La cumbre del clima (COP23) concluyó esta madrugada con la aprobación de un documento en el que empiezan a concretarse las reglas del Acuerdo de París contra el cambio climático, con el que cerca de 200 países reafirmaron su compromiso en Bonn a pesar de la salida de Estados Unidos.
El primer ministro de Fiji, Frank Bainimarama,
presidente de la COP23, consideró que el texto aprobado en la cumbre es
"un paso adelante para avanzar en la puesta en marcha del pacto
alcanzado en 2015, si bien hay que ir más rápido en su implementación".
No obstante, negociadores de un buen número de países, entre ellos el comisario Europeo de Acción por el Clima, Miguel Arias Cañete,
reconocieron a Efe que tras la COP23 se abre un año intenso de
reuniones para la diplomacia climática porque "queda mucho trabajo por
delante para concluir el texto de reglas en la fecha fijada", diciembre
de 2018.
Sus dos principales capítulos, del total de 6,
salen más avanzados de Bonn pero no cerrados. Se trata del mecanismo de
revisión de los compromisos nacionales de reducción de emisiones del
Acuerdo de París, y la financiación que los países ricos van a destinar a
los en desarrollo en mitigación y adaptación al calentamiento.
La
cuestión de la financiación, concretamente, ha retrasado hasta las 5.00
horas de las madrugada (4.00 GMT) la adopción de un acuerdo, en tanto
que los países en desarrollo exigían a los ricos que reportasen
con dos años de antelación cuánto dinero iban a aportar y en qué plazos, con el objetivo de que pudieran saber con qué fondos contaban.
Fuentes
de la delegación europea aseguraron a Efe que con los márgenes
presupuestarios que manejan los países no es factible decir, aquí y
ahora -como les estaban exigiendo- cuánto dinero van a aportar en un
horizonte de diez años, si bien no ha sido la UE quien se ha opuesto a
avanzar en este exhaustivo reporte sino Estados Unidos, Australia y Japón.
Aunque
la salida de Estados Unidos del Acuerdo de París no se materializará
hasta 2020, su anuncio y el hecho de que sea uno de los grandes donantes
ha creado un clima de desconfianza general en los países en desarrollo
que, de manera casi unánime, han presionado al resto de países ricos que
permanecen comprometidos para que les aseguren la financiación.
Los países en desarrollo lograron que el Fondo de la Adaptación del Protocolo de Kioto se mantenga en el Acuerdo de París.
Además
de otras concesiones como que las naciones ricas presenten un informe
transparente y detallado de cuánto dinero van a aportar hasta 2020, y lo
que están haciendo a nivel doméstico antes de esa fecha, que es cuando
entra en funcionamiento el pacto de París, que por primera vez tiene
obligaciones para todos.
Los países en desarrollo querían
asegurarse de que los principales responsables del cambio climático
cumplen sus compromisos en la segunda fase del Protocolo de Kioto, hasta
2020, para ellos empezar a hacer los suyos a partir de esa fecha y
mediante el Acuerdo de París.
De la COP23 salió también el diseño del llamado Diálogo de Talanoa,
mediante el cual los países deberán rendir cuentas en la próxima cumbre
de cómo van a incrementar la ambición de sus compromisos de reducción
de emisiones nacionales para lograr el objetivo al que se han
comprometido: mantener el aumento de temperatura del planeta por debajo
de los 2 grados, y, si es posible, en 1,5.
Según los científicos, que aportarán un informe previo a ese diálogo sobre los impactos de 1,5 grados de aumento de temperatura,
los objetivos de reducción de emisiones actuales de los países no van
por buen camino para ese objetivo sino que conducen a entre 3 y 4 grados
más a finales de siglo.
La COP23 sirvió también para
demostrar que la Administración Trump "vive en un universo paralelo con
su obsesión trasnochada por promover los combustibles fósiles", dijo a
Efe Paula Caballero, portavoz de cambio climático del World Resources Institute (WRI).
Con la Adhesión de Siria al Acuerdo de París
durante la COP23, Estados Unidos queda "aislado" como único país fuera
del pacto, si bien su sociedad ha demostrado que "sigue dentro",
atendiendo al nombre del inmenso pabellón alternativo que han tenido en
la COP23 y por el que han pasado incontables gobernadores, alcaldes,
empresarios, científicos y activistas estadounidenses.
