GREEN MATTERS
the European Union, generated 296 grams of CO2
.
to generate each kWh consumed, according to the website
rensmart.com/Calculators/KWH- to-CO2
Embraco has been developing solutions
with natural refrigerants, more specifically hydrocarbons (HCs), since 1994, way before legislation and regulations about HFCs came into force. After many years of studies and tests, we believe that HCs are the future proof solutions for plug in systems in refrigeration in the most used applications, temperature ranges and cooling capacities, excluding exceptions involving charge limits. It is due to some facts: Lower global warming potential. HCs have very low global warming potential, as we can see in the numbers presented in the beginning of this text. And the reduction in CO2
e emissions when using hydrocarbons is
significant. Improvement in energy efficiency. Our case studies show that the migration from the HFC R404A to the natural refrigerant R290, on average, allows a 10% improvement in energy saving.
Better thermal regime compared to other
synthetic options. To be compliant with the F-Gas regulation in Europe, every appliance producer has to make a choice: go natural or use one of the new synthetic blends presently available, with lower GWP, also known as A2Ls. The table below lists the main criteria that should be taken in consideration when making
The energy efficiency combo In addition to natural refrigerants there is another technology at hand that can contribute to significantly reduce indirect emissions: the variable speed compressors. In this case, the gain is in energy efficiency in comparison with fixed speed (on-off) compressors, which is the most traditional technology used so far in refrigeration. An on-off compressor operates at a constant speed, continuously switching between on and off to meet the refrigeration equipment’s cooling demand. This operational pattern requires abrupt power loads when starting; furthermore, as the compressor
this decision. One of them is the thermal regime, which is better in natural refrigerants, meaning it doesn't heat up the compressor as much as the A2Ls. It contributes to the energy efficiency and the reliability of the compressor. Lower price. For being a natural substance,
the natural refrigerants tend to have a lower cost, since their formula can’t be considered a propriety of an specific manufacturer.
What about flammability?
The flammability aspect of the hydrocarbons has been very well handled by safety standards, in production and maintenance. The migration to hydrocarbons in residential refrigeration in Europe, with the use of R600a with low charges, has proved to be successful to attest the safety of this technology.
maintains the maximum speed for all the running period independently from the thermal load, it leads to wasted energy. Variable speed compressors have more
technology embedded, to decrease their working speed when reaching the target temperature and also increase it when there is need for more heat removal, without switching on and off. This enables the compressor to use only the amount of energy required at each moment and nothing more, saving energy. The saving‘s percentage varies according to the application but, according to our case studies with Embraco compressors, it can be from at least 15% up to around 40%. The technology has an initial higher cost, but it is compensated by the saving in the electricity bill in the medium term. Some investments pay for themselves in 6 months, in commercial refrigeration. We can see that there are technologies available for sustainable cooling, which have proven to be safe and cost effective to help achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. The matter now is of speed in its adoption. According to EIA (Environmental Investigation Agency): “implementation of the Kigali Amendment could avoid up to an additional 0.4°C of global warming by the end of the century, and significantly more if opportunities to improve energy efficiency during the transition are taken up and the phase down schedule is accelerated wherever possible”.
www.acr-news.com
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