincluded experts from HVAC&R andappliance original equipment manu-facturers (OEMs), refrigerant manufac-turers, standards/codes developmentorganizations, industry and profession-al organizations, and representativesfrom the United States EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA).The workshop objective was two-fold:1) engage the stakeholders in discus-sions to elicit input regarding gaps inR&D related to safe application offlammable refrigerants, safety stan-dard information/updates needed, crit-ical factors to include in computationalfluid dynamics (CFD) analyses phas-es of the project, and primary practicalissues to consider in the analyses;and 2) identify a few primary casestudies or scenarios for investigation.

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Workshop on Flammable RefrigerantCharge Limits in a Low-GWPWorldCan/should they be Higher? (a)

AHMAD ABU-HEIBA1, VIRAL PATEL2, VAN BAXTER3,OMAR ABDELAZIZ4, AHMED ELATAR5

At Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tenn.1 Associate Member ASHRAE, research and development Associate2 Research and development Associate3 Fellow/Life Member ASHRAE, research and development Staff4 Member ASHRAE, research and development staff5 Associate Member ASHRAE, postdoctoral research Associate

(a) This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy.The United States Government retains and thepublisher, by accepting the article for publication,acknowledges that the United States Governmentretains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable,world-wide license to publish or reproduce thepublished form of this manuscript, or allow othersto do so, for United States Government purposes.The Department of Energy will provide publicaccess to these results of federally sponsoredresearch in accordance with the DOE PublicAccess Plan (http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan).

1 2 3

4 5

Published in July 2018 ASHRAE Journal

On behalf ofASHRAE

imp ASHRAE:mod 2002 8-10-2018 15:38 Pagina 43

2. WORKSHOP PROCESS

The workshop program began with adiscussion of current and planned revi-sions relevant to safety standards par-ticularly Annex GG of the InternationalElectrotechnical Commission standardIEC 60335-2-40 [3], discussion of pre-vious work related to flammable refrig-erant charge size evaluation and cur-rent R&D efforts, and the intendedanalysis approach. Four breakout ses-sions followed for detailed discussionof relevant topics. Ideas and sugges-tions generated during the breakoutswere assigned priorities via vote bythe participants. After the breakouts, afinal session was held to discuss and

prioritize the most relevant case stud-ies to be pursued for further analysis.

3. WORKSHOP RESULTS

The breakout sessions generated atotal of 71 unique topics for considera-tion in the project analyses and/orfuture efforts. During the final session,4 unique case study priorities wereidentified.The following tables document thehighest voted ideas proposed alongwith the number of votes each onereceived. The tables are followed bydiscussion of the top priority initiativesfrom each breakout.

3.1 Severity of refrigerantcombustion event

Currently, the criterion of safe installa-tion is based solely on the maximumpredicted concentration of refrigerantin air in case of a leak. The rationale isthat if the maximum concentrationdoes not exceed the lower flammabili-ty limit (LFL), the refrigerant-air mix-ture will not ignite. However, in a leakevent, there will inevitably be locationswhere the local concentration exceedsLFL. The mass of refrigerant presentwithin the combustibility limits and howlong this mass persists directly affectsthe probability of an ignition event. Ifthis flammable mass ignites, severalfactors affect the severity of the event.Heat release and the rate of heatrelease are indications of the magni-tude of the resulting potential damage.In addition to providing a prediction ofwhether maximum refrigerant concen-tration will exceed LFL, leakage mod-els should also provide an estimate ofhow much flammable mass is presentand its presence time. Modelingefforts should also consider deflagra-tion models to characterize the heatrelease, the rate of heat release andthe pressure rise that will result froman ignition event. ASHRAE project1806-TRP is aimed at understandingthe severity of events where flamma-ble refrigerants are ignited under dif-ferent scenarios for various HVAC&Rproducts(b). Combustion of flammablerefrigerant upon a leakage event hasbeen investigated in a few studies (c.f.,Zhang, et al. [4] and Jabbour andClodic [5]) but remains largely under-characterized. The severity of a possi-ble ignition event may be a suitable cri-terion but “severity” itself should bedefined consistently whether it is pres-sure rise, amount of smoke, heatrelease or any other relevant quantityor combination of relevant quantities.

3.2 Characterization andprobability of leaks

The location, size, and orientation of arefrigerant leak will affect its spatialdispersion pattern. One or more ofthese variables could be the decidingfactor of whether the leak results in an

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Table 3. Ideas and Suggestions from breakout session 2a (What are the mostimportant factors to consider in the CFD analyses phase of the project?)

Idea/suggestion VotesRelease locations 12Boundary conditions 12Variable vs. constant leak rate 10Liquid vs. vapor leak 9

Table 4. Ideas and Suggestions from breakout session 2b(What are the practical issues that we need to study?)

Idea/suggestion VotesLeak rate assumptions 13Effectiveness of detection and circulation(ducted and ductless) 11

Utility closet 10

Table 2. Ideas and suggestions from breakout session 1b(Do we have enough information in the safety standard?)

Idea/suggestion VotesCertification requirements of technicians 18Developing training modules and standards for servicingflammable refrigerants equipment 17

UL, ASHRAE and AHRI standards timeline vs building codetimeline 11

Split system exclusion from hydrocarbon use 10

Table 1. Ideas and suggestions from breakout session 1a(What are the relevant R&D gaps?)

Idea/suggestion VotesSeverity of refrigerant combustion event 17Characterization and probability of leaks 16Minimum leak rate of worst-case scenario for each type ofequipment 14

Available ignition energy of common electric components 11Necessity of validating of CFD results 11

(b) At the time of writing this paper, the projectresearch report had not been published yet.


unsafe event or not. Statistical data onthe frequency of occurrence of leaks isscarce. Sometimes this data must besynthesized from different sources orassumptions need to be made. Thisdata is critical input to risk assessmentmodels, therefore, reliable statisticalfield data on refrigerant leaks needs tobe compiled to provide inputs that aretruly representative of real life scenar-ios. Past studies have used differentsources for refrigerant leak frequencydata. Goetzler, et al. [6], Goetzler, etal. [7] and Lewandowski [8] used pro-prietary data supplied by three majorheat pump manufacturers. A surveytool needs to be built to collect thisdata from service contractors andmanufacturers.

3.3 Minimum leak rate ofworst-case-scenario for each typeof equipment

The size of a leak source, pressureand temperature of the refrigerantdetermine the rate of discharge of therefrigerant from the equipment into itssurrounding space. Leak sources varyin size from the most common pinholesand cracks to the less common largerline or component ruptures. Rupturesare less likely to occur but result inmuch more severe consequences.Pressure and temperature of the refrig-erant charge determine the phase ofthe leaking refrigerant; liquid, vapor, ortwo-phase. This affects the rate of dis-charge of the refrigerant from the leak-age source. Different refrigerant disper-sion studies have used different leakrates. In some instances, leak rateswere modeled based on assumedleakage source size and operating con-ditions. Colbourne and Liu [9] devel-oped a physics-based model to predictthe leakage flow rate of R290 followingan instantaneous occurrence of a leakfor a system in off-mode. In otherinstances, leak rate was chosen andassumed to remain constant. Kataoka,et al. [10] chose the leak rate based ona 4-minute leakage time which wasadopted in the IEC-60335-2-40. Thereis no universally accepted model orestimation procedure for leak rates fordifferent equipment types at differentoperating conditions. Reliable

data/information about minimum leakrates due to catastrophic failures ofeach type of equipment is needed toreliably assess the associated risks.

3.4 Available ignition energyof different common electriccomponents

Sparks from electric components ofHVAC&R systems or appliances couldbe ignition sources. For example, it isnot uncommon for sparks to occurwhen an appliance is plugged into awall outlet. Other examples of electriccomponents that may produce sparksinclude switches, relays, and loosewires. Recent AHRI Project [11] identi-fied 15 ignition sources in residentialapplications. The viability of each ofthese sources igniting R1234yf orR1234ze was experimentally tested.similar studies are needed for commer-cial and industrial applications.

3.5 Necessity of validatingof CFD results

Most risk assessment models rely onCFD simulation of a refrigerant leakageinto a confined space to quantify thepresence, the location, and sometimesthe presence time of flammable vol-ume. CFD is a powerful tool to charac-terize dispersion of gases into a space.However, CFD results are directly influ-enced by the setup of the model; vari-ables such as what turbulence model isemployed and the specified boundaryconditions. Other factors are even hard-er to accurately account for such as ini-tial air motion inside the space and infil-tration. CFD models employed in riskassessment models must be calibratedexperimentally to ensure validity of theresults. Validation not only verifies theaccuracy of the results, but also pro-vides insight to what CFD model set upyields best results.

3.6 Certification requirementsof technicians

Risk of ignition is greater during equip-ment servicing than during normaloperation.This is due to inclusion of theadditional risk factor of probability ofhuman error. Currently in the US,Section 608 of the Clean Air Act man-dates the certification of technicians

who service HVAC units with refriger-ants having non-zero ODP, but not forflammable refrigerants. Certificationrequirements need to be revised toensure that technicians who work onequipment that employ flammablerefrigerants are aware of the associat-ed risks.

3.7 Develop training modules andstandards for servicing flammablerefrigerants equipment

The increased risk of ignition duringservicing results from the introductionof risk associated with human error andabundance of sources of ignition.Wrong use of tools, disregarding warn-ing signs and not replacing safeguardsare few examples. Best practices forservicing flammable refrigerant equip-ment need to be developed. Recently,the American Association of HomeAppliance Manufacturers (AHAM)developed guidance for safe servicingof appliances with flammable refriger-ants Manufacturers [12] that could bea basis to develop training modules.There is also a flammable refrigeranttechnician training program that wasdeveloped by the RefrigerationService Engineers Society (RSES)that can provide a basis for developingupdated training modules. TheASHRAE research project 1807-RP(C)

will also provide valuable input to anytraining development process. Withseveral programs currently underdevelopment, it may be better if theyunified their approach.

3.8 UL, ASHRAE and AHRIstandards timeline vs. UniformBuilding Code timeline

Several standards that are relevant tothe use of flammable refrigerants inHVAC equipment are presently underrevision.The most relevant ones are UL60335-2 -24 [13] and -40 [14], IEC60335-2 -24 [15] and - 40 [3], ASHRAE15 and the International Building Code(IBC) [16]. The most recent UL 60335-2-24 and UL 60335-2-40 were pub-lished in 2017. The updated IEC60335-2-24 and IEC 60335-2-40 arescheduled to be published in early2018. The next edition of ASHRAEStandard 15 is due to be finalized inJanuary 2018. The International

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(c) The final report had not been published at thetime of writing this paper.


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Building Code (IBC) has a three-yeardevelopment cycle, the most immedi-ate of which starts in 2018.This meansthat the revised IEC, ASHRAE, and ULstandards will not be adopted in theIBC until 2021 at earliest. This is prob-lematic for the industry since the phaseout schedule of HCFC-22 enforces noproduction or import in 2020.

3.9 Split system exclusion fromhydrocarbons

Split systems require on-site weldingand usually the connecting linesbetween indoor and outdoor sectionshave many joint, increasing the proba-bility of refrigerant leakage duringinstallation. Split system-focused analy-sis should be done to investigate if therisks with split systems are manage-able. Until then, some attendees sug-gested that flammable refrigerantsshould be excluded from use in splitsystems.

3.10 Release location

Leak location has a major effect on therefrigerant dispersion pattern. Releaseheight is a well-investigated parameterin both numerical and experimentalflammable refrigerant dispersion stud-ies. On the other hand, the effect ofleak orientation on the dispersion isunder-investigated. Most, if not all,studies assume a downward leakagesince it was considered the most con-servative scenario based on resultspresented in Kataoka, Yoshizawa andHirakawa [10]. More investigative workshould be conducted to validate theuniversality of this assumption.

3.11 Boundary Conditions:

Boundary conditions are important indetermining the evolution of leakedrefrigerant distribution.Walls and furni-ture are examples of boundaries thatredirect the flow. Room air velocityfield and ambient temperature areother examples of boundary condi-tions that affect the dispersion patternof the leaked refrigerant. However,most studies have assumed quiescentroom air and empty space. Boundaryconditions should be accurately con-sidered in the CFD simulations ofrefrigerant leakage scenarios.

3.12 Variable or constant leak rate

In real life scenarios, the dischargerate of leaked refrigerant decays withtime as pressure inside the systemdepletes. The size of the leakagesource, pressure and temperature ofthe refrigerant in the system and theamount of charge affect the pressuredecay rate, and hence, the flow rate ofthe leaking refrigerant. Most priorstudies have assumed constant leakrate to represent the worst-case sce-nario. A new joint AHRTI- ORNL proj-ect (AHRTI 9012), was initiated in late2017, with the objective to character-ize leaks from different equipmentunder different operating conditions.This project is expected to be com-pleted in late 2018.

3.13 Leak rate assumption

Refrigerant leak rate depends on thedimension and overall shape of theleakage source, pressure and temper-ature of the refrigerant in the system,and the mass of refrigerant charge.The latter two factors continuouslychange until leakage stops. Differentstudies assumed different leak rates.Some determine leak rates based ona fixed leak time of four minutes(based on the time required for 150gof CO2, which has similar molecularweight to R290, to leak through a cap-illary tube as defined in IEC-60335-2-24). Other studies have measuredleak rates; some closely matching the4-minute assumption and some not.Since the rate of leaking refrigerantrelease directly affects the dispersionof the refrigerant, leak rate assump-tions need to be representative of real-istic leakage scenarios.

3.14 Effectiveness of detectionand circulation

The location of refrigerant leak detec-tion sensors and leak circulation pat-terns are sensitive to the leak nature,location and boundary conditions.Generally, in any leakage event, if themeasurement point is moved closeenough to the leakage source, the con-centration will inevitably exceed LFL.Determination of optimal leak detectionlocations is dependent on an accurateestimation of the gas dispersion sce-

nario. The analyses need to provideinformation for refrigerant sensor loca-tions to best ensure reliable early indi-cation of refrigerant leakage events.

3.15 Utility Closet

Equipment location inside utility clos-ets is agreed to be a worst-case sce-nario due to the typically low ventila-tion rate and the confined nature ofsuch closets. It is expected that refrig-erant concentration in such a spacewould exceed LFL rather quickly.Special attention should be paid to theutility closet scenario when developingcharge limits.

3.16 Case Studies

The top priority CFD case studiesidentified are presented below invotes-ascending order.