Entre otros, la COP23 se cierra con un Plan de Acción de Genero
en materia climática, y con una plataforma que permitirá a las
comunidades indígenas -370 millones de personas- tener voz en las
negociaciones, además de con innumerables compromisos de la sociedad
civil.
El primer ministro de Fiyi concluyó recordando a
los países que "todos estamos en la misma canoa. Los impactos pueden
variar, pero ningún país puede escapar del daño del cambio climático".
Esa
"canoa" queda, desde este momento, en manos de Polonia, que debe
conducirla con mucha diplomacia para alcanzar el éxito en su próximo
destino, la cumbre del clima de Katowice (COP24), en diciembre de 2018.EFE
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta CLIMATIZACION. Mostrar todas las entradas
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta CLIMATIZACION. Mostrar todas las entradas
jueves, 23 de noviembre de 2017
Forging Ahead into the Uncertain Future of Commercial Refrigeration
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a subject area where so many of the
strategic questions are being sorted out in the field,” said Robert
Cavey, a partner with Praxis Inc., in kicking off Danfoss’ 30th
EnVisioneering Symposium, Refrigerants2Sustainability, which was held
Sept. 27 in Orlando, Florida.
The symposium, convened to explore the forces and ideas driving commercial refrigeration strategy, brought together leaders from across stakeholder communities to discuss the probabilities, possibilities, timelines, and new lights by which market players can gain greater clarity, build effective collaborations, and learn which paths will help them best meet their business and societal goals.
Cavey said the event was designed as a conversation around a dinner table in which the knowledge and expertise of the faculty and the student body were equal, and he urged the attendees to take advantage of the opportunity.
“We have a very diverse group of people here today who don’t typically have a chance to sit together and have a dialogue; that dialogue and discussion among the participants is really the heart of this program,” added Lisa Tryson, director, corporate communications and public relations, Danfoss.
Tryson pointed out that refrigerant regulations and the recent District of Columbia District Court ruling on the fate of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program are creating disruption and uncertainty in the industry.
“I think most of us in the room still see the end game as low-global warming potential [GWP] technologies, and equipment manufacturers and end users are going to continue to look over the horizon at how we achieve low-global warming potential and energy efficiency in our systems,” Tryson said. “These changes are going to impact supermarkets and commercial refrigeration equipment — how it’s designed, installed, and maintained.”
The event covered regulations, safety, climate, and consumer expectations in presentations by Mark Menzer, director of public affairs, Danfoss; Glenn Gallagher, senior air quality scientist, research division, California Air Resources Board (CARB); Xudong Wang, director of research, Air-Conditioning, Heating, & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI); Peter Dee, sales director, Danfoss; KC Kolstad, lead mechanical engineer, refrigeration, Target Properties Management; Brad Morris, senior manager of engineering and energy, Giant Eagle Inc.; Aaron Daly, global director for energy management, Whole Foods; and Dr. Marcel Christians, chief technology officer, Ice Energy.
Among the topics of conversation:
The future of SNAP — Menzer discussed how a recent lawsuit, Mexichem Fluor and Arkema v. U.S. EPA, raised the issue of whether the EPA has the authority to make manufacturers move away from non-ozone depleting potential (non-ODP) chemicals such as HFCs based on their GWP.
A district court determined that the EPA lacked the statutory authority to mandate the phasedown of non-ODP substances, placing a cloud over the future of SNAP HFC regulation. The ruling sent the 2015 SNAP rule back to the EPA for a rewrite. What exactly the EPA will do and whether the decision will be appealed to the Supreme Court remains to be seen. For now, the court’s decision raised the specter of stranded investments and fueled a good deal of confusion in the marketplace.
The power of states — Individual states are not pre-empted by federal authority in the regulation of the relevant chemicals for GWP purposes. So, the possibility emerges of states moving ahead with delisting HFCs while the federal government either sorts out the next steps or backs away from regulation of non-ODP refrigerants.
