REFRIGERATION REFRIGERANTS
manufacturers’ trade body, FETA, and the refrigerant handling register, Refcom, have issued warnings about the growing practice of retrofi tting air conditioning systems with mildly fl ammable gases. Both organisations have sounded the alarm bell after the revelation that some users are removing R410A – a gas that is being phased out as part of the European F-Gas Regulation – and replacing it with R32. FETA warned that A2L class refrigerants (mildly fl ammable) such as R32 are not suitable for retrofi t projects. “A system that was originally designed for non-fl ammable R410A will not have taken into account the safety factors required when using an A2L refrigerant,” it said. “Systems designed for use with R32 have diff erent pressure-switch regimes, altered inverter profi les, and specially designed heat exchangers. Charging an existing system with R32 would breach the refrigerant safety standard EN378, create a potentially hazardous situation, and breach manufacturers’ warranty conditions,” FETA continued. This could also invalidate the user’s insurance policy.
Refcom pointed out that R32 has a higher compressor
discharge temperature than R410A, so would increase wear on the compressor and signifi cantly shorten its operating life. It would also mean that the system would no longer be compliant with its original CE marking or the Pressure Equipment Directive specifi cations, and could have insurance implications. R32 has a higher compressor discharge temperature than R410A, and will increase wear on the compressor, reducing its life signifi cantly. Should any problem arise from a system change such as this, any liability would rest entirely with the person who carried out the change. Refcom added that unsafe retrofi t work was becoming
Download the ACR News app today
more common because of dramatic rises in the price of certain refrigerants as a result of the phase-down process under the F-Gas Regulation. Although the operating characteristics of R32 are similar to those of R410A, Refcom pointed out that “these refrigerants are not interchangeable as drop-in replacements and serious injury could be the result of improper use”. Although there are lower GWP refrigerants which are suitable to replace the main refrigerants including R404A, R507, R134a, R22, their continuing availability is essential to service these installations. R410A is an exception where there are no lower GWP replacements which can be retrofi tted into
existing equipment successfully, other than the HFO/HFC/CO2 blend RS-53 (R470A). In conclusion, the transition from the use of high GWP
refrigerants to lower GWP products in existing equipment should enable these installations to be time expired and not be made redundant by aggressive and misguided regulations phasing out their usage prematurely. The so-called ‘natural’ refrigerants – namely ammonia, hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide – cannot be retrofi tted safely into existing refrigeration and HVAC equipment using HFCs and HCFCs so that it is essential there are suffi cient alternative non-ozone depleting and low GWP replacements available to service this substantial amount of equipment including, for example, the continued operation of medical facilities and food preservation. If the replacement of this equipment is forced over a short time period by ill-advised regulations then the economic penalty will fall on the taxpayer and consumer, who are in many cases the one and the same – not a sensible policy when living costs are already rising rapidly.
The
manufacturers’ trade body, FETA, and the refrigerant handling register, Refcom,
have issued warnings about the growing practice of retrofi tting air conditioning systems with mildly fl ammable gases.
www.acr-news.com • December 2023 19
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