3.16.1 Case 1: Residential split heatpump air handler unit in utility closet (2Votes)This would be a parametric study of theeffect of leak rate, velocity, location andsize of leak hole on the maximumrefrigerant concentration inside thecloset. The study should also considerdifferent mitigation strategies and iden-tify effective ones. Seasonal effects onthe intra unit charge residence (air han-dler versus outdoor unit) should also beconsidered. Different leak scenarios tobe modeled were suggested: leakagewith the presence of a furnace (hot sur-face), leakage with the presence ofwater heater with a standing flame,leakage inside versus outside the airhandler. This case will only be includedin the scope of the current ORNL proj-ect if time/resources permit.3.16.2 Case 2: m1, m2 and m3 (5Votes)The current relevant standards definethree incremental charge limits (m1,m2, or m3) based on the room volumeand the lower flammability limit (LFL) ofthe refrigerant in question. They thendefine requirements based on wherethe actual charge falls in relation tothese incremental limits.The premise isthat if requirements are followed, themaximum concentration of refrigerantthe room will not exceed LFL in case ofrefrigerant leakage. Models of scenar-ios that meet the requirements of the


relevant standard need to be devel-oped to validate or invalidate the under-lying premise of the standard.3.16.3 Case 3: Leak profiles in variousapplications of RTU, mini split and VRFunits (10 Votes)This would be a CFD campaign toidentify the spatial concentration pro-files for different leakage scenarios:point source vs.distributed source, highvs. low velocity, high mass vs. lowmass, liquid vs. two-phase vs. vapor,rupture of compressor (high electricaldischarge), constant vs. variable leakrate, existence of mitigation vs not.3.16.4 Case 4: Room that meets mini-mum floor area requirements for m2(13 Votes)Reasonable obstructions would beadded to the modeled space to repre-sent a more realistic space. Leakage ofmass charge equal to m2 would bemodeled at different leak rates and withdifferent refrigerants. Results would beanalyzed to investigate if a functioncould be created that describes theconcentration as a function of refriger-ant, charge mass and leak rate.

4. CONCLUSION

Given the current emphasis on mini-mizing usage of high-GWP refriger-ants in HVAC&R equipment and otherappliances, increased use of lower-GWP alternatives, most of which areflammable to some degree, appearsquite likely. Standards regulating flam-mable refrigerant charge limits haveexisted for a relatively long time. Workneeds to be done to ensure thatcharge guidelines are based on scien-tific basis that accounts for imperfec-tions and variability of real life applica-tions. Reasonable safe charge limitsare only one criteria among many thatmust be determined to facilitate safeuse of flammable refrigerants. Trainingmodules for service workers and certi-fication requirements are critical toreduce the human error risk factor.Regulations for labeling, transporta-tion and storage need to be developedspecifically for equipment that useflammable refrigerant. This requirescoordination among all stakeholdersacross the value chain. Professionalsocieties and national laboratoriesfacilitate this coordination.Finally, the outcomes of the workshop

reflect the perspectives of scientificcommunity, equipment manufacturersand regulating bodies. The outcomespresented in this paper may serve wellas a guide for further investigation andfuture projects that aim at increasingadoption of flammable refrigerants inHVAC&R equipment.

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Assessment of HFC-32 and HFC-32/134a (30/70 wt.%) in Split System Residential Heat Pumps,”Prepared for Air-Conditioning and RefrigerationTechnology Institute by Arthur D. Little, Inc.[8] Lewandowski, T., A., 2012, “AHRI Project No.8004: Risk Assessment of Residential Heat PumpSystems Using 2L Flammable Refrigerants,”Prepared for Air-Conditioning, Heating andRefrigeration Institute by Gradient Corp.[9] Colbourne, D., and Liu, Z. X., “R290 leakage massflow rate from a refrigerating system,” Proc. 10th IIR-Gustav Lorentz on Natural Working Fluids (GL2012),IIF-IIR.[10] Kataoka, O., Yoshizawa, M., and Hirakawa, T.,“Allowable charge calculation method for flammablerefrigerants,” Proc. International Refrigeration and AirConditioning Conference.[11] Kim, D. K. and Sunderland, P. B, “AHRI ProjectNo. 8017: Investigation of Energy Produced byPotential Ignition Sources in Residential Application,”Prepared for Air-Conditioning, Heating andRefrigeration Institute by University of MarylandCollege Park[12] Manufacturers, A. A. o. H. A., 2017, “SafeServicing of Household Appliances with FlammableRefrigerants: Recommended Practices,” AmericanAssociation of Home Appliance Manufacturers.[13] UL, 2017, “UL 60335-2-24:2017 Household andsimilar electrical appliances - Safety - Part 2-24:Particular Requirements for Refrigerating Appliances,Ice-Cream Appliances and Ice-Makers,” UnderwritersLaboratories.[14] UL, 2017, “UL 60335-2-40:2017 Household andsimilar electrical appliances - Safety - Part 2-40:Particular requirements for electrical heat pumps, air-conditioners and dehumidifiers,” UnderwritersLaboratories.[15] IEC, 2016, “IEC 60335-2-24:2016 Householdand similar electrical appliances - Safety - Part 2-40:Particular requirements for refrigerating appliances,ice-cream appliances and ice makers,” InternationalElectrotechnical Commission, Geneva, Switzerland.[16] Council, I. C., 2015, “2015 IBC,” InternationalCode Council.

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The AREA President International Affairs, Marco Buoni, had the opportunity ofinterviewing the President of ASHRAE, Bjarne Wilkens Olesen, during the lastASHRAE Winter Meeting and AHR Expo.Professor Olesen, from Denmark, is the first non-native English-speaking President and only thesecond who is not from North America.Important topics discussed included energy efficiency,cooperation with international organizations such asUnited Nation Environment, climate change and thefuture phase-down of high GWP refrigerants.The three questions put to the President of theAmerican Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Airconditioning engineers were:1. You have announced the goals of your presidency

as follows: to expand the ASHRAE Community,extend technological horizons; and increase valueto members. What do you think are the best meth-ods to achieve these goals?

2. How important is training in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning for ASHRAE?3. The US government withdrew from the Paris agreement and gives less importance to

the subject of climate change. What is ASHRAE’s position on this topic, which is cer-tainly important for your members?

See below the video footage of the interview at the link:bit.ly/Interview_ASHRAE

INTERVIEW TO ASHRAE PRESIDENT 2017-2018BJARNE WILKENS OLESEN


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Welcome to the maiden edition of theGambia’s experience on the road toLow-GWP and Energy Efficient refrig-eration. It is meant to share and intro-duce readers to the lessons that canbe drawn to establishing a solid foun-dation to the use of Hydrocarbonrefrigerants in the country. Beforegoing further, we would like toacknowledge all our partners but mostespecially UNIDO Montreal ProtocolDivision and Centro Studi Galileo(CSG) of Italy for the capacity building(training) initiatives for the refrigerationtechnicians in the safe handling ofhydrocarbon refrigerants, CO2 man-agement and good service practices.

This training initiative was very signifi-cant and relevant in establishing amarket for the use of hydrocarbons. Itis worth mentioning that this projecthas been designed prior to the KigaliAgreement, and its implementationwas in-line with ExCom decision(UNEP: OzL.Pro/ExCom/77/76) 2016.The Gambia (Smiling Coast of Africa)in West Africa occupies an area of11,365 sq km. It is bordered to theNorth, South and East by Senegal andhas an 80km coast on the AtlanticOcean to the West. The country hasan estimated population of 1.9 millionwith an annual growth rate of 3.1%;(2013 Population & Housing Census)

women constitute 51% of the totalpopulation. It is categorized as a Low-Volume-ODS Country and, historical-ly, ODS and specifically HCFC con-sumption has occurred almost entirelyin the refrigeration-servicing sectorand has been almost exclusivelyHCFC-22. However, The Gambianmarket has started (since 2016) tooffer new energy efficient Air-condi-tions marketed as reducing 70% ofenergy consumption, but the use ofHFC 407 and 410 with high GWP andis likely that their use will be high. Thisand the growing use of ODS in refrig-eration and cold storage also posesthe threat of reversing the potential

The Path to Low-GWPand Energy Efficient Refrigerationand Air ConditioningChallenges and Opportunities in DevelopingCountries: Lessons Learnt fromThe Gambia

BAFODAY SANYANG

National Ozone Unit, the Ministry of Environment, Fisheries and NaturalResources,The Gambia

Training of Trainers by Mr. Gianfranco Cattabriga, CSG at GTTI, The Gambia

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gains on mitigation of climate change.As a result the Gambia initiated toadopt and use alternative low-ODS,low GWP with interim focus to estab-lishing and testing the mechanisms fortechnology transfer. The project was amedium size project funded by GEFwith co-financing from the governmentof the Gambia through: GEF 5 FocalArea Strategy for climate change miti-gation, “to support developing countriesand economies in transition toward alow-carbon development path”, namelywith objective 2 “Promote market trans-formation for energy efficiency in indus-try and the building sector”.The implementing partners wereUNIDO, National Environment Agency(NEA), Gambia Technical TrainingInstitute (GTTI), Centro Studi Galileo(CSG) and Shecco.The project uses a synergistic combi-nation of technical assistance on poli-cy and regulation, capacity buildingand awareness raising. It also sup-ports the design and implementationof incentives to promote the adoptionof energy efficiency measures; andinnovative technical assistance deliv-ery mechanisms. Thus, the Policy andregulatory support, local energyprovider mechanism, and awarenessand capacity building initiatives hasput in place market for the futureselection and adoption of low-GWPalternatives that operate more effi-ciently and use chemicals with lowerGWP, while minimizing the use ofchemicals damaging to the ozone

layer and ultimately improving produc-tivity of the fisheries sector.Subsequently, the Gambia Refrige-ration and Air-conditioning SupportService (GRACSS) was established toaddress comprehensive energy andrefrigeration solutions. The overallintent of the support service is toreduce use and provide timely inputson new industrial refrigeration and air-conditioning technologies as theybecome available, thereby reducingthe effects of climate change and less-ening the costs associated with refrig-eration and air-conditioning usage.The incentives to promote behaviouralchange was derived from three mainconditions: i) the adoption of policy,legal, and regulatory measures (suchas a quota on imports of HCFC equip-ment and tax incentives to the pur-chase of alternative refrigerants andequipment); ii) the conscience of theadded values (environmental, socialand financial) of using low GWP andhigh-energy efficient equipment, andof decreasing gas leakages; and iii)the existence of financial incentives toattract the change.However, the capacities to bring aboutchange required: i) adaptation anddemonstration of technologies andapproaches to serve as models,enable learning and to prove the valueof the alternative; and ii) the end-usersknowledge on how to safely use flam-mable gas equipment so as to avoidaccidents and a negative image of thetechnology. At the beginning of the

project implementation there was nostrong international commitment thatset targets on phasing out HFC, hencepromoting the use of Hydrocarbons.Thus, this project have paved the wayto the safe use of adequate alternativerefrigerants that will be used more andmore as the HCFC phase-out pro-gresses worldwide.The activities being implemented with-in this project also include, training ofcustoms officers stationed at borderentry points and other law enforce-ment agents; follow-up on the enforce-ment of HCFC licensing and quotasystems; purchase and distribution of

refrigerant identifiers in key borderentry points of the country; training ofrefrigeration technicians in the safehandling of hydrocarbon refrigerantsand good service practices; purchaseof equipment for the training centreand delivery of awareness workshops;strengthening the refrigeration and air-conditioning Associations which havebeen pivotal in completing the trainingprogrammes for service technicians,as well as their certification.The project’s training and awarenessraising activities has improved educa-tional opportunities for women in TheGambia and is anticipated to have apositive impact on those working withthe businesses that participated in theproject. The project also took gendermainstreaming into considerationwhen prioritizing the range of servicesto be provided by the Support Serviceand when assessing training needs.However, some challenges have beenidentified, namely regarding the lowavailability of HC in the country(except R-600a in refrigerators) andthe uncertainty of the adoption by thegovernment of the measures recom-mended such as tax rebate.

�Step-down training for RAC Association Technicians at GTTI

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In large parts of Africa, farmers andvendors are forced to look on whilefood rots away before it reaches theconsumer. The wastage of fruit andvegetables post-harvest is estimated at40-50% and in some cases as much as80% in Africa. The shortage of goodstorage facilities and technology is a

very important reason for the largepost-harvest waste.

BILLIONS FOR REFRIGERATIONIN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

In order to combat the large amount offood waste that results from lack of

refrigeration and storage facilities, theWorld Economic Forum Africa 2016launched a new public-private sectorinitiative to invest USD 2 billion in coldstorage in Sub-Saharan Africa overthe next ten years.The aim of the initiative is to reach 15million farmers in the next decade,

How Can Refrigeration ImpactPositively on the 17 SDGs in Africa?

MADI SAKANDÉ

Expert trainer of Centro Studi GalileoMadi Sakandé (right) at the Inter-RegionalThematic & Network Meeting for NOUs inParis Jan 2018.

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which is expected to have an effect onthe food supplied to up to 100 millionpeople. This is where opportunities liefor all HVAC –R sector.

REFRIGERATION FACILITIESTO START IN VILLAGES

According to the Food and AgricultureOrganization of the United Nations, thefood wasted in Sub-Saharan Africawould be able to feed up to 300 millionpeople. One of the Italian companiesthat has taken advantage of the oppor-tunities opened up by the new initiativeis New Cold System s.r.l, which has justopened a store in Ouagadougou(Burkina Faso – West Africa).The com-

pany has developed and supplied adigitally controlled cold room that canrun 100% with solar energy.The development of cold stores has tostart at village level where small andmedium-sized farmers can supplytheir product. Burkina Faso is seeingfood waste of up to 70% because thefood starts to rot in transit before iteven reaches the markets. The com-pany’s cold rooms are scalable and

can be used for everything from thestorage of vegetables, fruits, meats,fishes,… to medicine.

LOCAL CONTACTS ARE VITAL

For 15 years, i has worked with coldrooms for the storage of food in Italy.Because of good experiences in theEuropean market, New Cold Systemwants to expand in Africa, starting byBurkina Faso where I am coming from.In Africa, the first thing businessesneed to do is to establish contact withpotential local partners who will beable to help them enter the market.Always the locals have the best knowl-edge of local conditions and theimportant contacts.As you may know, many African mar-kets are growing and there is anincreasing awareness of the need forquality products both among the grow-

ing middle classes, but especiallyamong companies already working inthe region.To take advantage of these opportuni-ties, we have to get down here andlook at what is happening. Doing busi-ness in Africa requires local presenceand networks. You cannot gain thisunderstanding by sitting at your desksomewhere in Europe. All these ele-ments convince New Cold System toopen the store in Ouagadougou and topropose to the local market three sizesof cold rooms for commercial use. Ofcourse, these products are available instore for fast delivery according toAfrican habitude, meaning by “pay what

you are touching”. We strongly believethat the refrigeration can solve lot ofglobal issues we are facing now. Fromthe energy saving to climate change,from employment to migration, fromhungry to food auto-sufficiency…Most of 17 Sustainable DevelopmentGoals could be reached sharing therefrigeration technologies around theworld.

�

Madi Sakandé and Luca Rollino in Tunisia with the local expert technicians during thetraining and certification sessions in 2018.