For example, Gallagher explained that California is moving forcefully to develop regulations to phase out the use of high-GWP chemicals. California Senate Bill 1383 (2016) requires a 40 percent reduction in HFC emissions below 2013 levels by 2030. State officials emphasize that despite the court ruling sending the rule back for recrafting, EPA SNAP rules remain in effect for now.
Gallagher noted that CARB’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Strategy puts sales restrictions on very high-GWP refrigerants with 100-year GWPs of 2,500 or greater, prohibits high-GWP refrigerants in new stationary refrigeration and stationary air conditioning equipment, and provides financial incentives for new low-GWP systems.
In addition, the state is continuing work on codes and standards updates, exploring ways to continue HFC reductions based on the EPA’s SNAP rules, and developing requirements and timelines for phaseouts.
Flammable refrigerants — If global trends are an indicator of the direction the U.S. will take, flammable refrigerants are poised to play a larger role in the overall refrigerant regime. However, the approval process can be laborious.
According to Wang, today’s projected path for employing flammable refrigerants has refrigeration systems and equipment meeting ASHRAE, UL, and ISO safety standards by 2018, creating model building codes by 2021, and crafting state and local codes in 2022 and beyond. AHRI and ASHRAE are conducting research programs to help make that timeline work, Wang said. Several studies are complete, including benchmarking risks of A2L (mildly flammable) refrigerants and HVACR equipment leak detection of A2L refrigerants. Others are expected to be finished by the end of 2017, including hot surface ignition testing; flammable refrigerant handling guidelines; and an effort to explore the grounds for setting charge limits of A2L, A2, and A3 refrigerants (flammable including hydrocarbons and HFOs) for various types of products. Other research projects are slated for 2018 completion.
End users moving beyond HFCs — Kolstad said Target has set the goal of being HFC-free in food distribution centers and stand-alone refrigerated display cases by 2020 and is requiring all new purchases of stand-alone units less than 2,200 Btuh cooling capacity to use HFC-free refrigerants. Starting in 2016, Target told its suppliers that it is moving to hydrocarbon R-290 for units less than 2,200 Btuh.
Morris said Giant Eagle is putting the emphasis on general maintenance, floating head pressure and suction pressure, anti-sweat control, and the like — where he said a good deal of low-hanging fruit is available. For new technology, Morris explained how Giant Eagle is looking to distributed refrigeration controls rather than a centralized approach. Distributed controls, he noted, can offer 30 percent estimated energy savings, which justifies the first cost of the controls investment.
Thermal energy storage — Christians explained how ice batteries can enable a supermarket or grocery store owner to decide when to use electricity from the grid to create cooling, offering the ability to use stored cooling to provide three to 20 tons of cooling for up to six hours. The basic formula is simple: Use lower cost, off-peak energy, and tap storage during high-cost peak hours. The time of use energy cost differential and lower demand charges cover the cost of the investment within a few years, and improved grid stability justifies utility incentives.
Financing the paradigm shift — Population growth, the growth in retail food outlets, an aging grid, and less appetite for building new generation capacity all point to energy use containment. Generally speaking, utilities are capitalized to finance the shift.
“Many utilities are sitting on large sums of capital, and they’re very interested in finding ways to get that capital employed to their advantage,” Daly said. “In my view, they increasingly need our assistance in understanding how to do that.”
To that end, he added, understanding each utility that you’re dealing with and why they want to engage with you is absolutely critical to success when it comes to leveraging incentives or rate structures and determining which steps and technologies to employ.
In summary, court-imposed ambiguity, uncertain standards and codes, and a diversity of technological options and risks complicate the relevant refrigerant questions.
Recent U.S. regulatory strategy has focused on transforming the refrigerant sector based on GWP impact, and industry stakeholders have, therefore, been exploring appropriate new directions and solutions. But, when the courts recently placed a question mark over EPA’s SNAP regulations, the issue shifted — this time to questions such as how far the country would move, what new investments would be genuinely necessary, and whether the basic strategic issues for refrigerants had again been put on ice. The resulting uncertainty is causing states, refrigeration equipment manufacturers, and end users to take individual actions to move toward low-GWP, energy-efficient technologies that stand to future-proof business and benefit the bottom line today.
