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With tradional refrigerants being phased down as part of the Fgas regulaons, Steve Keeton, training and technologies director at Vaillant outlines how natural refrigerants such as R290 are helping building services engineers to deliver the UK Government's carbon reducon target when specifying renewable heang systems.
Low GWP
R290 is the technical name for the natural refrigerant also known as propane. It is already commonly used in many parts of our daily life, such as in refrigerators, air conditioning or even hairspray. It has a GWP of 3, which is 225 times lower than R32, and 696 times less than R410a. Every tonne of R290 used is equivalent to only 3 tonnes of carbon emissions from CO2, resulting in a much lower carbon footprint. At the end of this year, the amount of emissions allowed from the total amount of F-gases on the market equivalent to CO2 will reduce down from 63% to 45% compared to the baseline (set in 2015). So, with a much lower GWP, the supply of R290 is more futureproofed as we reach the next milestone in the phase- down of F-gases and beyond. This is particularly relevant in the UK due to an expected rise in demand for low-
s part of the F-gas phase down, refrigerants which have traditionally been used in air conditioning units
and heat pumps and have a high Global Warming Potential such as R410a, will be phased out of the market.
R410a, which has a GWP of 2088, was commonly used in heat pumps up until last year. It contains a blend of hydroflurocarbons (HFCs), including R32. Due to the phase- down, some companies are now turning to R32 as the refrigerant in their heat pumps. However, this substance has a GWP of 675 and so every tonne of R32 released into the atmosphere has the same greenhouse gas effect as 675 tonnes of CO2.
Other natural refrigerant
alternatives include R290, which we believe offers a more long-term solution with numerous operational and environmental benefits. This is why we opted to use it as the refrigerant for our new aroTHERM plus heat pump.
COMBINED HEAT & POWER Take the long view
carbon heating solutions such as heat pumps as we move towards the expected introduction of the Future Homes Standard in 2025 for newly-built homes.
By that time, the total amount of emissions equivalent to CO2 allowed will only be 31%, with a further reduction to 21% in 2030, when only refrigerants with a low GWP will remain on the market. So, whilst R32 is undoubtedly a greener solution than R410a, the likely level of growth for the heat pump market means that it will be unacceptable under F- gas standards by as early as 2024-26. By using R290 instead of R32 in our aroTHERM plus, not only is the heat pump protected from the reduced availability of HFC refrigerants in the years to come, but it will also make a bigger contribution towards the country’s target to reach net-zero by 2050. What’s more, heat pumps which utilise natural refrigerants such as R290 are able to use less volume per kW, allowing them to achieve the same, or greater results than counterparts, more efficiently.
Higher flow temperatures
The other key reason why R290 is a better choice compared to R32 is its ability to deliver more useable hot water to the hot water cylinder and at point of use.
Most heat pumps with R32 as the refrigerant can only handle flow temperatures of up to 65ºC in a hot water system. This means that a back-up heater (direct electric immersion heater) is required in the hot water cylinder to store the hot water above 60ºC – the point at which legionella bacteria is killed off. The lower flow temperature also results in less hot water available in the tank.
The performance envelope of R290 allows the aroTHERM plus to get hot water at 75ºC straight from the heat pump’s refrigerant cycle, so that the water in the hot water cylinder will be 70ºC without the use of a direct
electric immersion heater to protect residents from legionella. This results in a more energy efficient system which can deliver 376 litres of useable hot water - equivalent to about six standard showers*. As one of the first companies to introduce R290 into a heat pump, we are setting new standards in the heating market with the aroTHERM plus. With a much lower GWP and properties that enable the system to generate more hot water in a more energy efficient way, other heat pumps with this refrigerant could follow in the future.
To find out more about the aroTHERM plus, Vaillant’s next generation of heat pumps, visit:
www.vaillant.co.uk/arothermplus
* Based on a standard 12 litres a minute shower for five minutes (when using a uniTOWER with integrated 190 litre cylinder).
About Vaillant
Vaillant offers its customers worldwide energy-saving heating and hot water systems that increasingly make use of renewable energies. Its product portfolio encompasses high-efficiency boilers, solar-thermal, heat pumps and large output boilers for light commercial use as well as a range of intelligent controls, hot water cylinders and accessories. Issued on behalf of Vaillant by Bright (part of McCann Central), Communications House, Highlands Road, Shirley, B90 4WE. For more information, contact Holly Hickey/Nicola Pittaway on 0121 713 3850 or
vaillant@bright-consultancy.co.uk.
18 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER OCTOBER 2020 Read the latest at:
www.bsee.co.uk
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