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1. INTRODUCTION

Tunisia is a Party to the MontrealProtocol on Substances that DepleteOzone Layer since 1989. Tunisia, likeother countries in the Protocol, hasdeveloped an action plan with theassistance of UNIDO for the manage-ment of ozone-depleting substancesand the phase-out of HCFCs (HPMP)by the end of 2029. This plan wasapproved and funded by the ExecutiveCommittee of the Multilateral Fund ofthe Montreal Protocol at its 72ndmeeting in 2014.The baseline for Tunisian consumptionof HCFCs is 712 TM, this quantity isimported in its entirety and is used invarious sectors, including the servicesector of refrigeration and air condi-tioning. The trend in the annual evolu-tion of HCFCs import and consump-tion is shown in Figure 1.In addition to these ozone-depletingsubstances, are Hydrofluorocarbons(HFCs), which have powerful GlobalWarming Potential (GWP) and arealso used in the refrigeration and air-conditioning service sectors. Tunisiahas recorded during the last decade acontinuous increase of these sub-stances (more than 400 %). The mainHFCs used are HFC-134A, HFC-404A, HFC-410A and HFC-407C.The trend in the annual evolution ofHFC import and consumption isshown in Figure 2.In order to cope with the considerableincreases in the use of these sub-stances, the National Ozone Unit ofTunisia, in close collaboration with

UNIDO, began in 2015 with the estab-lishment of a national system of certi-fication of natural persons and servicecompanies operating in the refrigera-tion and air conditioning sector. Themain objectives of this system are:• Gradually reduce the use of refriger-

ant gases according to the schedulesrequired by the Montreal Protocol:HCFCs: HCFC-22HFCs: HFC-134A, HFC-404A,HFC-410A…

• Adopt good practices during the in-stallation, maintenance, servicing anddecommissioning of equipment con-taining refrigerants,

• Continuous monitoring of equipmentcontaining refrigerants (periodic con-trol of leaks, etc.),

• Promote the recovery, recycling and /

or regeneration of refrigerant gases.In this context, the National OzoneUnit has targeted six (06) vocationaltraining centers under the Ministry ofVocational Training and Employmentin the cold sector, well distributed inthe Tunisian territory to begin the pro-cedures of training. establishment ofthis system.These centers are locatedon the map of Tunisia as follows:The project to establish a certificationsystem is a component of theMontreal Protocol MLF-funded planfor the elimination and management ofHCFCs (HPMP). Five training centershave been equipped with trainingmaterials and instruments, includingrecovery machines, electronic refriger-ant gas leak detectors and education-al refrigeration and air-conditioning

Towards the Establishmentof a National Systemof Certification in the Cold Sector

YOUSSEF HAMMAMI

Coordinator of the National Ozone Unit,TunisiaChef de service, Agence Nationale de Protection de l’Environnement (ANPE)

Figure 1.Trend of the evolution of import and consumption of HCFCs in Tunisia.

CSG expert trainer Prof. Luca Rollino (center) withthe Tunisian NOU Mr.Youssef Hammami (right).

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systems with a total cost of around$230 thousand. UNIDO entrusted theItalian training bureau “Centro StudiGalileo (CSG)”, renowned internation-ally for the training and certification oftrainers of these centers.

2. STEPS TAKEN FOR THEESTABLISHMENT OFCERTIFICATION SYSTEMIN TUNISIA

The concept adopted for this project isbased on the following aspects:• Consultation with stakeholders (ser-

vice companies, academics, nationaland international experts, etc.),

• European Regulation F-Gas,

• Experience of the training and certifi-cation sessions conducted by CentroStudi Galileo (CSG - Italy),

• Experiences from other similar coun-tries (Albania, Romania).

The National Ozone Unit has jointlyorganized with UNIDO and CentroStudi Galileo two (02) round tables onthis topic. The first table was organizedon 6 and 7 November 2017, and wasdedicated to the definition of the certifi-cation system. The second round tablewas organized on 24 April 2018 follow-ing the completion of training and certi-fication procedures for all trainers fromthe six (6) vocational training centersmentioned above by CSG, as well asthe presentation of the results of the

work of the introduction of certificationin Tunisia, including the presentation ofa regulatory framework in force. Theresult of the training and certificationsessions conducted by the CGS inTunisia is summarized as follows:

• Total number of certified trainers: 60The distribution of certified trainers per

center is shown in the table below:• Training Office: Centro Studi Galileo,• Certification body: Veritas (Italy), cer-

tification according to the Europeanregulation 303/2008,

• Category of certification: cat I,• Validity of certification: 10 years.

�

Figure 2.Trend of the evolution of import and consumption HFCs in Tunisia.

Table 1.Distribution of Certified Trainers

by Training Center.

Training centersNumber

of certifiedtrainers

CFSBA-Ibn Sina (Tunis) 9CFSE-Djerba 12CSFM-Nabeul 12

CSFMH-Tabarka 8CFA-Sfax 5

CSFE-Kairouan 14Total number of certified

trainers 60

Work in progress for drafting the Certification System in Tunisia: round tables, training and certification sessions took place over 3 years inTunisi, Djerba, Nabeul, Tabarka and Kairouan. In the pictures the Tunisian NOU (Youssef Hammami), CSG trainers (Luca Rollino & MadiSakandé) & International Affairs (Silvia Romanò) and UNIDO (Andrés Celave).

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ABSTRACT

This paper is a summarised versionof a study undertaken for the GermanCorporation for International Coope-ration GmbH (Deutsche Gesellschaftfür Internationale ZusammenarbeitGmbH, GIZ). The study was pub-lished in 2017.The scope of the study was to identifythe potential of solar cooling technolo-gies, both solar thermal and photo-

voltaic-driven, for residential socialhousing in different building types andclimatic zones in Mexico.Investigated building types and corre-sponding floor spaces are: single fam-ily house (40 m2), row house (70 m2),multi-family house (320 m2) and hous-ing estate (19.500 m2).Each building type has been investi-gated for four different locations andclimatic zones, namely:a) Mexicali (extremely hot and dry)

b) Hermosillo (extremely hot and dry)c) Monterrey (hot-dry, semiarid)d) Cancún (extremely hot-humid)Solar thermal cooling technologieshave been investigated for two differ-ent kinds of collectors (non-concen-trating and concentrating). Also, threedifferent kinds of thermal absorptionchiller (single stage, double stage,double effect) have been investigated.Further, two different electricity tariffs(the current and a future tariff) have

The Potential of Solar Cooling forSocial Housing Buildings in Mexico

PAUL KOHLENBACH, ULI JAKOB

SOLEM Consulting, Berlin, Germany

Table 1. Building types investigated.

imp MEXICO Jacob:mod 2002 8-10-2018 13:52 Pagina 54

been assumed. For the housing estatetwo separate options have been inves-tigated: with and without a centralchilled water network.Levelised Cost of Cooling Energy(LCCE), payback period and energysavings per year compared to a refer-ence scenario have been calculatedfor each case as part of the compara-tive analysis. It was found that for thecurrent electricity tariff none of thesolar cooling options is economicallyviable for single family, row and multifamily houses. Photovoltaic coolinghas significant economic advantagesif applied in the housing estate.However, the difference in photovoltaiccooling with and without a chilled waternetwork for a housing estate is negligi-ble regarding the payback period. If thefuture electricity tariff is applied thenpayback period and LCCE for solarthermal cooling are greater for all build-ings and all locations, compared tophotovoltaic cooling. Photovoltaic cool-ing in single family and row houses isonly viable in Cancún. Photovoltaiccooling in multi family houses is viableat all locations. Photovoltaic cooling inhousing estates has a significantadvantage at all locations.Keywords: Solar cooling, solar air-conditioning, social housing, Mexico,levelized cost of cooling, LCCE, pay-back period, energy savings.

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Figure 1.Overview of cities and climatic zones for which solar cooling has been investigated [3]

Figure 2.Investigated solar cooling technologies for single family, row and

multi family house.

Figure 3.Investigated solar cooling technologies for housing estate.


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1. INTRODUCTION

Mexico is estimated to have a popula-tion of approximately 150 million bythe year 2050 (approximately 123 mil-lion in 2016). Currently, due to popula-tion growth and increasing urbaniza-tion, around half a million new socialhousing units are being built each yearin urban or suburban areas. It is theMexican government’s goal to reducethe energy consumption of thesenewly built social housing apartmentscompared to the existing building stan-dard. This shall be done in the contextof sustainable urban development inorder to be able to reach Mexico’s cli-mate protection goals in the housingsector.

2. METHODOLOGY

The study investigates whether solarcooling in social housing in Mexicocan be implemented successfully,both from an economic and energeticpoint of view, and whether it can con-tribute to achieving the governmentalclimate protection goals. A distinctionis made between two different tech-nologies for solar cooling and four dif-ferent building types.The building types investigated aregiven in detail in Table 1.These building types are being inves-tigated for four cities in Mexico, repre-senting the four main climatic zonesas shown in Figure 1.The economic comparison of solar

cooling alternatives for Mexico is car-ried out with respect to the followingparameters:• Levelized Cost of Cooling (LCCE)• Payback period• Annual Energy savingsThese three parameters are evaluatedin comparison to a reference scenarioconsisting of conventional split unitsfor building air-conditioning.Further, the parameters have beenevaluated for two different Mexicanelectricity tariffs, the current one(labelled “Base”) and a future one(labelled “Excedente”). For a list of fur-ther assumptions and further method-ology click this link.For the building types single family,row and multi family house the solar

Tariff “Base” Tariff “Excedente”

Tariff “Excedente”

The payback period exceeds 20 yearsfor all scenarios.

Tariff “Base”

Figure 4.Payback period – Solar thermal cooling.

Figure 5.Payback period – photovoltaic cooling.


cooling technologies investigated areshown in Figure 2.For the building type housing estate,the solar cooling technologies investi-gated are shown in Figure 3.

3. RESULTS

The results of the simulation calcula-tions for the two different technologiesfor solar cooling and four differentbuilding types are presented for thepayback period below.

The results for LCCE and annualenergy savings can be found here.

4. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

In this paper the potential of solarcooling for social housing buildings inMexico is investigated. The followingrecommendations can be derived forthe use of air-conditioning technolo-gies in social housing in Mexico.The following conclusions can bedrawn from the results of the study:

4.1 Current conditions(electricity tariff “Base”)

• Single-family and row house: None ofthe solar cooling options feasible

• Multi family house: Payback period 17to 20 years for photovoltaic cooling.Solar thermal cooling not feasible.

• Housing estate: Payback periodbetween 8 and 14 years for photo-voltaic cooling. Solar thermal coolingnot feasible.

Solar thermal cooling has a higherpayback period and higher coolingcosts in all cases and at all locationscompared to the photovoltaic version.

4.2 Future conditions(electricity tariff “Excedente”)

• Single-family and row house: Paybackperiod between 7 and 10 years forPhotovoltaic cooling in Cancún. Solarthermal cooling not feasible.

• Multi family house: Payback periodbetween 5 and 8 years for photovolta-ic cooling. Solar thermal cooling notfeasible.

• Housing estate: Payback periodbetween 5 and 14 years for solar ther-mal cooling. Payback period between3 and 4 years for photovoltaic cooling.

Again, solar thermal cooling has a high-er payback period and higher coolingcosts in all cases and at all locationscompared to the photovoltaic version.

AcknowledgementsThe authors would like to acknowledgethe following contributions to the report:Mr. Andreas Gruner and Dr. MarianRzepka, both from German Corpora-tion for International Cooperation GmbH(Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationa-le Zusammenarbeit GmbH, GIZ) fortheir valuable comments and proof-reading of the study.

�REFERENCES[1]https://www.jraia.or.jp/english/World_AC_Demand.pdf. Last accessed 14th August 2018.[2] http://www.green-cooling-initiative.org/country-data/#!appliances-in-use/unitary-air-condition-ing/absolute. Last accessed 14th August 2018.[3] http://task53.iea-shc.org/Data/Sites/53/media/events/meeting-09/workshop/09-jakob_results-from-feasibility-studies-of-solar-cooling-systems-in-mexico-and-the-arab-region.pdf. Last accessed 07.09.2018[4|https://library.e.abb.com/public/885ca21b9ce11ab5c1257be8005534fc/Mexico.pdf. Last accessed07.08.2017[5] SEMARNAT/CONAVI (2012). Supported NAMAfor Sustainable Housing in Mexico – MitigationActions and Financing Packages. Mexico City 2012.[6] Internal communication. GIZ “2017-06-21 Pre-sentacion San Marcos NAMA Facilities.pdf”

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58

The new F-gas regulation No517/2014 has now been in force foralmost four years.That it should have a great impact onthe whole RACHP business, all frommanufacturers via contractors to endusers was obvious to everybodyknowing our industry. In early 2017first signs of this could be seen inincreasing prices on especially highGWP refrigerants.Now, in late 2018 consequences areshown all from major price increaseand shortage on refrigerants viauncertainty in refrigerant availabilityand lack of service technicians to non-professional service activities.Right now, the RACHP business ischallenged on multiple fronts.

F-gas prices booming in 2017

From showing almost no priceincrease during 2015 and 2016, priceson mainly high GWP refrigerants start-ed to increase first quarter of 2017.The price increase accelerated rapid-ly, and was for some refrigerants(R404A and R507A) above 1000% inthe end of the year. The trend during2018 is that price increase for refriger-ants with highest GWP to someextend are levelling out while refriger-ants with lower GWP such as R134aand R410A continue to increase at ahigh level.At the end of 2017 the average price onF-gases corresponded to approx. 20EUR per ton CO2 equivalents.The expectation by the EuropeanCommission is however a price corre-

sponding to 50 EUR per ton CO2 equiv-alents. Therefore, there is no reason toexpect any future stabilisation in price,on the contrary.

Shortage of supply more common

In 2017 Honeywell, one of the world’slargest manufacturer of refrigerants,announced their stop on sales ofR404A. After that, others have fol-lowed. All over Europe manufacturers,contractors and end users testify ofproblems in getting hold on F-gas.This occur not only for R404A, butalso other HFC’s such as R410A,R134a. Even new refrigerants likeR452A are said being difficult to pur-chase from time to time.

Wholesalers are claimed to keep theirquotas for existing customers hinder-ing start-up companies from gettinghold of requested volumes.And finally, volumes of reclaimedrefrigerants are still at a very low levelnot yet supporting the RACHP busi-ness.All this causes a very unsecure situa-tion for all actors within our industrynot knowing if a specific refrigerant isavailable when needed.

Uncertainty in choice of refrigerant

Risk for shortage combined with allnew refrigerants released on the mar-ket causes an uncertainty in whatrefrigerants to choose for the future.

