REFRIGERANTS
what new prohibitions may be introduced for the GB market but there have been comments from Defra offi cials indicating that the phasedown is the preferred method of controlling HFC use in GB, with a recognition that the EU placing on the market prohibitions may be necessary as the UK market will be impacted directly.
Training
Within the current GB legislation there is only a requirement to obtain certifi cation if you are handling F-Gases. The EU legislation has recognised this defi ciency and has stipulated that training and certifi cation is also mandatory when handling non-F-Gas refrigerants. In addition, refresher training and certifi cation must be taken at least every 7 years. These measures have been broadly welcomed by the industry and many British industry associations, via the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry Board (ACRIB), are encouraging the government to ensure any new legislation in GB also addresses the training needs for the industry.
Be prepared Although there is still no confi rmed detail of what the new
GB F-Gas legislation will contain, the direction of travel is very clear. Even if GB stays with the current EU 517/2014 and subsequent Kigali Amendment phasedown schedules, the industry must move to <1000 GWP refrigerant options within the next few years. In addition, any equipment which is either imported from the EU or exported to the EU or NI markets will need to be compliant with the EU F-Gas legislation, which over the next 10 years will practically exclude >750 GWP refrigerants from most applications, including the use of virgin refrigerants for maintenance requirements. There is already a wide range of low GWP refrigerant options available, and the availability of suitable equipment
Low GWP Refrigerant
R-1234yf
R-1234ze(E) R-290 R-32
R-450A R-454A R-454B R-454C R-455A R-513A R-515B R-717 R-744
GWP (AR4)
4 7 3
675 605 239 466 148 148 631 293 0 1
Alternative to
R-134a R-134a
R-404A/R407C R-410A R-134a R-404A R-410A R-404A R-404A R-134a R-134a
R-134a/R-404A R-404A
is growing rapidly, so why is the switch to low GWP taking so long? Many of the low GWP options either have a degree of fl ammability, very high pressure or are toxic. For those in the industry that have been only dealing with non-fl ammable low toxicity refrigerants this can be quite daunting, but there is a lot of support and training available to those who need it or for those who just want the reassurance that their knowledge and skills are adequate. Many of those who have already set off on this journey to
low GWP have found it less diffi cult than they imagined with many of the requirements needed, e.g. EN 378, PE(S)R, DSEAR, just being an extension of what was already required with the current refrigerants. If you are still sitting on the fence then help is always available from refrigerant experts like Climalife who can provide refrigerant performance comparisons, EN 378 guidance, PE(S)R and of course the latest F-Gas updates.
Typical applications
Plug-in cabinets, chillers, MT refrigeration, transport, heat pumps Chillers, MT refrigeration, heat pumps Plug-in cabinets, chillers, heat pumps Air conditioning, chillers, heat pumps MT refrigeration, heat pumps
Direct expansion MT/LT refrigeration Air conditioning, chillers, heat pumps
Direct expansion MT/LT refrigeration, heat pumps Direct expansion MT/LT refrigeration Chillers, MT refrigeration, heat pumps Chillers, MT refrigeration, heat pumps Industrial refrigeration
Commercial and Industrial refrigeration Table 1 - Some examples of commercially available low GWP refrigerants Download the ACR News app today
www.acr-news.com • January 2025 15
For the fi rst time since refrigerant legislation was
introduced, Great Britain (GB) will have diff erent
legislation to the European Union (EU). Even more confusing, due to the complexities of the Brexit agreement, Northern Ireland (NI) will have to follow the EU legislation.
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