HVAC
The use of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems is an area of extreme importance for many businesses in many sectors. This includes electricity production, data centres, chemical, pharmaceutical and of course food and beverage sectors. Despite its huge benefits it does come with inherent risks. Shaun Evers, managing director of Stonegate Instruments, discusses possible leak causes, the results and how the risks have led to companies in many sectors seeking out the latest gas detection systems.
room as well as it used to or if your evaporator coils are suddenly covered in ice, it is most likely because your unit is leaking gas. Air conditioning units use R22 coolants, which
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are chlorofluorocarbons that pose several dangers to human life. Therefore, effort must be made to understand the dangers, the possible causes, remedies and technology to support the safe use of these systems.
HAVIng A lEAk The loss of refrigerant gas can cause your system to cool inefficiently and struggle to produce adequate air conditioning, not to mention the irreversible damage to your machine’s compressor and to the health of your employees. As coolant leaks from your system it rapidly evaporates into a lethal gas which can cause
efrigerant gas is one of the most overlooked parts of any air conditioning system. If your system is not cooling your
asphyxiation. More commonly it can cause difficulty breathing, headaches, nausea and vomiting, skin and eye irritation, and coughing. If exposure to the gas is prolonged it can lead to other life-threatening medical conditions. During a leak your system is working harder
to compensate which in turn increases electricity consumption and your monthly energy bills. According to several studies, a leaking air conditioning unit consumes almost 20 per cent more electricity than a fully functioning one. To put that into context, it has been suggested
that a small continuous leak, left unrepaired for three months, could use an extra 10kW in electricity – equivalent to approximately £1,400 in energy bills – once the leak becomes critical.
lEgAl ComplIAnCy In early 2020 the European Commission brought in fluorinated gas (F-gas) regulations as part of a policy to combat climate change. The plan is to
phase down the CO2 equivalent emissions from hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by 79 per cent (relative
to 2015) by 2030. As the UK has now left the EU, the UK government has specified that businesses will have to apply for a new GB HFC quota while
they follow the same CO2 phase down as was specified by the European Commission. As HVAC and refrigeration manufacturers
commit to developing environmentally compliant products without compromising on performance they are also seeking to address health and safety concerns as are their customers. These regulations place a greater focus on
carrying out regular gas leak checks on systems. Operators of stationary equipment, heat pumps and air conditioners that contain F-
gases in quantities of five tonnes CO2 equivalent, or more, must ensure that equipment is routinely monitored. For apparatus without gas leak detection installed, the period between mandatory gas leak checks obviously lessens.
18 NOVEMBER 2021 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
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