The new F-gas Regulation ChallengesRACHP Business on Multiple Fronts

PER JONASSON

Director of the Swedish Refrigeration & Heat Pump AssociationPast President of AREA

Diagram: Development of purchase price for various refrigerants at servicecompany level, indexed to 2014 price level (100%)

Source: European Commission and Öko-Recherche

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The overall process driven by thephase down strategy set by theEuropean Commission put heavypressure on mainly contractors andtheir customers.All knowing that in 2030 annual refrig-erant consumption must correspondto 21% (or an average value ofapprox. 470 CO2 equivalents on eachkilogram placed on the market) ofwhat was consumed in 2015.But all customers are individuals withtheir own specific situation. There istherefore no “golden rule” in how tosolve their future refrigeration situa-tion.This is especially difficult when havingan existing plant charged with high ormedium high GWP refrigerant.When evaluating this situation, typicalquestions that should be addressedare:• What type of refrigerant and size of

charge does the system have?High GWP and/or refrigerant charge

makes it more problematic.• Is the RAC system critical for the

business?High or low financial risks if the refrig-

eration system stops?• Age and condition of the system?New, tight and in good condition is of

course better than the opposite.• How is the financial situation of the

end user?Able to do a “total remake” or just needto “stay alive” saving money for futureinvestment.With all these questions sorted out itshould be easier to set a plan on howto walk away from high GWP refriger-ants can be formed.A general recommendation is howeverto focus on very low, or zero GWPrefrigerants as the long-term solution.Preferably based on natural refriger-ants if possible.

Lack of resources

Finding and recruiting service techni-cians, skilled enough to deal with thetransformation from old HFC refriger-ants to new HFOs or naturals is thebiggest challenge of them all.Already now most European countriesare struggling in getting hold of techni-cians. The situation could be illustrat-ed by the diagram below showing thesituation for Sweden. Twice a year the

Swedish RACHP association make asurvey among its members askinghow easy or hard it is for them torecruit new employees. The trend isalarming – since 2012 to date thenumber of “very hard to find techni-cian” replies have increased fromapprox. 35% to 92% at last survey. Ofall interviewed companies NONE saidit was easy in finding new technicians.Same pattern is shown for other typesof labour groups such as engineers

and managers.If our business shall manage to meetthe requirements by the EuropeanCommission these problems have tobe solved.

Non-professional service activities- inappropriate topping

Quite early after the implementation of517/2014 we could see an increasedsale, mainly over the internet, of alter-

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Diagram: Phase-down ladder showing both reduction in percentage (right)and in estimated “average GWP” per kilogram refrigerant (left)Source: www.alltomfgas.se, Swe Refrigeration & Heat Pump Association

Diagram: Bi-annual survey done to Swedish RACHP contractors askinghow difficult they have in recruiting right competences to their companies.

This one showing the situation for RACHP service technicians.Source:Industrifakta AB and Swe Refrigeration & Heat Pump Association


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native refrigerants for the mobileindustry. It was “cleaver” businessmenpromoting the environmentally friendlyrefrigerant “hydrocarbon” make-your-own-kit to private car owners. Whatthey didn’t mention was that this gas isthe same one used in caravans forcooking and heating. In other words,deadly dangerous if handled in thewrong way.Furthermore - except of initiating acriminal act, as uncertified personsare not allowed to work with refrigera-tion systems, they also put both thecar owner and the “coming after” pro-fessional service company in greatdanger.Recently a new area has been affect-ed of this inappropriate topping –namely the A/C industry and R410A.R410A contains of R32 and R125 in a50/50 mixture. As R125 has a ratherhigh GWP-value of 3500 it’s gettingdifficult to get hold of. Therefore, wehave been informed of companies top-ping up systems with pure R32.Investigations from f.x. UK shows thatthis leads to distinct shortened lifetime for the system, in some casesdown to 6-24 months remaining lifetime after topping.Another consequence is of coursethat the more R32 that’s filled in thesystem, the more flammable do thecharge get. Of course, a major risk forthe “coming after” technician as thesystem still is marked with R410A.Finally, by charging the system withpure R32, the service company doingso overrides all existing regulations,directives and rules. All from CE mark-ing via PED to ATEX. They conduct acriminal act they will have to answerfor in case of an incident.

So, is the F-gas regulation 517/2014a bad thing?

Definitely not!Yes, there are many challenges for theRACHP industry to tackle.But it’s worth it because the F-gas reg-ulation 517/2014 is a good decision.• It’s good for the end user getting a

sustainable and environmentallyfriendly system.

• It’s good for the contractor being ableto contribute to the same.

• And it’s good for the environmentitself.

It is now up to all parties of our indus-try to realize there is only one way togo – walk away from high GWP refrig-erants. And if you have not started yet,

you are already behind. It’s time to geton the train. Sooner than you know it isto far away to catch.Don’t wait – Act now! �

WORLD REFRIGERATION DAY

World Refrigeration Day Announced as June 26th: to raiseawareness of how refrigeration, air-conditioning, andheat-pumps (RACHP) technology improves modern lifeand promote the significant contribution to the wellbeing ofhuman society of today’s RACHP industry. Industry tradeassociations and professional bodies from around theworld are united in establishing June 26th as WorldRefrigeration Day which will be celebrated all over theglobe as an annual event. Associations and societies from USA, India, Pakistan,Philippines, Thailand, Australia, Africa, the Middle East, and across Europe have allindicted their support for the establishment of the World Refrigeration Day. MarcoBuoni, recently elected as the President of the European contractors’ associationAREA, said: “AREA supports the establishment of World Refrigeration Day on 26thJune. Such a celebration is an acknowledgment of the role for our society playedby refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps whether related to health, food orcomfort. RACHP contractors represented by AREA are proud to contribute toachieving such noble purposes” (source: GineersNow)

AREA APP IN 14 LANGUAGES

AREA has developed the refrigeration and airconditioning sector’s first calculation app to aidcompliance with EN378 and F Gas require-ments for field engineers. Developed by engi-neers for engineers.Originally published in English, the app hasbeen updated and - thanks to the outstandingwork of AREA members - it is now available in14 languages: Croatian, Czech, Dutch,English, French, German, Italian, Norwegian,

Polish, Portuguese, Slovakian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish. This app is free andis available for IOS and Android.

AREA WARNS: STOP INSTALLING R-404A & R-507A!

Leading associations from all sectors have joined together to implore contractors tostop installing high GWP refrigerants R404A and R507A. European contractor andmanufacturers’ groups AREA, EPEE, EFCTC and ASERCOM warn that failure totake immediate action will threaten the survival of many refrigeration and air condi-tioning contractors’ businesses*.The HFC phase-down from the F-Gas Regulationcreates massive cuts in the available quantities of HFCs in the EU. Immediateaction needs towards refrigerants with high global warming potential needs to betaken.This directly impacts on the short survival of many RACHP contractors’ busi-nesses. AREA, EPEE, EFCTC and ASERCOM have joined forces to produce aclear and simple brochure explaining to RACHP contractors why they need to stopinstalling R-404A and R-507A and what alternatives are available. Joint industrybrochure alerting RACHP contractors on the need to stop installing R-404A and R-507A to stay in business in the context of the HFC phase-down resulting from theF-Gas Regulation. Act now! check out the brochure here: http://bit.ly/AREA-STOP


Three years after the entry into force ofthe EU F-Gas Regulation(EU)517/2014, EPEE, the voice ofthe refrigeration, air-conditioning andheat-pump industry in Europe, takes astep back to provide an overview oflessons learned from the Europeanexperience for countries that havestarted investigating adequate politicalmeasures to achieve the KigaliAmendment.

In light of the Kigali Amendment onthe global phase-down of HFCs,which will enter into force on 1stJanuary 2019, countries have startedinvestigating adequate political meas-ures to achieve the HFC consumptionreduction steps as set out in theAmendment. In parallel, energy effi-ciency has become a top priority tocater for globally growing needs ofHVACR equipment while ensuring itssustainability, given that the largestshare of emissions by HVACR equip-ment is related to energy use (indirectemissions) rather than to the refriger-ant itself (direct emissions). EPEE, thevoice of the refrigeration, air-condition-ing and heat-pump industry in Europe,has produced an overview of lessonslearned from the European experiencewith the EU F-Gas Regulation, forcountries which are currently consider-ing different options to achieve theKigali HFC phase-down steps.Countries looking at the Europeanexample should, however, always

keep in mind that one size does not fitall, and so rules aimed at reducingHFC emissions have to be adapted tothe specificities of each market.Developed and developing marketshave different characteristics and needtailor-made measures, consideringmany different factors including size ofmarket, type of market (low volumeconsuming, relying on imports, manu-facturing base, etc.) and its players.The EU HFC phase-down, which ispart of the EU F-Gas Regulation, isbased on a robust and mandatorymechanism with clearly identified obli-gations for the concerned market play-ers. Having said this, it must always beremembered that the behaviour of thevarious involved stakeholders is gov-erned by a combination of regulationand market forces. In other words: ifproactive action on the phase-downrequirements is too slow, compliancewill be forced by refrigerant shortagesand price increases.This is what happened in the EU andwhat could have been avoided if moreupfront action had been taken – bear-ing in mind that this does not onlyrelate to the behaviour of market play-ers but also to the regulatory context(e.g. the readiness of building codes,see also lesson #5).The following “lessons learned” addressthis phenomenon, pointing to concretemeasures to facilitate smooth and non-disruptive HFC consumption reductionsteps and, what is even more important,emission reductions – which are the ulti-mate objective of the EU F-GasRegulation and the Kigali Amendment.

1.The basics: Leak tightness(containment) and skills(competence) should be thebasis of any measure targetingthe reduction of F-Gasemissions

Before the EU F-Gas Regulationentered into force in 2015, Europe hadput in place its predecessor, the 2006EU F-Gas Regulation1, which alreadyfocussed on leak tightness (via contain-ment measures) and skills of installersand service technicians (via certifica-tion schemes). Experience shows thatthese measures result in multiple ben-efits next to the reduction of directrefrigerant emissions, such as:• Energy Efficiency: Ensuring the cor-

rect refrigerant charge (i.e. avoidingany losses) is a key condition for theenergy efficient operation of a sys-tem, meaning that indirect emissionsrelated to energy use will decrease aswell;

• Cost Effectiveness: Leak tight equi-pment means reducing cost. First,because no additional refrigerant willbe needed to top up leaky systems,second because it will save energyand third because in the longer-termsystem repair and break down costsincluding consequential damage willbe avoided.

• Safety: Leak tight equipment is keyfor safe operation, which is evenmore important when flammablegases are used.

How to achieve containment?Leak tightness is the result of a com-

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7 Lessons Learned from theEU F-Gas Regulation

ANDREA VOIGT

1. Regulation (EC) No 842/2006 of the EuropeanParliament and of the Council of 17 May 2006 oncertain fluorinated greenhouse gases.

Director General of the European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE)

imp 7 lessons EPEE:mod 2002 8-10-2018 15:52 Pagina 61

bination of factors including design,quality of manufacturing and quality ofinstallation and maintenance. Further-more, to support leak tightness, the2006 and 2015 EU F-Gas Regulationintroduced the following main require-ments:• Regular leak checks and installation

of leak detection equipment for largersystems;

• Training and certification of under-takings and its employees handlingF-Gases;

• Labelling of equipment containing F-Gases.

In practice, we can see that the princi-ple of better containment and compe-tence works very well and remains oneof the cornerstones of efforts to reduceHFC emissions – as was alreadydemonstrated by the 2006 EU F-GasRegulation.Any country wanting to put in placemeasures addressing HFC emissionsshould therefore start with contain-ment as a basis – without contain-ment, a phase-down mechanism can-not work. Strengthened containmentrules directly lead to a reduction notonly of consumption but more impor-tantly of emissions into the atmos-phere. They are key elements toensure that the migration to lower GWPgases happens in an orderly way, con-sidering the trade-offs faced by manu-facturers when choosing a new gas:safety, energy efficiency, GWP and costof the fluids and systems.

2. Data and Communication:Governments should reach outto the entire supply chain toensure successful design andimplementation of regulation

Heating, cooling and refrigeration areindispensable for a comfortable andsafe life in today’s society and F-Gasesare a crucial element of such equip-ment. Therefore, it is important that gov-ernments reach out to the entire valuechain from ‘end-users’ of F-Gases suchas supermarkets, hospitals, hotels, etc.through to manufacturers of HVACRequipment, service technicians andinstallers. Any political measure taken

should never jeopardize the safe andenergy efficient operation of HVACRequipment over its lifetime.To ensure this is the case, close coop-eration between governments andstakeholders across the entire valuechain as mentioned above, is crucialto ensure a full understanding of themarket and to avoid unintended con-sequences.In the EU, several preparatory studieswere carried out before deciding onthe 2015 EU F-Gas Regulation. Forexample, EPEE commissioned a com-prehensive study to SKM Enviros (RayGluckman)2 providing a detailedanalysis of the HVACR market seg-ments including key factors such asrefrigerants used, lifetime of equip-ment, typical leakage rates, chargesizes, expected penetration rates ofalternative solutions etc. According tothis study, the phase down steps asdesigned were challenging, but feasi-ble. However, to work smoothly, itwould have required a good under-standing and timely action by all stake-holders, which, in practice, has notbeen the case in all sectors.Once a new regulation is in force,communication remains of key impor-tance to ensure that all stakeholdersare well-informed and understand thenew requirements. In the EU, not allstakeholders are well connected – forinstance, certain stakeholders aresmall family owned companies acrossthe 28 EU Member States which are

not necessarily members of nationaltrade associations.For others, F-Gasesmay simply not be their business focus,etc. Therefore, numerous stakeholderswere not fully aware of the obligations(particularly of the phase-down) of theEU F-Gas Regulation being in effectsince 2015. This led to delayed marketactivities – for example, high GWPrefrigerants such as R-404A and R-507A continued to be used, althoughseveral lower GWP alternatives werealready available – and consequently tosignificant refrigerant shortages,extreme price increases and a growingrisk for illegal trade.That is why considerable effort mustbe put into communication to ensurethat all relevant stakeholders areaware of the new provisions, howthese will impact them, and why theyshould anticipate compliance. Not onlygovernments, but each actor in thevalue chain can play a role in ensuringthat the news reaches all those stake-holders concerned.For example, following the entry intoforce of the EU F-Gas Regulation,EPEE started the “Gapometer” proj-ect, which defines a route towardsimplementation of the phase-downand identifies the biggest risks of gapsbetween requirements and reality.When undertaking a market survey aspart of the Gapometer project, wefound that action to stop using highGWP refrigerants so far has been fartoo slow in the EU to achieve a

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2. Phase Down of HFC Consumption in the EU –Assessment of Implications for the RAC Sector,FINAL REPORT, SKM Enviros 2012.

Diagram: Necessary withdrawal of refrigerant quantities divided into fields of applicationSource: EPEE - Gapometer Study


smooth implementation of the phase-down as designed. Consequently,EPEE joined forces with three otherleading associations in the HVACRsector – AREA, ASERCOM andEFCTC – to call upon Europeaninstallers to stop using high GWPrefrigerants (particularly R-404A, R-507A) in the equipment they install.The associations are reaching out toinstallers with a brochure that hasbeen translated in all the official lan-guages of the European Union.However, it takes time to spread themessage – more time than expected.Therefore, regulations must be realis-tic in anticipating such sort of delays.

