REFRIGERANTS
The complexities of refrigerant regulations
Federico Bisco, technical director of Sanhua Europe, examines what is undoubtedly a complex situation with both F-Gas Regulations and PFAS aff ecting the European landscape.
I
t appears that the intentions of legislators go well beyond the environmental or technical problems, and are more political – directed
towards reducing the European market’s dependence on non-EU productions, such as fl uorinated refrigerants. In fact, approximately 80% are from outside the European community area, and the remaining 20% from within the countries of the European Union, but under license from companies whose headquarters are located elsewhere.
Europe still remains a fairly important market,
however, restrictive regulations such as those set by the F-gas Regulations or the revision of the REACH Regulations are capable of characterising our continent as an extremely compelling replacement market. At the same time – and despite the environmental market, which is also growing in other areas such as the USA or China – markets with higher growth rates are gradually pushing the transition towards less impactful solutions. In doing so, they encourage manufacturers of machines and components as well as installation engineers, to take less strenuous and less drastic action.
In China, valve bodies have been produced in stainless steel for some time. It is the only solution to date capable of avoiding the problems associated with the presence of lead in copper alloys, specifi cally brass, which have affl icted our market and which, despite legislative restrictions, still haven’t been solved. This is because producing brass without using lead – and therefore, without triggering the environmental and health risks associated with this use – is an impracticable solution for cost reasons.
In the USA, HFOs are being used massively to tackle the world of air conditioning, while in Europe it seems that there is no other solution than R290.
"Europe still remains a fairly important market, however, restrictive regulations such as those set by the F-gas Regulations or the revision of the REACH Regulations are capable of characterising our continent as an extremely compelling replacement market."
When it comes to the restrictions proposed under the REACH Regulation, the main concern is R134a due to its degenerative potential in PFAS as a consequence of involving R1234yf. However, attention has also turned to other gases such as R32, R1234ze and blends of HFO, among which we can mention R455A, R454C and R454B. This establishes a real and tangible diffi culty for facing the future because it puts practically everything that is an alternative to propane out of the running. In addition, if R290 up to 20 kilowatts is considered ‘acceptable’ in terms of manageability, then beyond the 20-kilowatt threshold, a serious problem arises with the associated potential consequences. We are sure to see direct expansion systems
reduced to a minimum – we will be left with only hydronic systems to allow the use of highly fl ammable gases in primary circuits without creating risks in confi ned spaces. The two regulations, F-Gas and PFAS, seem to leave little
18 October 2023 •
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