Amidst the uncertainty, however, the overarching facts are clear enough: there is ample convergence of interest to support a strategic, industry-wide dialogue, and global refrigerant trends suggest it should begin sooner rather than later.
The symposium, convened to explore the forces and ideas driving commercial refrigeration strategy, brought together leaders from across stakeholder communities to discuss the probabilities, possibilities, timelines, and new lights by which market players can gain greater clarity, build effective collaborations, and learn which paths will help them best meet their business and societal goals.
Cavey said the event was designed as a conversation around a dinner table in which the knowledge and expertise of the faculty and the student body were equal, and he urged the attendees to take advantage of the opportunity.
“We have a very diverse group of people here today who don’t typically have a chance to sit together and have a dialogue; that dialogue and discussion among the participants is really the heart of this program,” added Lisa Tryson, director, corporate communications and public relations, Danfoss.
Tryson pointed out that refrigerant regulations and the recent District of Columbia District Court ruling on the fate of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program are creating disruption and uncertainty in the industry.
“I think most of us in the room still see the end game as low-global warming potential [GWP] technologies, and equipment manufacturers and end users are going to continue to look over the horizon at how we achieve low-global warming potential and energy efficiency in our systems,” Tryson said. “These changes are going to impact supermarkets and commercial refrigeration equipment — how it’s designed, installed, and maintained.”
The event covered regulations, safety, climate, and consumer expectations in presentations by Mark Menzer, director of public affairs, Danfoss; Glenn Gallagher, senior air quality scientist, research division, California Air Resources Board (CARB); Xudong Wang, director of research, Air-Conditioning, Heating, & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI); Peter Dee, sales director, Danfoss; KC Kolstad, lead mechanical engineer, refrigeration, Target Properties Management; Brad Morris, senior manager of engineering and energy, Giant Eagle Inc.; Aaron Daly, global director for energy management, Whole Foods; and Dr. Marcel Christians, chief technology officer, Ice Energy.
Among the topics of conversation:
The future of SNAP — Menzer discussed how a recent lawsuit, Mexichem Fluor and Arkema v. U.S. EPA, raised the issue of whether the EPA has the authority to make manufacturers move away from non-ozone depleting potential (non-ODP) chemicals such as HFCs based on their GWP.
A district court determined that the EPA lacked the statutory authority to mandate the phasedown of non-ODP substances, placing a cloud over the future of SNAP HFC regulation. The ruling sent the 2015 SNAP rule back to the EPA for a rewrite. What exactly the EPA will do and whether the decision will be appealed to the Supreme Court remains to be seen. For now, the court’s decision raised the specter of stranded investments and fueled a good deal of confusion in the marketplace.
The power of states — Individual states are not pre-empted by federal authority in the regulation of the relevant chemicals for GWP purposes. So, the possibility emerges of states moving ahead with delisting HFCs while the federal government either sorts out the next steps or backs away from regulation of non-ODP refrigerants.
For example, Gallagher explained that California is moving forcefully to develop regulations to phase out the use of high-GWP chemicals. California Senate Bill 1383 (2016) requires a 40 percent reduction in HFC emissions below 2013 levels by 2030. State officials emphasize that despite the court ruling sending the rule back for recrafting, EPA SNAP rules remain in effect for now.
Gallagher noted that CARB’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Strategy puts sales restrictions on very high-GWP refrigerants with 100-year GWPs of 2,500 or greater, prohibits high-GWP refrigerants in new stationary refrigeration and stationary air conditioning equipment, and provides financial incentives for new low-GWP systems.
In addition, the state is continuing work on codes and standards updates, exploring ways to continue HFC reductions based on the EPA’s SNAP rules, and developing requirements and timelines for phaseouts.
Flammable refrigerants — If global trends are an indicator of the direction the U.S. will take, flammable refrigerants are poised to play a larger role in the overall refrigerant regime. However, the approval process can be laborious.
According to Wang, today’s projected path for employing flammable refrigerants has refrigeration systems and equipment meeting ASHRAE, UL, and ISO safety standards by 2018, creating model building codes by 2021, and crafting state and local codes in 2022 and beyond. AHRI and ASHRAE are conducting research programs to help make that timeline work, Wang said. Several studies are complete, including benchmarking risks of A2L (mildly flammable) refrigerants and HVACR equipment leak detection of A2L refrigerants. Others are expected to be finished by the end of 2017, including hot surface ignition testing; flammable refrigerant handling guidelines; and an effort to explore the grounds for setting charge limits of A2L, A2, and A3 refrigerants (flammable including hydrocarbons and HFOs) for various types of products. Other research projects are slated for 2018 completion.