3. Governance:The phase-downprinciple works but requiresexcellent governance

The EU chose a quota based HFC-phase-down as the main mechanismto achieve the desired HFC consump-tion reductions, where quota is allocat-ed to producers and importers of bulkHFCs (‘top-down’ approach).The situation in other regions of theworld is different in the sense that theKigali Amendment – which was not inplace when the EU F-Gas Regulationentered into force – already sets outthe consumption reduction steps thatneed to be achieved in the countriesthat have ratified it. The focus in thesecountries is therefore on the measuresto be put in place to achieve thesegoals rather than on the decision aboutthe reduction steps as such. However,even if the Kigali Amendment sets outthe HFC consumption reduction stepsand even if those may only kick-in inthe medium / long-term, it is crucialthat countries plan ahead and intro-duce adequate measures earlyenough in time to be ready when thereduction steps will occur and ensurean orderly transition.If opting for a top-down quota-basedphase-down mechanism, as is thecase of the EU, there are some expe-riences that are worth sharing:• Communication: as explained in

lesson #2, the importance of exten-sive communication cannot bestressed enough. First, the principleand the mechanism of progressivelyreducing CO2-equivalents need to

be thoroughly explained to stake-holders to avoid a false feeling ofsecurity. The EU HFC phase-downallows some flexibility for the marketto react, but this flexibility must notbe understood as an excuse for non-action. Second, the technicalities ofquota allocation, authorisations, etc.need dedicated explanation andguidelines to avoid any misunder-standings or unclarities and toensure that quota is not wasted.

• Flexibility: The European Commis-sion expected the HFC phase-downto trigger a move towards lower GWPrefrigerants by increasing the pres-sure on high GWP gases. However,experience shows (see example oflesson #2) that some built-in flexibilityallowing legislators and stakeholdersto adapt to market situations andavoid unintended consequences(with an impact on safety, energy effi-ciency, etc.) could be beneficial toensure a successful HFC consump-tion reduction.

• Design: The EU F-Gas Regulation isbased on a top-down mechanismwhere quota is allocated to produc-ers and importers of bulk HFCs. It isworth mentioning in this context thatHFCs are not only imported andexported as bulk but also in pre-charged equipment. Countries withlocal manufactures are recommend-ed to address those imports and

exports of equipment to protect thecompetitiveness of manufacturers ofpre-charged equipment.

• Enforcement: As for any legislation,enforcement is key for success. Interms of the EU HFC phase-downmechanism, a lack of enforcementwould completely undermine thephase-down principle and with it thegoals of the F-Gas Regulation. Withgrowing pressure due to the hugecuts of HFC consumption in the con-text of the EU HFC phase-down, lat-est evidence shows that illegalimports of high GWP refrigerant R-404A are increasingly becoming athreat for the successful implemen-tation of the phase-down. It is there-fore of key importance that stake-holders only buy refrigerants fromreliable sources and that govern-ments put in place adequate marketsurveillance and penalty schemes.

• Anticipation: As said, the situationin Europe at the time of the negotia-tion of the EU F-Gas Regulation wasdifferent in the sense that the KigaliAmendment did not exist back then,i.e. the shape of the EU HFC con-sumption reduction still had to bedecided as well as the measures toachieve it. Today, the KigaliAmendment sets out the steps of thedesired consumption reduction forcountries that ratify it, which is whythese countries can focus on the

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Diagram: Price development of R404A and R134a at gas producer andservice company level, indexed to 2014 price level (100%)

Source: European Commission and Öko-Recherche


required political measures to achievethese goals. Nevertheless, to avoidcritical situations, shortages, etc. it ishighly recommended for countries toput in place measures early enoughto anticipate the required consump-tion reduction steps. That is if meas-ures only kick in at the time when thefirst reduction step is required, it willbe too late for the market to adapt andensure an orderly, safe and energyefficient transition.

Having said this, it needs to beremembered that the EU quota based,top-down HFC phase-down mecha-nism is only one of many differentmethods to achieve HFC consumptionreductions.As an example, Japan has adopted adifferent, bottom-up, modulated ap-proach where the phase-down stepsresult from sector-based restrictions.Governments need to evaluate whatsort of approach is best suited to theirrespective countries, taking intoaccount their countries’ and markets’specific characteristics.

4. Alignment:When combiningdifferent measures, they need tobe aligned and their respectiverole clearly communicated to themarket

Alongside the EU HFC phase-downand the measures on containmentand competence as explained in thebeginning of this paper, the EU F-GasRegulation imposes certain conditionson the placing on the market of specif-ic products and equipment using fluo-rinated greenhouse gases.These conditions are also known as‘sectoral’ bans, meaning that certainGWP thresholds apply for specificproduct categories. For example, as of2020, HFCs with a GWP above 2500will be banned in stationary refrigera-tion equipment.The European Commission introducedseveral of such GWP limits in anattempt to set signposts in support ofthe phase-down. Some of these GWPlimits kick in after the HFC consumptionreduction steps as required by the EUHFC phase-down. For example, theGWP limit of 2500 will apply as of2020 whereas a major reduction stepoccurred already in 2018.

While opinions are diverging as towhether GWP limits (‘sectoral’ bans)are necessary in addition to thephase-down and when they shouldkick in, there are two important take-aways from the EU experience: ifGWP limits are applied on top of aquota based phase-down mechanism,firstly, these must be co-ordinated toallow market players to manage thetransition in a practical and cost-effec-tive manner, and secondly, it needs tobe made very clear to stakeholdersthat the phase-down mechanism willforce the market to move.However, if market players do notmake these changes in due time,unintended consequences such asrefrigerant shortages and massiveprice increases can be expected. Inother words: ‘sectoral’ bans cannot beused as an excuse for market playersto hold back on necessary actionwhilst they wait for the bans to kick in.Once again, communication is crucialfor success.

5. Anticipation: Building codesand standards need to be readyfor and aligned with nationallegislation

As explained, the EU F-Gas Regulationputs forward measures to reduce theuse of HFCs with a higher GWP andto promote the use of lower GWPalternatives. However, the lower theGWP of a refrigerant, the more likely itwill be flammable.In practice this means that in somemarket sectors lower GWP alterna-tives exist but cannot be used inequipment as building codes do notallow for it because they are flamma-ble. Indeed, building codes areenshrined in national, regional andsometimes even local rules, oftenrelated to fire safety. If a building codeprohibits the use of flammable refrig-erants, then it is simply not allowed touse them.Buildings codes can be barrier to theimplementation of HFC consumptionreduction steps. They must thereforebe revised in time to be ready for newlegislation.It is also worth mentioning safetystandards in this context as these areimportant references and are oftenused as practical guidance, a code ofgood practice or, if it is a harmonizedstandard, as a possible method todemonstrate compliance with legisla-tion.Even if they are not binding – asopposed to building codes and regu-lations – an understanding of safetystandards is highly recommended.National and international standardi-zation committees are currentlyworking on adapting relevant stan-dards to the increased use of flamma-ble refrigerants taking into account,among others, various research pro-grams worldwide to scientificallyassess the conditions for the safe useof flammable refrigerants.

6. Resources: Recovery, recycling,reclaim and reuse of gases arecrucial elements to achieve HFCconsumption and emissionreductions

The EU F-Gas Regulation increasedthe opportunities for recovery and

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reuse of gas. Indeed, recycled andreclaimed gases can make an impor-tant contribution to achieving thephase-down as they are not coveredby the quota system and consideredas valuable resources helping toreduce the pressure on the market.Recovery, recycling, reclaim andreuse should be part of any legislationaiming to reduce the consumption andemission of HFCs.The experience in the EU shows thatdue to the HFC phase-down, there isincreased interest in using recycledand reclaimed gases. In addition,according to the F-Gas Regulationventing refrigerants into the atmos-phere is explicitly prohibited and sub-ject to penalties. At the end of lifetimeof equipment or when retrofittingexisting installations, the refrigerantmust be recovered for re-use ordestruction.To effectively reuse HFCs, an ade-quate infrastructure is required allow-ing to recycle and reclaim refrigerants.Moreover, waste legislation needs toallow for the transport of used refriger-ants across borders in case individualcountries do not have adequatereclaim facilities.Careful monitoring of reclaimed prod-uct is required, particularly of imports,to ensure that virgin product is notbeing placed into cylinders labelled“reclaimed”.Buying from reputable suppliers willminimise this risk. Finally, there arevery little data available about thequantities of recycled refrigerants.Better data would allow for betteradaptation to the requirements of themarket.

7. Indirect emissions: Energyefficiency should not becompromised by F-Gas rules andshould be addressed indedicated legislation

This point is only indirectly related tolessons learned from the EU F-GasRegulation.It is mentioned nevertheless in thispaper because despite all efforts tomove towards lower GWP refrigerantsand, by doing so, reducing direct emis-sions from HVACR equipment, it is awell-known fact that the largest share

of emissions is due to the energy useof equipment.These emissions are also known asindirect emissions and represent farmore than three quarters of overallemissions of HVACR equipment.While the EU F-Gas Regulation isstrictly related to reducing direct HFCemissions, there are several policymeasures in place in the EU that arededicated to reducing the energy useof HVACR equipment, or, in otherwords, increasing its energy efficiency,such as• Ecodesign: Sets minimum energy

efficiency requirements for products,also known as MEPS (MinimumEnergy Performance Standards). IfMEPS are not reached, productsare not allowed to be placed on theEU market. This measure is intend-ed to create a “push” effect wheremanufacturers are “pushed” to bringto market energy efficient products.

• Energy labelling: Showcases theenergy efficiency of a product bymeans of a scale (A to G, green tored) and is meant to inform andmotivate consumers to buy themost energy efficient product. Thismeasure is intended to create a“pull” effect, where consumers are“pulled” towards energy efficientproducts.

• Energy Performance of Buildings(EPBD): Puts the emphasis on thebuildings and systems and aims toaccelerate the cost-effective reno-vation of existing buildings, thedeployment of smart technologiesas well as technical buildings sys-tems / building automation with thevision of a decarbonised buildingstock by 2050.

Legislation dedicated to reducingdirect HFC emissions and legislationdedicated to increasing energy effi-ciency (i.e. reducing indirect emis-sions) should be well-aligned andmutually consistent.For example, when designing theHFC phase down, the need for refrig-erants that allow for higher energyefficiency should be considered toensure smooth implementation.If this is not the case, regulations onF-Gases could even turn out to becounter-productive in terms of overallgreenhouse gas emissions.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that the HVACRindustry has a lot to offer to ensure acomfortable and safe life in today’ssociety in a long-term sustainablemanner.It has been innovating and will contin-ue to do so, making considerableinvestments to respond to the growingneeds of tomorrow and to provide con-sumers with products that are top ofthe line, energy efficient and sustain-able. Legislation can be an importantdriver to scale up these develop-ments, but it is crucial that it takesinto account market realities to betruly successful.In this sense, it should be stressedthat the ultimate objective of the EUF-Gas Regulation is to reduce emis-sions of HFCs with the HFC phase-down being one of its main measuresto reduce their consumption.However, there are complimentarytools to reduce emissions that can beextremely effective. Policy makersshould always keep this in mind whendesigning policy measures to reduceF-Gas emissions and give a high pri-ority to these complimentary meas-ures that directly target emissions,such as leak tightness (“containmentmeasures”), recovery, recycling andreclaim of refrigerants as well as thereduction of charge sizes.That being said and as pointed out inthe previous chapter, the overwhelm-ing share of emissions from HVACRequipment are those related to theenergy used to operate the systems.That is why additional, dedicatedmeasures to increase energy efficien-cy are so important.These can target products and build-ings as shown in the examples in theprevious chapter and can go much fur-ther than this.There is low hanging fruit such as reg-ular service and maintenance ofequipment, but also systematic moni-toring of systems’ operation, buildingautomation and control, smart sys-tems with demand response allowingfor a better and more efficient integra-tion of renewables energies into thewider system, and much more whichwould go beyond the scope of these‘lessons learned’ paper.

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66

ABSTRACT

The medium-term substitution of fluo-rinated fluids in commercial refrigera-tion equipment with low GWP refriger-ants poses a significant technologicaland industrial challenge to manufac-turers.The Green Gas project, funded byRegione Piemonte under the Energyand Clean Technology Innovation pro-gram, involves three industrial part-ners from the Casale Monferratoindustrial district, covering distinct-products: beverage dispensers, dis-play cabinets and refrigerated trans-port.The initial phase of the project con-sists of a thorough analysis of thecharacteristics of the present produc-tion and of the most promising lowGWP refrigerants for each applica-tion, in an optimal cost-benefit per-spective.The re-design of the main compo-nents required by the new fluids willthen be addressed, taking intoaccount the normative constraints(with particulate attention to flamma-bility and other safety issues), theenergy efficiency targets set by themanufacturer and the life cycle ofeach product.In the final phase of the project, exper-imental tests on the re-disegned prod-ucts will be carried out to verify the life-cycle performance in terms of primaryenergy saved and greenhouse gasemission reduction.

INTRODUCTION AND EUROPEANREGULATION ON F-GASES

The refrigeration industry is facing thechallenging phase of transition fromsynthetic, high-GWP refrigerant fluidsto a new generation of more environ-mental-friendly and often naturalrefrigerants. Three companies of theindustrial district of Casale Monferratoin North-West Italy - Cold Car, SandenVendo and Heegen - have teamed withCentro Studi Galileo, the developmentagency LAMORO, and the Departmentof Energy of Politecnico di Torino in thethree-year research project GREENGAS. The project, funded by RegionePiemonte within the 2014-2020 FESRprogram, aims at investigating the tech-nical challenges and technologicalinnovation opportunities for the differentranges of products in which the com-panies are specialized: refrigeratedtransportation for Cold Car, beveragevending machines for Sanden Vendo,and display cabinets for Heegen.The EU Regulation 517/2014 of theEuropean Parliament and of theCouncil of 16 April 2014 have the pri-mary goal of limiting the production andmarketing in Europe of specific green-house gases. Such substances, in fact,will be substantially banned by 2030,following a mechanism of progressivereduction of the quantities available inthe EU. The phase-down process isbased on system of quotas indicatingthe amount of CO2 equivalent intro-duced in the atmosphere; the calcula-tion of the CO2 equivalent makes use ofthe GWP (Global Warming Potential)

index. Already since January 1st 2018we have experienced a significantreduction in the amount of HFC avail-able in the EU market. In addition to thesubstantial reduction in the use of HFCin 2018 and 2021, the F-GasRegulations prohibit since 2020 theuse of HFC with GWP ≥2500 in refrig-eration equipment of new construction.Limitation apply as well to the mainte-nance and repairing of refrigerationplants with charge equal or exceeding40 t of CO2 equivalent (approximately10 kg of R-404A / R-507A).Since 2022,the HFCs with GWP ≥150 will bebanned in all centralized multipackcommercial refrigeration plants of out-put ≥40 kW, except for some cascadecycle systems and for stand-alonecommercial refrigerators and freezers.The introduction in the refrigerationmarket of new substances will bringabout not only procurement problems,but also issues related to equipmentmaintenance and efficiency. Suchissues will have to be evaluated, case-by-case, with reference to the specificcharacteristics of the substitute fluids.This evolving scenario requires a sig-nificant adaptation and innovationeffort for the companies operating inthe refrigeration sector.

