19/07/11

Hydrocarbon replacement for R22 shows 9% increase in efficiency

TESTS in the USA on a new hydrocarbon replacement for R22 in chillers is said to have shown a 9% improvement in energy efficiency.

Initial results of the testing on the pure hydrocarbon formulation developed by inventor Richard Maruya of A S Trust & Holdings were reported by Contracting Business. The results are said to confirm the compatibility of HCR188C2 as an energy efficient replacement for R22 charged systems.

The findings have led Jerico Energy, who carried out the testing, to suggest if hardware changes had been made it could have demonstrated even greater system performance improvements and reduced power usages (in kilowatts) close to 40 per cent.

The tests were run using two Carrier 50D104 Weathermaker IV chillers, installed in the Cal Expo facility in Sacramento California.

 

12/07/11

REAL Skills Europe offer free e-learning

 A NEW e-learning programme for leakage reduction in the refrigeration industry was been launched.

The programme, REAL Skills Europe, is based on the Institute of Refrigeration's REAL Zero initiative, and is the culmination of a two year EU funded project. REAL Skills Europe e-learning draws on material from Germany, Poland, France, Belgium, Estonia and Greece as well as UK expertise on measuring and minimising refrigerant leakage.

The e-learning programme, which is CPD certified in the UK by the Institute, will be free for the first two months.

REAL Skills Europe offers methodology for leakage reduction and developing more effective refrigerant management strategies which will save equipment owners money. It is based around an e-learning package which integrates guidance notes for technicians, video clips, diagrams and supporting information such as references to standards, legislation and F Gas support documentation. Many of the guidance notes and Excel calculators are also available as downloads which can be used by those who aren't following the complete e-learning package.

The package is free to register for until September 2011 when a fee of €100 will be applied, so anyone who might be interested is being encouraged to sign up now at: www.realskillseurope.eu/training. 

01/01/10

Honeywell gets European patent for HFO-1234yf

HONEYWELL announced today that it has received a patent from the European Patent Office covering the use of its new low global-warming refrigerant, HFO-1234yf, in automobile air conditioning.

Honeywell worked jointly with DuPont to commercialize Hydrofluoro-olefin (HFO)-1234yf, for use in automotive air conditioning in response to the EU’s Mobile Air Conditioning Directive, which requires that all new vehicles produced starting in 2011 use a refrigerant with a global warming potential (GWP) below 150. Current mobile ac systems use R134a, a refrigerant with a GWP of 1,300. HFO-1234yf has a GWP of only 4.

“We are pleased that the European Patent Office has recognized Honeywell’s right to patent the use of HFO-1234yf as an environmentally preferable refrigerant for automotive air conditioning,” said David Diggs, global business director for Honeywell Fluorine Products.

“Honeywell has made significant investments to develop our intellectual property, and we will employ the legal means necessary to protect this important patent.”

Honeywell has filed more than 70 unique patent families worldwide. This includes two US patents related to the use of HFO-1234yf in air-conditioning systems. For more details on HFO-1234yf, visit www.1234facts.com

 

 

23/12/09

 

2010 HCFC phaseout prompts Eurammon offer

PLANNERS of refrigeration systems can contact Eurammon for answers regarding the planning, approval and operation of systems that use natural refrigerants.

"System operators should use the opportunity posed by the 2010 phaseout of HCFCs to change over to natural refrigerants such as ammonia, carbon dioxide or hydrocarbons", said Monika Witt, chairwoman of Eurammon, the European initiative for natural refrigerants.

"Even though systems with natural refrigerants may entail higher initial investment, when viewed over the entire life cycle the costs are lower than in systems that use synthetic refrigerants. In the next few years, the refrigeration industry will come under increasing pressure from the political sector and from the general public to develop refrigerants with the lowest possible global warming potential that can be used safely".

Eurammon, is a collaboration of European organisations and individuals which advocate the increased use of natural refrigerants. Users and designers of refrigeration projects can contact Eurammon for specific project experience and advice on planning, licensing and operating refrigeration plants by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

15/11/09

 

Montreal talks put HFC decision on ice

A DECISION on whether to include the phase down of HFCs within the remit of the Montreal Protocol has been put on ice until the Kyoto Protocol meeting in Copenhagen on December 6-18.

Representatives at the latest Montreal Protocol meeting, which ended on Sunday (November 8), debated two amendments – one from Mauritius and Micronesia and the other from Canada, Mexico and the United States – to include HFCs among the gases it regulates.

After five days of intense discussions, consensus could not be reached on whether HFCs might be better controlled and phased-down under the ozone treaty. The issue will now come before the UN climate convention meeting taking place in Copenhagen next month.

Several countries at the meeting considered proposed action under the Montreal Protocol on HFCs to be premature in advance of the Copenhagen climate meeting. Strong opponents to the proposed amendments were India and China, who raised legal issues about whether the Montreal Protocol has the jurisdiction to work on HFCs as they are not ozone depleting substances. They warned of conflicts with Kyoto and questioned whether alternatives exist to support a phase-out.

Achim Steiner, UN under-secretary general and executive director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), said: "The Montreal Protocol continues to be a highly successful treaty in terms of its protection and repair of the ozone layer and its contribution to combating climate change. There will clearly be many who will be disappointed that nations could not see a way forward on the specific issue of HFCs at the meeting Egypt. All eyes will now be on Copenhagen to see if an initiative there by the European Union wins support."