End users moving beyond HFCs — Kolstad said Target has set the goal of being HFC-free in food distribution centers and stand-alone refrigerated display cases by 2020 and is requiring all new purchases of stand-alone units less than 2,200 Btuh cooling capacity to use HFC-free refrigerants. Starting in 2016, Target told its suppliers that it is moving to hydrocarbon R-290 for units less than 2,200 Btuh.
Morris said Giant Eagle is putting the emphasis on general maintenance, floating head pressure and suction pressure, anti-sweat control, and the like — where he said a good deal of low-hanging fruit is available. For new technology, Morris explained how Giant Eagle is looking to distributed refrigeration controls rather than a centralized approach. Distributed controls, he noted, can offer 30 percent estimated energy savings, which justifies the first cost of the controls investment.
Thermal energy storage — Christians explained how ice batteries can enable a supermarket or grocery store owner to decide when to use electricity from the grid to create cooling, offering the ability to use stored cooling to provide three to 20 tons of cooling for up to six hours. The basic formula is simple: Use lower cost, off-peak energy, and tap storage during high-cost peak hours. The time of use energy cost differential and lower demand charges cover the cost of the investment within a few years, and improved grid stability justifies utility incentives.
Financing the paradigm shift — Population growth, the growth in retail food outlets, an aging grid, and less appetite for building new generation capacity all point to energy use containment. Generally speaking, utilities are capitalized to finance the shift.
“Many utilities are sitting on large sums of capital, and they’re very interested in finding ways to get that capital employed to their advantage,” Daly said. “In my view, they increasingly need our assistance in understanding how to do that.”
To that end, he added, understanding each utility that you’re dealing with and why they want to engage with you is absolutely critical to success when it comes to leveraging incentives or rate structures and determining which steps and technologies to employ.
In summary, court-imposed ambiguity, uncertain standards and codes, and a diversity of technological options and risks complicate the relevant refrigerant questions.
Recent U.S. regulatory strategy has focused on transforming the refrigerant sector based on GWP impact, and industry stakeholders have, therefore, been exploring appropriate new directions and solutions. But, when the courts recently placed a question mark over EPA’s SNAP regulations, the issue shifted — this time to questions such as how far the country would move, what new investments would be genuinely necessary, and whether the basic strategic issues for refrigerants had again been put on ice. The resulting uncertainty is causing states, refrigeration equipment manufacturers, and end users to take individual actions to move toward low-GWP, energy-efficient technologies that stand to future-proof business and benefit the bottom line today.
Amidst the uncertainty, however, the overarching facts are clear enough: there is ample convergence of interest to support a strategic, industry-wide dialogue, and global refrigerant trends suggest it should begin sooner rather than later.
lunes, 9 de octubre de 2017
R407H, drop-in de reducido GWP del R404A, evaluación experimental
Durante estos últimos meses en el Grupo de Ingeniería Térmica (www.git.uji.es)
de la Universitat Jaume I hemos estado estudiando el refrigerante R407H
(GWP=1378) como sustituto drop-in del R404A (GWP=3945) en sistemas
centralizados de expansión directa a baja temperatura. En concreto,
hemos realizado medidas de consumo energético en nuestro pequeño
supermercado en condiciones de laboratorio (25ºC, 60% HR) manteniendo el
producto en una isla de congelados a -20ºC con temperaturas de
condensación de 25, 35 y 45ºC, y hemos realizado ensayos energéticos
durante el proceso de recarga parcial del sistema de R404A con R407H
(Figura 1).
Respecto a las pruebas de recarga parcial (top-up test), realizamos recargas parciales del sistema con R404A con R407H, en proporciones de recarga en masa del 10, 20 y 30%. Solo para una proporción de R407H del 30% observamos incrementos del COP de hasta un 4.9% acompañados de un incremento en temperatura de descarga de 6.3K (Figura 2).