THE GREEN GAS PROJECT

The GREEN GAS project contributesto the plan of rationalization andreduction in the use of HFC in therefrigeration industry, according to theEU and national dispositions. Such

The Green Gas Research ProjectChallenges and Opportunitiesfor Low GWP Refrigerants Application in theCommercial Refrigeration Sector

F. BARILE, M. MASOERO, C. SILVI

Department of Energy “Galileo Ferraris”, Politecnico of TorinoMarco Masoero, Vice-Presidentof the Association of Italian RefrigerationTechnicians ATF

imp MASOERO:mod 2002 8-10-2018 13:30 Pagina 66

plan also aims at promoting, in theshortest time span, the creation of anindustrial chain of recovery, recyclingand regeneration of the used up refrig-erants, and the substitution with low-GWP and natural refrigerants, follow-ing the model already applied in thepast decades for the elimination of theozone-depleting substances. Theresearch project will last 36 months,ending in December 2020.The project proposal sprung from com-panies involved in the initiative denomi-nated “Casale Monferrato Capital ofRefrigeration – Green Cold”, promotedby the Municipality of CasaleMonferrato, by the DevelopmentAgency LAMORO, and by Centro StudiGalileo. The area of Casale Monferratois particularly well suited for such aninitiative: it is in this area that the firstcustom-made European refrigeratorwas built and that the production ofrefrigerated cells at the industrial scalewas initially developed in Italy. Stillnow, a high concentration of diversi-fied industrial activities are present inan area of only 10 square km, includ-ing Casale Monferrato and a few sur-rounding municipalities.The following three companies areinvolved in the project:• Sanden Vendo Europe is as multina-

tional company, market leader inEurope in the automatic vendingsector, offering a wide range of vend-ing equipment for hot and cold bev-erages, snacks and ice-cream, butalso related products such assophisticated payment systems andpremium coolers.

• Cold Car is a leader company in theproduction of refrigerated andisothermal bodies for the transporta-tion of refrigerated food, which hasdeveloped over several decades aspecific experience in the passiverefrigeration of perishable goods.

• Heegen is a company that, since 15years, designs, produces and mar-kets refrigerated display cabinets.

The scientific supervision of the proj-ect is attributed to the Department ofEnergy (DENERG) of Politecnico diTorino. Within the project, DENERGprovides know-how on the design andexperimental characterization of theperformance of refrigeration equip-ment and systems, from the point ofview of energy efficiency, thermo-fluid

dynamics behavior, safety, and envi-ronmental compatibility.

General objectives and workplanof the project

Starting from the alternative solutionsavailable in the market, the GREENGAS project has initially evaluated thepossibility to apply new refrigerants,complying with the environmental andenergy efficiency constraints set bythe regulations and by the marketdemands, both in existing equipment

as in new products, specificallydesigned for the newest technologies.The entire industrial supply chain ofthe sector is involved:• Manufacturers of primary compo-

nents, such as compressors, heatexchangers and refrigerant fluids;

• Assemblers and manufacturers ofequipment and systems;

• Refrigerated transport.The work plan is organized in the fol-lowing phases:1) Modification of the existing appli-ances by mere substitution of the

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refrigerants with new fluids compliantwith the EU regulations, results areevaluated taking into account the fol-lowing aspects:• Economics, i.e. the variation of oper-

ating costs following the substitution;• Energy, i.e. the potential benefits in

terms of enhanced performance;• Environment, i.e. the reduced envi-

ronmental impact of the modifiedequipment.

2) Design and optimization of specificcomponents, customized for the useof low-GWP refrigerants and for ener-

gy consumption reduction. Aim of thisphase is to identify the componentsthat require re-design and to definethe guidelines for the integration ofthese components in the componentsor systems identified in phase 1). Withparticular reference to natural refriger-ants or fluids mixtures, the re-designof specific components of the refriger-ation appliances should consider thetransport, density, pressure, enthalpy,and flammability properties of the newrefrigerants.3) Construction of new refrigeration

systems employing the optimizedcomponents identified in phase 2),considering the following aspects:• Construction costs;• Energy efficiency and product quality;• Market appeal of the “green” products;• Environmental impact.In this phase, LCA (Life Cycle As-sessment) techniques will be ap-pliedin the design approach, both at the sin-gle component and system level - anaspect that is particularly relevant con-sidering the relatively short operatinglife of commercial refrigeration equip-ment. This will lead to a more compre-hensive “Cradle-to-grave” design pro-cess, in which the equipment is con-ceived by taking into account not onlyits performance during operation, butalso the energy/environmental costsof construction and of the final dispos-al or recovery of the materials afterphasing out.The problem of recovery or disposalconcerns all the materials employed,in particular the refrigerant fluid itself(with the contained lubricant oil) andthe materials used for insulating theequipment bodies, while metals andglass are more easily recovered andre-used.

First phase of the study: choice ofthe refrigerant fluids

The choice of a refrigerant fluid isbased on the combined evaluation ofdifferent factors, some linked to thenature of the substance, other on theinteraction between refrigerant andequipment, other on technical-eco-nomic aspects.Environmental impact (troposphericozone depletion and global warming),toxicity, flammability and corrosive-ness (the property on which the com-patibility between refrigerant and thematerials used for the equipmentmostly on depends) are the criticalcharacteristics to take into account inthe selection of the refrigerant.Furthermore, the refrigerant shouldexhibit thermodynamic properties suit-able to guarantee adequate efficiencylevels of the equipment.Other factors to consider in the selec-tion are the commercial availability ofthe fluid, its market cost, and the costof the associated equipment / systemtechnologies. While some refrigerants

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Nomenclature of Tables 1-3ηvol Volumetric efficiencyηis Isentropic efficiencyTNb Normal Boiling PointTev Evaporation TemperatureTcond Condensation TemperatureTcr Critical TemperatureTout Compressor discharge TemperaturePcr Critical pressureβ Compressor ratioh4 Enthalpy at evaporator inleth1 Enthalpy at evaporator outleth2 Enthalpy at compressor outlet∆hev Net refrigerating effectCOP Coefficient of Performance

Notes on Tables 1-3

The data in Tables 1-3 were calculatedassuming the following hypotheses:• ηvol = 1• ηis = 0.7÷0.8• No superheating in the evaporator• No subcooling in the condenser

The evaporation and condensationtemperatures assumed in thecalculations are:• Tev = -10°C e Tcond = 40°C (Tables 1 and 3)• Tev = -40°C e Tcond = 45°C (Table 2)


69

may be substituted by new ones with-out any intervention (i.e., “drop-in”solution), other fluids require a moreor less substantial modification on thesystem, ranging from simple changeson the system or on its individual com-ponents (i.e., “retrofit” of existingequipment), up to a radical re-designof the system and therefore a com-plete replacement of its components.In the first phase of the project, foreach of the three companies, a studywas conducted aimed to identify themost suitable replacement refriger-ants for their applications, startingfrom the simplest drop-in solutions.The three tables below summarize, foreach company, the candidate fluidsexamined as potential substitutes withtheir properties; the substance high-lighted is the one considered as themost suitable refrigerant.Both SandenVendo and Heegen havedecided to pursue the natural refriger-ant path, selecting R290 as the bestprocess fluid. Cold Car, on the contrary,also considering the less stringent con-straints imposed by the EU regulationsfor refrigerated transportation and thehigher refrigerant charge values permit-ted, has opted for a mixture of syntheticfluids (HFO-HFC), namely R452A, adrop-in replacement for R507.

EXPECTED RESULTS ANDCONCLUSIONS

The main expected result of the proj-ect is to achieve a comprehensive andorganic framework of the availableand applicable technologies, compati-ble with the new, environmental-friendly refrigerants. Most of the tech-

nologies are already available, butthey have not been comprehensivelyexamined and tested so far in the mar-ket applications of interest for the part-ner companies.The so-called “fourth generation”refrigerant fluids (i.e., the HFO, whichfollow the CFC, HCFC and the HFCpresently undergoing phasing-out)and their mixtures have reached theEuropean market just recently and arelargely unavailable in the rest of theWorld. The system components (com-pressors, evaporators, condensers,expansion valves, piping, safetydevices, etc.) suitable for the newrefrigerants mostly exist, and are test-ed by the system manufacturers asthey become available in the market. Itis expected that a reduction of priceswill be achieved, as the demand forsuch components and for new refrig-erants will reach the critical size, sothat the re-modulation of the supplyand manufacturing chain will becomeeconomical for mass production.This evolution will allow the partnerprojects to assemble the individualcomponents and to develop, test andmanufacture the prototypes of the newproducts for the stationary and mobilerefrigeration sectors, yielding the com-petitive advantage that has alwaysallowed them to be competitive in theinternational market.

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Presentation of the project “Green Gas” with the partners.

Meeting of the consortium “Casale Capitale del Freddo” with the refrigeration manufac-turers of the Piedmont region.


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With the impact on the HFC quotasbeginning to impact across Europethere is now a real need to change tolow GWP Refrigerants. In the main,these low GWP Refrigerants are ofgreater benefit for the environment butat a price. This being the increasedhealth and safety risk, in particularflammability.Even though the F gas regulations donot require technicians to be specifi-cally assessed in the safe handling ofthese flammable refrigerants, there isgrowing impetus to encourage techni-cians to upskill voluntarily. Thisencouragement is coming from a vari-ety of sources including Industry bod-ies, manufacturers and end users.The course will cover all A2L, A2 andA3 refrigerants and will include infor-mation on the different classes offlammability, the risks and hazards ofthese refrigerants and the require-ments of site specific risk assess-ments. The attendees will have to gainan understanding of the charge limitsfor different systems in a variety oflocations. This element will not onlycover flammables but will also look attoxicity.Traditionally the industry has used A3refrigerants, the more recent develop-ments are utilising refrigerants with alower flammability (see table 1).Flammability classifications are furtherdefined as follows:• Class 1 no flame propagation when

tested in air• Class 2L have a lower flammability of

greater than 3.5%, a heat of com-bustion less than 19000 kJ/kg and

have a maximum burn velocity ofless than or equal to 10cm/s

• Class 2 lower flammability limit ofmore than 0.1 kg/m3 and heat ofcombustion of less than 19kJ/kg

• Class 3 highly flammable as definedby a lower flammability limit of lessthan or equal to 0.10 kg/m3 and aheat of combustion greater thanequal to 19kJ/kg

Within the Air Conditioning Industry,we are seeing more and more manu-facturers moving to R32 (A2L, lowerflammability). Within the refrigerationsector the options available are slight-ly more varied, however a large per-centage of these are the A2L HydroFluoro Olifins.Characteristics of some of the more

commonly used flammable refriger-ants can be seen in table 2.• Saturation temperature (boiling

point) at atmospheric pressure• Practical limit, the limit that if exceed-

ed is deemed unsafe for occupantsand might lead to asphyxiation

• LFL (lower flammability limit) this isalso known as LEL (lower explosionlimit) this is the minimum quantitymixed in air required to create aflammable mixture

• UFL (upper flammability limit) this isalso known as UEL (upper explosionlimit) this is the maximum quantitymixed in air required to create aflammable mixture

• Density in air at 21 °C• MIE Minimum ignition energy in mJ

Training on FlammableRefrigerants

KELVIN KELLY

Training Director of Business Edge

Table 1: Refrigerant Safety Groups

Class A: Non Toxic Class B: High ToxicityClass 3: High Flammability A3 B3

Class 2: Lower Flammability A2/A2L B2/B2LClass 1: High Flammability A1 B1

Table 2Refrigerant

R600a A3A3A3A3A2A2LA2LA2LA2LA2L

-11.7-42.1-47.7-88.6-25

-52.6-26-19

-48.3-37.8

0.0110.0080.0080.00860.0270.0610.0580.0610.0560.059

0.0430.0380.0460.0380.1300.3070.2890.3030.2260.293

0.2030.1920.2530.2530.5630.6800.5730.4430.4250.569

2.51.841.751.252.752.155.05.02.833.78

0.250.250.280.260.38

30-1005k-10k61k-64k300-1k300-1k

R290R1270R170R152aR32

R1234yfR1234zeR454AR454C

Class Sat Temp PL LFL UFL Density MIE

Kelvin Kelly (right) in Bahrain for 2 trainingand certification sessions for local experttrainers.

imp TRAINING Kelly:mod 2002 8-10-2018 13:24 Pagina 70

Obviously replacing a refrigerant witha high GWP with one with a low GWPis a very good idea with regard todirect global warming, however, theindirect effect needs to be consideredas well.Therefore, the efficiencies and coolingcapacities of refrigerants need to becompared to get an accurate evalua-tion of the characteristics of the refrig-erants.Examples of the data for considerationcan be seen below. (Figure 1 and 2).One of the most important subjects tobe covered during the training courseis to ensure that all attendees have athough understanding of the chargelimitations and additional controlmeasures required under EN 378.The technician will be given a varietyof scenarios utilising A2L and A3refrigerants and be asked to calculatethe charge limits by ascertaining theaccess category (A, B or C) and thenthe location classification (I, II or III).From this information they should beable to undertake the required steps toenable them to work out the maximumcharge allowable. (See figure 3)From this data the candidate will thenbe able to ascertain whether or not therequired equipment is suitable for theapplication or alternative provisions toensure safety are required.These pro-visions could include ventila-tion/extract systems and/or perma-nent leak detection.The practical assessment will focuswhat subtle differences there arebetween handling a flammable andnon-flammable refrigerant.The requirement within the UK is thatanyone enrolling on the new “Flam-mables Qualification” would need tohold a current and valid F Gas certifi-cate, therefore many of the practicalactivities can be omitted from the syl-labus as they will already have provencompetency in these criteria.Practical areas that will be covered asthey differ significantly from therequirements of the F Gas assess-ment will include carrying out a loca-tion specific risk assessment to allowthem to identify hazards that couldaffect safe working practices duringthe installation, commissioning, serv-icing and de-commissioning of refrig-eration, air conditioning and heatpump systems.

Recovery of flammable refrigerantswill be covered to make sure that theattendees understand the health andsafety implications and are able toselect suitable recovery machines.There are many machines on the mar-ket, however, the technicians may notbe equipped with a new recovery unitand will therefore need to recognise iftheir equipment is suitable or not.Attendees will need to show compe-tency with regard to setting up a suit-able working environment to ensurethat a flammable mixture cannot bepresent during typical service andmaintenance conditions. (see figure 4)Given that the system would have pre-viously been charged with a flamma-ble refrigerant, any requirement tocarry out “hot works” would obviouslyimpose the greatest risk.

