REFRIGERANTS
The importance of energy efficiency
A-Gas commercial director Enzo D’Alessio on why relying on low GWP alone in deciding on a refrigerant to future-proof a system is not always the answer.
C
hoosing the right refrigerant to help reduce global warming should on the face of it be a straightforward decision. It seems that all you have to do is to replace a high GWP refrigerant with a low GWP alternative. In turn, CO2 emissions will be reduced and you’ve ticked that box under the F-Gas Regulation step downs. You can then move on to the next job leaving the customer knowing you’ve made the right choice. If only it was that simple. No one disputes that a measure of global warming potential is important in selecting the most suitable refrigerant for a system but there is much more to it than that. Energy efficiency is a critical factor when selecting emissions as two
a new refrigerant. You can view CO2
distinct areas – direct and indirect emissions. The former relates to global warming potential (GWP) and the latter refers to system performance and energy efficiency. Experts agree that indirect emissions from electrical consumption are a greater contributor to climate change than refrigerant leaks. That’s why it is always important to weigh-up system performance and energy efficiency before making a decision on a refrigerant. There is an easy trap to fall into. Lifecycle costs, also
known as operational expenditure (OPEX), may not be at the forefront of your mind when designing a system. Capital expenditure costs (CAPEX), covering the cost of buying the equipment and start-up, can dominate. My advice is to do your homework on the lifetime as well as the start-up side, otherwise any savings made at the beginning may be swamped by hefty running costs further down the road.
Take, for example, CO2 , a zero ozone depleting
refrigerant which on the face of it seems a winner from the off. This natural may appear to be great value as you get the ultimate score GWP wise but you may find out that the amount of energy needed to run the system
16 August 2020
and the costs associated with this could be in a different league. CO2
likes low ambient conditions, so unless you
are designing an installation for a Scandinavian climate, it is not always a nailed-on choice. One way to ensure that you avoid a hard fall on energy
efficiency is to choose a new generation A2L refrigerant. The major supermarket chains have shown that mildly- flammable A2Ls with a GWP of 150 can strike the right balance between low GWP and energy efficiency. The supermarkets understand that making the switch to low refrigerants is good business, as customers demand that their goods and services be produced and delivered in less wasteful ways. A2Ls can be superb alternatives to high GWP
refrigerants in different climates. Running costs are lower, there is significantly less impact on the climate and energy bills are also reduced. These mildly flammables have been designed to be
energy efficient and trials have shown that they can have a better performance than systems running on hydrocarbons or naturals like CO2
.
They have been blended to have the optimum balance of low GWP and energy efficiency. This means that A2Ls can be designed to offer the best performance in a commercial refrigeration situation. With a GWP of less than 150 the effects of leaks on the
environment is lessened considerably. It is worth noting that the largest producer of emissions in the lifetime of a refrigeration system – as high as 80 per cent – is likely to be the power station generating the electricity to run the equipment.
So, take care if you base your choice of refrigerant on GWP alone. Refrigerants are different and each will have its own pros and cons; but energy efficiency and good system performance will always be a winner for you and the end-user in the long run.
www.acr-news.com
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