21/07/09

 

Waitrose to eliminate HFCs from its stores

WAITROSE is to eradicate HFCs from its stores in a move to hydrocarbon-based refrigeration equipment.

A new refrigeration system using a bespoke Geoclima roof-top chiller with free-cooling and water as the heat exchange medium has been developed with Carter Synergy.

Field trials on the system, which uses propene R1270, have proved successful and will now be debuted in the new Waitrose store opening in Altrincham in October 2009. It will then be introduced in every new store and refit thereafter, says the company.

The free-cooling characteristics of the chiller, combined with the efficiency of the hydrocarbon refrigerant and the ability to reclaim heat from the store have enabled Waitrose to produce a system which claims to be 20% more efficient than a similar HFC-based plant.

Safety will not be a problem according to Steve Isaia, Waitrose' head of feasibility development and maintenance. "There is more hydrocarbon in the aerosols sold on our shelves than in the refrigeration system," he told ACR News.

Waitrose is also committed to reducing leaks by 50% over the next three years. "With this new system we feel we can produce refrigerators that don¹t leak," added Isaia.

The retailer says it will invest in training to get the system rolled out quickly. Cool Concerns, run by the former Institute of Refrigeration's president Jane Gartshore, will provide training for the retailer's new refrigeration system.

 20/07/09

Counterfeit R22 and R134a refrigerant puts engineers at risk says DuPont

DUPONT Refrigerants has expressed anger over the existence of potentially harmful counterfeits of R22 and R134a refrigerants in the Middle East and has set up a taskforce to help local authorities police the problem.

Frequently branded or packaged to resemble leading brands, including DuPont's Freon and Suva brands, Dupont's analysis of the counterfeit refrigerants has show them to contain dangerous and flammable blends of various components.

"Such mixtures are harmful in every sense of the word," said Pascal Faidy, business manager at DuPont Fluorochemicals Refrigerants, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

He said:"They are not only flammable and thus dangerous for those working directly with the refrigerant, but they contain ozone-depleting substances such as R12 and therefore do not support the phase-out of CFCs, the deadline for which is 2009 in the Middle East. Moreover we have witnessed cases where the use of such counterfeits has damaged components in air conditioning systems. Finally, with regards to those products which are packaged to resemble genuine branded products, it is a blatant case of trade name abuse and counterfeiting."

Many of the counterfeit refrigerants are believed to emanate from certain countries of Asia and are destined for the Middle East due to the region's large-scale requirements for R22 and R134a for use in air conditioning systems.

DuPont is urging its customers to only source its refrigerant gas products from authorized distributors in the region. It has set up a local taskforce to clampdown on the unauthorized use and counterfeiting of its refrigerant gases and is working with local authorities to help them identify counterfeit products.

"For any wrong-doing, infringement or counterfeit we find, we reserve our right to enforce our trademark to the fullest extent of the law. We view trademark infringement and counterfeiting as serious matters which DuPont is not prepared to tolerate," added Faidy.

For authorized distributors of DuPont refrigerant gases in the Middle East, customers can contact Refik Sivri, of Fluorochemicals Refrigerants for Turkey & Middle East.

12/06/09

REFCOM reaches agreement with DEFRA as deadline looms

REFCOM has signed an agreement with Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) confirming its appointment as a mandatory F gas company certification body.

Company certification is a legal requirement under F Gas regulations for businesses that install, maintain or service stationary refrigeration, air-conditioning and/or heat pump equipment containing F gases. Businesses have until July 4 to obtain a certificate.

Key to the new regime are the new personnel refrigerant handling qualifications City & Guilds 2079 and CITB J11-J14 which have been developed specifically to meet the requirements of the F Gas regulations.

To obtain an interim company certificate, businesses must employ engineers holding either:

the old City & Guilds 2078 or CITB J01, or
the new City & Guilds 2079 or CITB J11-J14

Interim certificates are valid until July 2011 to allow time for engineers to gain the new qualifications.

Interim certification for the period to July 2011 will cost :

£70 for sole traders;
£90 for businesses with two to nine refrigeration engineers;
£150 for businesses with 10 to 49 engineers;
and £350 for businesses employing 50 or more engineers.

After July 2011 all businesses must hold a full company certificate.

To obtain a full company certificate, businesses must employ engineers that have the new City & Guilds 2079 or CITB J11-J14 qualifications. In addition, businesses must also prove that they have in place appropriate recovery systems and refrigerant handling procedures. The three-yearly, full certification fee for the above categories will be £140, £180, £365 and £800.

If engineers only work on equipment containing less than 3kg of F Gas an in-house qualification or "interim personnel certificate" based on previous experience is needed. Compliance is required by law and customers and refrigerant or equipment suppliers will expect businesses to be certificated.

Businesses who have not yet contacted REFCOM should visit the new website which has full details of the application procedure at www.refcom.org.uk

17/06/09

F-Gas Compliance

REFRIGERATION and air conditioning firms required by law to register themselves under the F-Gas regulations are expected to receive a "short-term" amnesty past the July 4 deadline.

The news comes after DEFRA finally signed an agreement on June 11 appointing REFCOM as the F-gas certification body, a little over three weeks before the deadline for registrations.

The exact position is still awaiting ratification from DEFRA, but the news of a short-term extension if confirmed will come as some relief to the estimated 5,000 companies effectively given 16 working days to register for the scheme.

A REFCOM spokesman confirmed that the organisation already has over 800 requests already on file which can now be processed.

The remaining companies should apply as soon as possible but REFCOM has confirmed that it expects to still be open for applications after July 4.