The technician would need to ensurethat prior to the application of an Oxy-fuel brazing torch that a flammablemixture cannot be present. This canbe achieved by carrying out the follow-ing process:• Evacuate the systems to a pressure

below the boiling point of the lowestambient temperature

• Agitate the oil in the compressor (usethe oil pump, crankcase heater etc)

• Purge with inert gas (place flamma-ble gas detector near outlet of purge)

• Repeat as necessaryUpon completion of the training andassessment the candidate will beissued with a certificate of compe-tence with regard to the safe handlingof A2, A2L and A3 refrigerants whichwill be valid for 5 years.It is hoped that approximately 45,000

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Figure 1COOLING CAPACITIES / VOLUME

Figure 2COOLING CAPACITIES / MASS


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F Gas approved technicians within theUK will undertake the training and cer-tification.This will be done on a voluntary basisas mentioned before, there is no legalrequirement for technicians to provecompetency on the handling of flam-mable refrigerants, it is however con-sidered, best practice.

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Figure 3

Figure 4

FLAMMABLE GASRECOVERY

• The area must well ventilated

• No source of ignition within 3m

• Forced air ventilation isrecommended

• A flammable gas leak detectormust be used

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REFRIGERANT’SHANDLING CERTIFICATION IN BAHRAIN

Train the Trainers and Assessors Workshop under the National Certification Program of“Bahrain Environmental Refrigerant Management”-Training and certification sessionsunder the EU F Gas regu-lation have taken place atthe end of April in theKingdom of Bahrain. 22Teachers and Assessorsfrom multiple nationalitiesand different languagesworking in this small islandin the middle of theArabian Gulf have undertaken 5 days’ workshop organised by Centro Studi Galileo. Thepartners of the project were also the United Nations Environment, the Bahrain SupremeCouncil for Environment, the Bahrain Society of Engineers and Bahrain Excellent Centerin Ministry of Education. On this occasion the assessment followed the Italian certifica-tion scheme. It was applied in a way to follow the proposed constituted Bahraini law onmanagement of the refrigerant, which will be known as “Bahrain EnvironmentalRefrigerant Management License - Bahrain ERML”.CSG and Business Edge have supported the Bahrain stakeholders by implementing theactivities below;• Provided an updated curriculum for the various training modules they currently offer onrefrigeration and air conditioning (and, in addition, suggest new modules if deemed nec-essary);• Conducted an assessment of the centre’s training equipment (by visiting) and providetechnical specifications of equipment that should be purchased to allow the centre toimplement the updated training modules on refrigeration and air conditioning;• Organise train-the-trainer sessions for the trainers in the centre.CSG and Business Edge have undertaken the design of a national certification pro-gramme to ensure that only qualified technicians are handling and servicing equipmentand fluids and that these technicians are informed and updated regarding the applicablenational ODS regulation. The program designed will certify technicians who have beentrained and passed a preliminary test under the training programme, as well as othertechnicians who can pass a written and practical test that is designed for that purpose.


The refrigeration and air conditioning(RAC) industry has a profound impactin Australia: according to Cold HardFacts 3 (CHF3 - a forthcoming reportprepared for the Australian Govern-ment) in 2016 it represented 2.3% ofAustralia’s GDP and 10.9% ofAustralia’s greenhouse gas emissions.As a result of sensible AustralianGovernment policy strongly supportedby and developed with industryengagement there is a long tradition ofresponding proactively in managing,and reducing, the use and emissionsof both ODS and HFC refrigerants, aswell as reducing related energy use.The current policy approach is wellsuited to continuing this trajectory,although there remains a need toenhance activity on improving opera-tions of equipment to reduce bothrefrigerant emissions and unneces-sarily high energy use.In Australia, the phaseout of ODS wasboth quicker and steeper than requiredunder the Montreal Protocol and thistradition has continued as the focushas shifted to managing HFCs.In 2004, the Australian Governmentextended requirements on ODS refrig-erants to HFCs including: mandatoryreporting for imports in bulk and inpre-charged equipment, requirementson the technicians, and a prohibitionon venting/requiring recovery of refrig-erants.Australian industry publicly supportedan HFC phasedown from 2007onwards, and in 2010 an international-ly agreed phasedown becameAustralian Government policy.

Domestic policy proceeded down thesame path and in the review of theOzone Protection and SyntheticGreenhouse Gas Management Act,which commenced in 2014 and con-cluded in 2016, an HFC phasedownemerged as the most viable and univer-sally supported measure. Legislationand the accompany regulations werepassed by the Australian Parliament in2017 and the phasedown has nowcommenced.It is worth observing, however, thatwhile the Kigali Amendment describesthe broad trajectory of the HFC phase-down there are a range of choices thatgovernments make about implement-ing a phasedown and these can have adramatic impact on industry. Australia’sapproach is designed to be differentthan other developed economies, par-ticularly the European Union.The reason Australian industry can beconfident that we will have a different

story, is that the timing, slope andapproach taken to the phase down ofHFCs in Australia is far different thanin Europe. As the figure belowdemonstrates the approach taken inAustralia is for the phasedown to begradual – a small reduction every twoyears rather than a few stark majorreductions. The aim is to turn the taptighter regularly and so the pressure tochange is both constant and meas-ured. The Kigali Amendment andEU’s slope, on the other hand,includes only a few significant dropsthat result in industry shocks.Australia’s industry already startedphasing down high GWP HFCs priorto the legislation coming into force.This factor helped allow Australia’sphase down to commence at 80% ofwhat was allowed under Kigali. Forexample, split system air conditionerswith R32 (resulting in a reduction inCO2 equivalent terms of 75% below

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Transforming the Refrigerationand Air Conditioning Industryin Australia

GREG PICKER

Executive Director of Refrigerants Australia

imp AUSTRALIA greg picker:mod 2002 8-10-2018 12:29 Pagina 73

R410a as a result of having both alower GWP and a smaller charge size)commenced in 2014 and this yeartopped 50% of the small split market.Given that the small split market rep-resents about 30% of Australia’srefrigerant bank this change will havedramatic impacts.This transformation is projected tospread to other market sectors and toimpact on Australia’s industry markedly.According to CHF3, the use of refriger-ants and related equipment is project-ed to continue to grow strongly over thecoming decades. The top section ofFigure 2 describes the bank of refriger-ants in actual tonnes. However, thesecond part of Figure 2, whichdescribes the bank in CO2-e terms,reveals that Australia has reached themoment when the bank is the greatestand from here it will steadily decline.This observation has a significantcorollary: it also means that directemissions of refrigerants have alsopeaked and from this period onwardthey will show a steady and significantdecline over time.An analysis of Australia’s emissionsprofile from the RAC industry, asshown in the figure below and is truearound the world, details that the indi-rect emissions from energy use aresignificantly greater than those directemissions from refrigerants. As aresult of this truism, there has beenand continues to be a focus on energyefficiency.In the latest research underpinningnew requirements for energy efficiencyof air conditioning, the AustralianDepartment of the Environment and

Energy notes that efficiency of air con-ditioning equipment at point of sale hasbeen significantly improved, with a 60%increase over the last two decadesalone. The challenge this represents,as stated in the recent (March 2016)Regulatory Impact Statement on airconditioners, is that further improve-ment is difficult. The low hanging fruithas been plucked already and furthergains will be smaller and more expen-sive.1 While policymakers would becorrect in looking at the RAC industry tofind more emission reductions, point ofsale does not necessarily offer an eco-nomically viable solution for Australiaand those countries that have minimumenergy performance requirements, atleast not at significant scale.The delivered energy efficiency of airconditioning and refrigeration, however,is not analogous to other sectors. Theefficiency delivered for most white-goods/sectors is what is promised atpoint of sale: in other words, the techni-cal and delivered energy efficiency areequal.The difference for most refrigera-tion and air conditioning equipment isthat appropriate sizing and proficientinstallation is critical for delivery of thepromised efficiency.There is potentially a significant dispar-

ity between technical and delivered effi-ciency. Further, regular maintenanceunderpins the continued achievementof promised performance levels.Data on this topic is sparse, but sug-gests that the opportunities availableat post point of sale issues of installa-tion and maintenance offers significantpotential. In looking at heat pumps (avery similar technology), the USDepartment of Energy concluded thatimproper installation led to an energypenalty of 40%. Industry advice is thatabout 20% of equipment is poorlyinstalled. Further, ensuring correctinstallation and maintenance clearlyreduces the likelihood and extent ofrefrigerant leaks. The potential benefitfrom government intervention inensuring that the right equipment ischosen for the job, it is installed andmaintained well is massive.Australia and much of the world hasdone an effective job in reducing emis-sions of ODS, HFCs and the amountof energy needed to drive the equip-ment that relies on them. With a con-tinued focus we can continue to pro-vide cooling the world needs whileusing less resources and reducing ourgreenhouse footprint.

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1There is likely more potential reductions inrefrigeration and large building chillers – particu-larly in large HVAC systems - and these opportu-nities are also being pursued.

imp AUSTRALIA greg picker:mod 2002 8-10-2018 12:29 Pagina 74

1. INTRODUCTION

Current regional and internationalsafety standards for refrigeration sys-tems contain specific requirements forapplication of hydrocarbons (HCs) toaddress the flammability hazard.These tend to primarily address refrig-erant charge limits and avoidance ofpotential sources of ignition.Amongst the various standards,requirements and criteria vary widelyleading to an often inconsistent per-ception of “safe” application, thus lead-ing to potential obstructions on thewider application of HCs, especiallyfor air conditioners of “comfort” appli-cations, as termed in some standards.There are activities underway atEuropean and International level,including the GIZ Cool Contributionsfighting Climate Change project (C4)1

and the EU LIFE FRONT project2, toinvestigate the validity of currentrequirements and their backgroundassumptions; they aim to develop amore robust set of requirements that

should invoke more confidence inextending the application of HCs andpossible harmonisation across allRAC&HP safety standards.Extensive work has been carried outto understand the various characteris-tics associated with the design andconstruction of RAC&HP equipmentthat can mitigate flammability risk.This article provides an overall view ofthe current requirements within safetystandards applicable to HCs and whattheir implications are.A summary of the investigations cur-rently underway under the GIZ C4 andEU LIFE FRONT projects isdescribed, to help illustrate some ofthe improvements in understanding ofthe physical processes associatedwith the leakage and dispersion ofHCs from RAC&HP systems andequipment, and how they fit into theoverall context of flammability risk.Finally this work helps to highlight thedirection and expressions that the pro-posed revised charge limits may havein future RAC&HP safety standards

and what the implications are toextending the range of equipment thatHCs could be used in.

2. CURRENT RAC&HP SAFETYSTANDARDS

The recent UNEP TEAP report3 pro-vides a thorough description of currentstandards’ requirements. Whilst almostall sectors/equipment/applications arecatered for in terms of rules for safe useof HCs, some are not handled well,e.g., MACS, coldstores, transportrefrigeration and certain types of AC.Charge limits create the most signifi-cant restrictions for refrigeration sys-tems using HC. These restrictive limitshave the effect of constraining the avail-able cooling capacity (for a single cir-cuit) and a given temperature level andultimately the potential efficiency of thesystem.Figure 1 indicates the systems /appli-cations that currently suffer from“obstructive” safety standards.Apart from the need to expand theapplicable range of these refrigerants,where application of equipment lies onthe boundary of what charge sizespermit, there is a further implicationrelated to energy efficiency.For a given type of system, as andwhen minimum efficiency levelsincrease or a higher efficiency label isdesired, such a rise generally demandsmore refrigerant (for a given systemdesign); this has an amplifying effecton cost. Conversely, charge limits“encourage” development of sub-opti-

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Progress in Enabling Larger HCCharge Sizes for RAC&HP Systems

D. COLBOURNE1, K. O. SUEN2, D. OPPELT1, V. KANAKAKUMAR1,K. SKACANOVA3, D. BELLUOMINI3, P. MUNZINGER4

1Senior Technical Expert c/o HEAT GmbH, Seilerbahnweg 14, 61462 Königstein, Germany2Senior Lecturer Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, UK3Shecco, Rue Royale 15, 1000 Brussels, Belgium4Proklima International, Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Division, GIZ, Germany

1. https://www.giz.de/expertise/downloads/giz2016-en-global-cool-contributions.pdf

2. LIFE FRONT is a demonstration project funded under the LIFE programme of the European Union(Climate Change Mitigation 2016 priority area). It aims to remove the barriers posed by standards forflammable refrigerants in refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump (RACHP) applications. In doingso, the project serves also to increase the availability of suitable alternative in those areas, by improv-ing system design to address flammability risks to encourage the use of climate-friendly alternatives tofluorinated gases, in particular of hydrocarbons. The project started its activities in June 2017 andinvolves six partners from four European countries, namely Austria (AHT), Belgium (shecco andECOS), Germany (HEAT International and AIT Deutschland) and Sweden (NIBE). Project leader shec-co is a market accelerator favouring the uptake of natural refrigerants worldwide and ECOS has a longexperience in drafting and developing environmental standards. During the project lifetime theStandards Action Group “FRONT” is created, as an internal discussion platform for experts in theHVAC&R sector such as system manufacturers, researchers and policymakers.

3. http://conf.montreal-protocol.org/meeting/oewg/oewg-39/presession/Background-Documents/TEAP-XXVIII_4-TF-Report-May%202017.doc

imp PROGRESS Colburne:mod 2002 8-10-2018 13:17 Pagina 75

mal designs. A summary of the chargelimits are provided in Table 1. Themaximum charge size represents theupper limit or ceiling, for any giveninfinitely-sized occupied space,whereas the allowable charge is the

limit for a given room size. In somesituations the allowable charge is lim-ited according to room area and unitinstallation height, for others it isbased on room volume, whilst forsystems located solely outside there

is only a limit on the absolute charge.In principle almost any type of systemor application could safely use HCs,provided it is designed and installedintelligently. After all, there are numer-ous installations that safely employmany kilograms and even tonnes offlammable gases, such as domesticbulk liquified petroleum gas (LPG)installations.Indeed, throughout the applicable EUsafety legislation that addresses haz-ards of flammable substances –specifically ATEX (equipment) andATEX (workplace) directives – there isno mention of limits to the quantity ofmaterial that can be utilised.So the question arises, why are HCrefrigerants restricted so vigorously?It has been argued that such limitsare commercially-driven (as opposedto being based on safety) by compa-nies keen to promote their own refrig-erant products, i.e., as an attempt toremove the competing products. It islikely that the reality of the situation isa combination of such commercialinterests and the fear of inexperi-enced stakeholders.

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4 GIZ Proklima, 2018. International safety standards in air conditioning, refrigeration & heat pump.Eschborn, Germany.

Table 1: Charge limits for HCs according to safety standards for RAC&HP systems4

Figure 1: Summary of applications which are or are not obstructed with safety standards; green indicates cases wherealmost all standard equipment can be used in most applications; amber indicates cases where some types of

equipment can be used in most applications but not in others; red indicates where the majority of equipment is almostentirely prohibited from the majority of applications – all due to limits on refrigerant charge sizes for a given room size.