Respecto a las pruebas de recarga parcial (top-up test), realizamos recargas parciales del sistema con R404A con R407H, en proporciones de recarga en masa del 10, 20 y 30%. Solo para una proporción de R407H del 30% observamos incrementos del COP de hasta un 4.9% acompañados de un incremento en temperatura de descarga de 6.3K (Figura 2).
Respecto a la evaluación energética, hemos observado que el uso del
R407H en lugar del R404A es favorable, ya que el uso permite reducir el
consumo del compresor hasta en un 7.7% y del sistema en conjunto hasta
en un 4%. Sin embargo, hay que destacar que medimos un incremento en la
temperatura de descarga del compresor de hasta 13.8K (Figura 3).
En conclusión, podemos decir que el R407H es un buen alternativo al
R404A, ya que ofrece una reducción del GWP del 65% y reducciones del
consumo energético de compresor de hasta un 7.7%.
R404A/507 in MT and LT applications
A low GWP and Low Cost service solution for R404A/507 in MT and LT applications
The European F-Gas regulation EU517/2014 is upon us. Effective since 2015, the regulation is entering a new phase of accelerated phasedown of the HFC consumption within the EU28. Compared to the baseline year of 2015, a reduction step of 37% of available quota is set for January 2018. Even in 2017, the requirement that imported pre-charged equipment consumes quota will add pressure on available quota. Owners and operators of existing installations need to find urgently cost effective solutions to maintain their equipment and cooling service.Who is at risk?
Industry studies have shown that the largest burden on the F-gas industry to reduce its CO2 footprint will be carried by the commercial refrigeration sector. Especially impacted are systems running on high GWP refrigerants such as R404A / R507. According to EPEE's Gapometer study, 50% of existing R404A systems should be replaced or converted to a lower GWP refrigerant by January 2018 to meet this requirement.This raises a huge challenge for our industry. Indeed, the race to retrofit these high GWP gases in commercial systems puts even more short-term pressure on quota availability. This fact, combined with further step-downs in F-gas quota means that the right choice of refrigerant is critical for initial retrofit and future service.
Choosing a Low GWP and Low Cost retrofit refrigerant - a 3-component choice
Cost Component 1: Lower the GWP
The F-gas cap and phasedown schedule for CO2 equivalent quota will inevitably put increasing pricing pressure on each tonne of CO2 required by the EU market. It is therefore essential that plant owners and operators get to the lowest GWP levels for an A1 refrigerant in their commercial refrigeration installations. Any refrigerant with a GWP greater than 1500 will see rapidly increasing cost pressure and may even require a second retrofit to lower GWPs in order to meet the cap and phasedown schedule.R407H is an A1 classified refrigerant with a GWP <1500
Cost Component 2: The molecules
R407H is a mixture of R32 / R125 / R134a. It has been specially developed to enable a low-cost conversion of R404A and R507 systems without the need for expensive HFO components.We at Daikin believe that the EU refrigeration industry will need HFO based solutions to comply with the F-gas regulation. Indeed, Daikin has a broad portfolio of HFO technologies. However, it is a fact that HFO molecules are more expensive to produce than traditional HFCs. We believe that the industry should only pay for HFOs or even more expensive solutions when absolutely necessary. For the replacement of most R404A / R507 MT and LT systems, R407H provides equivalent performance to HFO-based technologies with a GWP also below 1500.
Cost Component 3: Ease of retrofit & performance
In most cases, R407H can be used without major changes to existing R404A / R507 systems. R407H can be considered a "drop in" solution for many systems 2. Studies have shown that R407H has an improved COP vs other HFO/HFC based replacement refrigerants and better cooling capacity than R404A.We believe that multiple solutions will be necessary to meet the F-gas Regulation.
HFO based technologies will be a part of those solutions and Daikin's portfolio reflects these technologies.
