HEATING, VENTILATION & AIR CONDITIONING HVAC GAS DETECTORS:
IMPROVING SAFETY, EFFICIENCY AND THE CLIMATE
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems pose a challenging dilemma. While they play a vital role in controlling temperature, reducing humidity and improving indoor air quality,
refrigeration gas leaks have a significant impact on climate change and are hazardous to occupants. For manufacturers, property developers and consultants, this predicament can only be addressed by improving the efficiency, safety and sustainability of HVAC technology. Shaun Evers, Stonegate MD, discusses how the latest gas detection technologies are bringing these improvements
W
hile there is no denying that HVAC systems make
buildings far more comfortable for their users, they are prone to leakages. When these toxic, greenhouse gases escape, they increase energy usage, drive up operational costs, contribute to climate change and potentially put the building’s occupants at serious risk. One of the major problems for organisations using HVAC systems is that refrigerant gas leaks frequently remain undetected. Odourless, colourless and tasteless, in most cases, 60% of the gas will have escaped before the leak is detected, by which time, occupants may already be suffering from symptoms of exposure. These include skin and eye irritation, coughing, headaches, respiratory difficulties, nausea and vomiting. If the leak remains undetected and gas concentrations rise, the result can be unconsciousness and even death. What’s more, as some types of refrigerants are flammable, there’s a significant risk of fire.
ENERGY WASTAGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE Undetected gas leaks also cause other issues. When gas escapes, HVACs work less efficiently and use more energy, resulting in higher operational costs. In the UK, the average HVAC system loses 20% of its gas every year. This, according to The Carbon Trust, reduces efficiency by around 11% and increases energy costs by the same figure. The leaking gases are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs),
an ozone-depleting pollutant that has a global warming potential (GWP) a thousand times
more damaging than CO2. The health, safety and environmental risks associated with these fluorinated gases (F-gases) mean they are highly regulated. In the UK and EU, refrigerants with a GWP greater than 2,500 cannot be used to service or refill refrigeration systems with a refrigerant
38 charge size of 40 tonnes of
CO2 equivalent or more. The regulations also require
equipment containing F-gas equivalent to 500 tonnes of
CO2 to be fitted with a leak detection system, while gas leak checks must take place at least annually for systems with F-gas quantities of five tonnes of
CO2 equivalent or more. This increases to every six months
for 50 tonnes of CO2 equivalent and every three months if the system contains F-gases of
500 tonnes of CO2 equivalent or more. Failure to comply with regulations can result in penalties of up to £200,000. Long term, the biggest impact of regulation is the
phasing out of F-gases altogether. In the EU, the use of HFCs and other F-gases is scheduled to come to an end in 2050. The UK is currently reviewing its own F-gas regulations.
SMART GAS DETECTION Given the risks, and that around 60% of gas escapes before a leak is noticed, proactive measures must be taken to detect them. Today, new technologies have been developed to provide an accurate and efficient way to do this. The latest gas sensors benefit from intelligent systems and advanced capabilities that enable them to combat the risks posed by both toxic and non- toxic gases. Featuring signalling alarms, LEDs that indicate the presence and status of each
sensor and even audio/visual alarms to alert staff, they ensure that leaks are swiftly detected and quickly fixed. As a result, these self-contained, single-fixed sensors have shown a return on investment within only two years. Using semiconductor or infrared sensing
elements, calibrated to detect specific refrigerants, the latest ultra-sensitive sensors can detect a wide variety of gases even in extreme environments or over large areas. They can also be pre-calibrated to defined refrigerant/air mixtures and have their sensitivity set for specific environments. Additionally, the use of active filters to ignore gases that are not of interest increases the operational durability of these sensors. Another important attribute is the ability to integrate gas detection systems with other systems. Not only does this make monitoring more proactive; it enables the sensors to be accessed remotely online or monitored directly when integrated with a Building Management System (BMS), thus offering enhanced communications and diagnostics.
BRINGING BENEFITS TO ALL Modern gas detection systems, provide benefits for all stakeholders. Employees and occupants are quickly alerted to, and can be evacuated from, potential hazards; issues can be addressed promptly before they cause irreversible damage to equipment; potential harm to the environment can be averted; and the financial costs of operating an inefficient system are mitigated.
Stonegate Instruments T: 0113 224 4440
www.stonegate-instruments.com
“In the UK, the average HVAC system loses 20% of its gas every year. This, according to The Carbon Trust, reduces efficiency by around 11% and increases energy costs by the same figure”
ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS - Spring 2024
www.essmag.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