3. REVISING RAC&HP SAFETYSTANDARDS FOR HCs

There are various activities underwayto revise RAC&HP standards to helpaddress the restrictive charge limits,including various working groups(WGs) under certain standards com-mittees both at European level andinternationally.These include:– CEN TC 182 WG6 for the revision of

EN 378 and is dealing with all flam-mable refrigerants

– IEC SC 61C WG4 for the revision ofIEC 60335-2-89 and is addressingall flammables for commercial refrig-eration appliances

– IEC SC61D WG16 for the revision ofIEC 60335-2-40 covering A2 and A3refrigerants for air conditioners

– ISO TC 86 SC1 WG1 which is revis-ing ISO 5149, including for all flam-mable refrigerants

The main problem is that the progresswithin WGs tends to be slow; this ispartly due to the inherent inertia with-in the standards development processand the time required to mull over andunderstand new proposals, but also

due to the tactics of the entities oppos-ing wider use of HCs.For instance, WG “experts” may refuseto accept new proposals or insist onadoption of extremely pessimisticassumptions that are way beyond rea-sonable experience – this can apply toall topics, not only to charge size. Inorder to help overcome these hurdles,more extensive experimental, compu-tational and field data is useful along-side deeper analysis. Both GIZ C4 andEU LIFE FRONT projects are address-ing these demands.

There are several elements to thiswork:– Characterising and defining refriger-

ant leak holes sizes, where sec-tions of leaking piping and compo-nents are measured to determinethe hole size, alongside otherequipment characteristics (such aslocation, positioning, design con-siderations for the system). This isproviding empirical data on leakholes so that expected real leakmass flow rates can be calculatedfor later use.

– Characterising concentrations ofrefrigerant exiting various RACHPequipment housings and enclosuresof different configurations. It hasbeen found that maximum floor con-centrations have a strong depend-ency on this housing exiting concen-tration and can thus be used to iden-tify appropriate charge limits (seeFig. 2, for example).

– Measuring developed concentra-tions within rooms to help under-stand the effect of numerous vari-ables, with the intention of deriving

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Figure 2: A sample correlation between maximum floor concentration andmaximum enclosure exiting concentration across a range of different

enclosure dimensions, opening sizes and locations and internal circulatingfan being on or off.

Figure 3: Overview of main proposed risk-mitigating methods for HCs.


more suitable correlations betweencharge size, room characteristicsand equipment design.

– Computational studies on similar sit-uations and additionally thoseinvolving variables that are not easyto handle with experiments so thatflammable volumes and persistencearising from those cases can also beexamined.

Through these extensive researchactivities, a variety of new measureshave been proposed to assist with theextension of RAC&HP charge limits.Several key approaches have beendeveloped and Figure 3 summarisesthe main elements currently under dis-cussion (in addition to the currentlyexisting).These measures reflect the philoso-phy of explosion prevention asaddressed under the ATEX directives.They can be adopted individually or incombination into revised RACHP safe-ty standards:– Improve system tightness to reduce

the likelihood and size (mass flow) ofleakage, whereby more refrigerantcan be used without increasing flam-mability hazard;

– Improved housing design for refriger-ant-containing parts so that the exit-ing concentration into the surround-ings is reduced;

– Equip the system with sufficientlyhigh airflow rate so that any leak willbe effectively diluted to below theLFL;

– Limit the mass of refrigerant that canbe leaked into a given space by eitheractive or passive means;

– Prove size and duration of flammablemixtures are limited under normaland/or fault conditions by testing mul-tiple scenarios;

– Use of leak detection methods, suchas using certain system parametersor ultrasonics to activate mitigationmeasures mentioned above.

Figure 4 gives some examples of thevarious allowable charges based onthe methods developed so far, whereit is assumed that the maximumcharge is fixed at 1.5 kg R290. It canbe seen that the allowable chargecould be increased to several timesthat of the current limits (e.g., ISO5149, EN 378, etc.). By thoroughlyexamining and understanding theeffects of applying various options,

either individually or in combination,manufacturers and system designerscan pick and choose the most cost-effective approach for their systemtypes.

4. FINAL REMARKS

To date, many of the proposals havebeen discussed within the aforemen-tioned WGs, along with extensivebackground work that has led up tothem.The work is still ongoing and thereremain a number of refinements andclarifications to be made on some ofthe concepts. Independent verifica-tion of the methods by other partici-pants should also be carried out tohelp provide a high level of confi-dence in the proposed requirementsand associated measures.It is hoped that the various Europeanand international standards committeesand working groups can accept the pro-posals and the relevant national com-mittees will support them when they areissued for comment and voting.

�

78

Figure 4: Some example allowable charge size calculations for R290 from the new methods.


In the last years, the increasingdemand for low environmental impactin the food retail sector has pushedHVAC&R engineers, designers andmanufacturers towards the develop-ment of more energy efficient tech-nologies, increasingly based on natu-ral refrigerants.Despite the growing maturity andavailability, improved reliability andmore competitive cost, the diffusion ofthese new technologies has still toovercome the resistance of the socalled non-technological barriers tobecome fully spread solutions all overEurope.The high technology readiness leveland specific merits such as efficiency,reliability and low environmentalimpact, are in fact not sufficient toassure the success of a new solutions.Indeed, their diffusion is negativelyinfluenced by non-technological ele-ments such as the lack of knowledgeand awareness or by social, organiz-tional or political factors.The European project SuperSmart1has been conceived in order to addressthese barriers and to promote theirremoval.

NON-TECHNOLOGICAL BARRIERS

Although many steps towards low car-bon solutions in commercial refrigera-tion have been taken in the last yearswith respect to CO2 solutions with14000 transcritical units counted in

Europe (updated March 2018) [SheccoSprl, 2018], the diffusion of energy effi-cient and natural-refrigerant basedsolutions is still under expectations,especially in some areas, such asSouth Europe. While in the beginningthe disuniformity was mainly to beascribed to the so called CO2-equator,now that the technological limit hasbeen successfully removed by differ-ent proven technologies (parallel com-pression, two-phase ejectors, cas-cade systems, …) the reason is thento be ascribed also to non-technologi-cal barriers. These barriers slow downthe natural evolution and improvementof the new technologies proposed bythe market. This hindrance leads to amissed knowledge of the behaviour forthe specific solution, which is gainedonly through the field experience.For the food retail sector, five majorcategories of non-technological barri-ers have been identified.

Awareness barrierThe availability of new and consolidat-ed technologies gives many possiblechoices to the supermarket stakehold-ers. However, they are not alwaysaware of the different opportunitiesgiven by more complex and innovativesolutions and how they can fit theirsites. The awareness barrier is alsorelated to the unconsciousness ofbenefits on the profitability of the busi-ness that are gained by adopting effi-cient technologies.

Knowledge barrierAs far as new technologies come tothe market, people involved in thechoice and utilization of efficient heat-ing and cooling solutions in supermar-kets often need to update their knowl-edge on how to design, build, operate,service new systems. System com-plexity is definitively increasing andinterdisciplinary approach is required in

79

The SuperSmart Project: RemovingNon-Technological Barriers to theDiffusion of Innovative SolutionsThe Importance ofTraining and Disseminationin the Food Retail Sector

ANTONIO ROSSETTI, SILVIA MINETTO, SERGIO MARINETTI

Construction Technologies Institute, National Research Council, Padova, Italy

1. Project website:http://www.supersmart-supermarket.info/

Figure 1. Food retail store energy systems stakeholders.

imp SUPERSMART:mod 2002 8-10-2018 13:12 Pagina 79

order to fully understand the integrationof subsystems and implication of spe-cific choices on the final energy bill.

Social barrierPrejudice towards changes negativelyaffects the adoption of new technolo-gies under multiple aspects and itobstacles planning procedures andcollaboration necessary to implementenergy efficient solutions. Short plan-ning times for new sites and limitedtime slots for refurbishments mightforce to stay on old, proven solutions.

Organisational barrierAll steps required to plan, build andrun a single food retail store involve acomplex network of stakeholders. Theindividual interest of each of themmight be in contrast with the others;this approach limits the achievementof the common, shared objective,which is the adoption of low environ-mental impact solutions.

Legislative barrierAlthough major parts of supermarketsystems and subsystems are actuallyaffected by relevant EU regulation interms of environmental sustainability,there is no legislation approachingfood retail stores as a whole. There isno strong legislative incentive towardsenergy efficient supermarkets as awhole and neither against inefficientones, except for some national regula-tions. Standards can determine sus-tainability; however, the impact oncosts and competitiveness must beaccurately addressed.

EVALUATION OF THE IMPACTOF THE NON-TECHNOLOGICALBARRIERS

In order to obtain an objective map ofthe perceived impact of the non-tech-nological barriers in the food retail sec-tor, a survey was carried out as thefirst step of the SuperSmart project,directed towards all the stakeholdersinvolved in the different phases of theheating, cooling and refrigeration sys-tem life in food retail stores. Theseinclude all the group related to plan-ning, designing, installing, operating,maintaining and refurbishing the sys-tems (see Figure 1).

Results were grouped dividing theEuropean market in five areas, takinginto account the climate conditions,which are mostly affecting theHVAC&R systems’ energy consump-tion and the adopted technology bothfor HVAC&R systems and buildingconstruction, as well as commercialareas for system manufacturers andsuppliers.The survey allowed proving that theaverage level of experience in energyefficiency and low carbon technolo-gies is generally high: 70% of respon-dents apply heat recovery, 60% utiliserenewable energy sources and 81%use CO2 as refrigerant. Despite this,the survey highlighted that non-tech-nological barriers are perceived as

tangible issues from the majority of therespondents.In Figure 2 the perceived importanceof each non-technological barrier isreported by mean of the most frequentresponse (Mode) for each geographi-cal area.The results reported in Figure 2 showa clear fracture from the Central-Northto the Southern part of Europe. Whilein the Northern area the strength ofthe non-technological barriers is per-ceived as marginal, the central andsouthern part of Europe agree in rat-ing 3-4 over a maximum of 5 the dif-ferent barriers.The questionnaire allowed to identifythe actions considered more useful toremove or reduce the impact of these

80

Figure 2. Rating the barriers for energy-efficient cooling & heating in yourEuropean food retail business / in that of your European customers and

partners, from weak barrier (1) to strong barrier (5).


barriers, as well as the perceived diffi-culty expected in removing these bar-riers.According to the survey’s results, thelegislative barrier is the most difficult toremove, together with the social one,while awareness and knowledge barri-ers are regarded as the easiest toeliminate.The lack of awareness of financialsupports to implement energy efficien-cy measures is viewed as the mostimportant aspect in the awarenessbarrier. The lack of experienced train-ers is considered the knowledge barri-er with the highest impact amongstthe others in the same category.Considering the social barrier, the fearof not having enough trained techni-cians is viewed as the worst type ofsocial barrier, especially in SouthEurope. The organisational barrier isperceived as an obstacle mainly bycomponents and system suppliers, allover Europe. Finally, in analysing thelegislative barrier, the judgmentstowards the F-Gas Regulation and theEnergy Performance of BuildingsDirective (EPBD) are collected.As a general result, the importance ofdisseminating energy efficient tech-nologies availability and train food retailsector stakeholders, mainly mainte-nance and servicing operator, washighlighted.Detailed explanations of non-techno-logical barriers, complete results of thesurvey, as well as the questionnaireused, can be found in the open accessfull paper:[https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2017.11.022 ]

GOALS ACHIEVED BYSUPERSMART IN TRAININGAND DISSEMINATION

During the first 2 years, over 3 yearslifespan, SuperSmart has been activein organising dissemination eventsand public workshops at majorEuropean trade fairs, congresses andevents, reaching more than 400 stake-holders. SuperSmart partners havetrained around 150 people at 20 freeof charge dedicated training in 4European Countries. Detailed trainingmaterial (7 reports) is available for freedownload at the project website. 17newsletters have been sent out sent

out and more than 40 articles pub-lished by SuperSmart team and exter-nal sources.

Aknowledgements

SuperSmart is funded by the EU underthe H2020 Innovation FrameworkProgramme, project 696076.

�

REFERENCESShecco SPRL, Accelerate Australia & NZ Autumn2018 Volume 3, Issue #9Directive (EU) 2018/844 of the European Parliamentand of the Council of 30 May 2018 amendingDirective 2010/31/EU on the energy performance ofbuildings and Directive 2012/27/EU on energy effi-ciency (EPBD)Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 of the EuropeanParliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 onfluorinated greenhouse gases and repealingRegulation (EC) No 842/2006 (F-gas)Minetto S., Marinetti S., Rossetti A., Saglia P.,Masson N, 2018, Non-technological barriers to thediffusion of energy-efficient HVAC&R solutions inthe food retail sector, International Journal ofRefrigeration Volume 86, Pages 422-434,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2017.11.022

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REAL ALTERNATIVES 4 LIFE TO HOLD EVENTSON THE USE OF LOW GWP ALTERNATIVE

REFRIGERANTS ACROSS EUROPE

The EU project, REAL Alternatives 4 LIFE, will organise a programme ofStudy Days and Train the Trainer events during the second half of 2018 andinto 2019 to reinforce the practical training associated with the use of lowGWP alternative refrigerants, aimed at standardising and ensuring a highlevel of training on low GWP alternative refrigerants. To be held in the proj-ect partners countries Germany (IKKE), Italy (ATF), Poland (Prozon) andBelgium (UCLL), the topics will focus on flammables and carbon dioxide,with the number of participants varying from 8-12 per event. Participants ofthis programme will include training providers from Croatia, CzechRepublic, Slovakia, Romania, Spain and Turkey. At the Study Days, knowl-edge and expertise will be shared on how low GWP alternative refrigerantstraining courses are carried out. This will aim to prepare the trainers for thenew training courses that will be offered in their national markets based onthe REAL Alternatives materials.The events will be organised as a half-dayof theoretical training and a half-day of practical demonstration on testequipment. The day will be concluded by a written assessment to validatethe training and for which participants will receive a certificate. For moreinformation on the Study Days and Train the Trainer events sign up toreceive updates at www.realalternatives4life.eu.


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18th EUROPEAN CONFERENCE6 - 7 June 2019 | Politecnico di Milano

Technological Innovations inRefrigeration and Air Conditioning

with particular reference to the energyand environmental optimization,

new refrigerants, new international regulations,new plants and the cold chain

Speakers and Presidents invited includeLeading Global Experts from:

United Nations Environment (UNEP)UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)

European Commission DG ClimaInternational Institute of Refrigeration (IIR-IIF)

European RAC Associations (AREA)Association Française du Froid (AFF)AHRI - ASERCOM - ASHRAE - EPEE

Politecnico of Milano,TorinoUniversities of Ancona, Genova, Padova

The George Washington University (USA)Heriot-Watt University, Glasgow Caledonian University

Imperial College of London, Edinburgh Napier UniversityUniversity of East London,The University of London

Universities of Palermo, Perugia, Roma,and all the AC&R European Associations

retro 20180 ISI:Layout 1 8-10-2018 10:27 Pagina 1

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