REFRIGERANTS
Tecumseh talks A2Ls
Hubert du Boullay, market manager at Tecumseh takes a look at the A2L class of refrigerant gases.
F
or many years our industry has been supporting the transformation, storage and distribution of food, the comfort and safety of people, food losses reduction and health improvement, thanks to refrigeration components and products which are essential links in the cold chain.
Part of this activity when it is implemented unprofessionally, however, contributes partially to climate change. Awareness of the hole in the ozone layer has caused the disappearance of CFCs and today, global warming requires legislators to revise the regulations in force and industry, including Tecumseh, to review its offers accordingly.
The cold sector accounts for 7.8% of greenhouse gas emissions according to the International Institute of Refrigeration. Of these, 37% are direct emissions of CFCs, HCFCs and HFCs and 63% are indirect emissions from the production and transport of energy used by cold systems – mainly CO2
emissions. The goal
for Tecumseh is to actively contribute to the reduction of these emissions.
Alternatives to the refrigerants used until now are proposed, in compliance with F-Gas Regulation 517/2014 and in line with the necessary reduction in the use of fluids with high global warming potential (GWP).
Refrigerants are qualified in different ways. ■ The GWP, to qualify their impact on global warming.
■ The flammability class: A1 when they are not flammable, A2L (mildly flammable), A2 (flammable) and A3 (highly flammable).
■ The glide. ■ The flame spreading speed measured in cm/s (ASHRAE 34 - ISO 5149 / EN378).
■ The heat of combustion measured in MJ / Kg.
The F-Gas Regulation 517/2014 sets as a main measure a gradual reduction in the placing on the market of fluorinated refrigerants. In addition, some sector bans will prohibit the use of refrigerants with a GWP >2500 in some hermetically sealed commercial refrigeration
applications or fixed air conditioning. Measurements of this regulation ultimately impose a reduction of GWP and to date, only flammable refrigerants will achieve these thresholds. A2L refrigerants, which are moderately flammable, make it possible to positively answer to the normative and regulatory framework imposed in Europe since 2015. A responsible attitude of the operators will impose training dedicated to the handling of these new refrigerants. The technological evolutions will have to include all the safety aspects without compromise, and the norms and regulations will have to be available to answer this new European setting.
A2Ls are synthetic refrigerants whose main characteristics are as follows: ■ Mildy flammable; its flammability characteristics make this class less demanding in terms of use
■ The flame spreading speed is less than 10 cm/s, the equivalent of slow walking
■ The potentially created flame is difficult to maintain alone in the air
■ The heat released by burning is relatively low; the heat of combustion generated is less than 19Mj / kg.
Their use is not very different than the HFC fluids class A1. Tecumseh recommends, however, that some precautions are taken, such as handling by a technician qualified in refrigeration and ventilation of the room in which the compressor is located, thereby avoiding the accumulation of gas coming from potential leaks. Also, existing installation retrofit is not recommended.
Source : Honeywell, Solstice Refrigerant brochure, 2012.
A2L alternatives to the most commonly used refrigerants are available. R454C and R455A refrigerants are a response to the use of R404A, and R134a will be replaced by the R1234yf. These proposals make it possible to adapt facilities to the new regulations and to change the offer by considering the best alternative.
8 June 2019
www.acr-news.com
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