However, for many A1 refrigeration applications where replacement of R404A / R507 is the greatest challenge for users and contractors, R407H can meet their F-gas needs by offering:
| Lower GWP | <1500 |
| Performance | equivalent or higher than R404A/R507 |
| Lower cost | no need for more expensive HFO based blends |
| Ease of Retrofit | a drop in solution for many systems |
Physical data 3
| R404A | R507 | R407H | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical Formula | CHF2CF3 CH3CF3 CH2FCF3 |
CHF2CF3/ CH3CF3 |
CH2F2 CHF2CF3/ CH2FCF3 |
|
| Molar Mass | kg/kmol | 97.6 | 98.86 | 113.07 |
| Boiling Point at 1.013 bar | °C | -46.2 | -46.74 | -44.7 |
| Critical Temperature | °C | 72.0 | 70.6 | 86.5 |
| Critical Pressure | bar | 37.29 | 37.1 | 48.5 |
| liq. cp 4 | kJ/(kgK) | 1.542 | 1.539 | 1.585 |
| vap. cp 4 | kJ/(kgK) | 1.221 | 1.225 | 1.176 |
| Ratio cp/cv, vap. 4 | 1.37 | 1.38 | 1.36 | |
| Spec. density, liq. 4 | kg/m³ | 1044 | 1048 | 1111 |
| Spec. density, vap. 4 | kg/m³ | 65.27 | 68.89 | 41.86 |
| Enthalpy of vaporization 4 | kJ/kg | 140.26 | 136.45 | 199.02 |
| Explosive limit in air 5 | % v/v | N/A | N/A | N/A |
2 However, R407H cannot be considered a "drop-in" for every system. For example, due to R407H's higher discharge temperature compared to R404A / R507, measures such as liquid injection would need to be considered for discharge temperatures exceeding 80°C.
3 Thermo-physical data calculated by Refprop 9.0
4 sat. @ 25°C
5 T = 25°C, p= 1.013bar
3 Thermo-physical data calculated by Refprop 9.0
4 sat. @ 25°C
5 T = 25°C, p= 1.013bar
miércoles, 21 de junio de 2017
Diagnosing a Faulty HVAC Compressor Valve
Diagnosing a faulty compressor valve is something HVAC technicians
have to deal with on a semi-regular basis, and while a bad valve is
often not the main reason a compressor fails, it is an integral part of
any condensing unit.
Members of The
NEWS’ trainer panel examined compressor valves and determined the best
methods for maintaining valves, diagnosing faulty ones, and implementing
proper troubleshooting techniques when they go bad.
NOTICING THE ISSUE
Joseph
Adeszko, program coordinator, HAC department, Moraine Valley Community
College, Palos Hills, Illinois, does not see bad compressor valves as
much as he used to, mainly because current technicians are doing a
better job of properly reading subcooling and superheat during service visits. Still, “technicians need to know the inner workings of a compressor to properly diagnose it,” he said.
Reciprocating compressors themselves have been around for decades.
“They
are reliable, dependable, and still looked at as the industry standard
by many people,” said Dennis Silvestri, lead instructor, MRS Educational
Training, New Haven, Connecticut. “Still available in the semi-hermetic
and fully welded hermetic designs, more reciprocating compressors fail
due to various electrical related issues than from compressor valve
problems. However, when you take a close look at reciprocating
compressor valve design, especially the ‘reed type,’ then we can see
what’s looked at as the ‘weak spot.’ The valves will wear, leak, and
even break. Floodback and slugging, even flooded starts can cause issues
with the valves.”
According
to Nicholas Griewahn, associate professor of HVACR, Northern Michigan
University, Marquette, Michigan, it is very important to be
knowledgeable about diagnosing any capacity loss in a compressor, mainly
for the sake of the customer.
“A
lot of time and money can be wasted on misdiagnosis, and it usually
ends with a lost customer,” said Griewahn. “Not only is it important to
be able to diagnose when capacity is lost due to damaged valves but also
what caused the damage. Valves that are leaking through due to
overheating call for very different diagnostic and corrective actions
than valves that are snapped off because of liquid slugging. I’m a big
believer that every compressor fails for a reason, and you should always
find the cause and correct it before or when you install a
replacement.”
Being
able to recognize the symptoms of a faulty valve are essential, and
Adeszko said problems can stem from a number of things.
“The
symptoms could be a loss of cooling or refrigeration,
higher-than-normal suction pressures with low discharge pressures, the
compressor being very quiet, or low amp draw,” he said.
Griewahn said he normally hears complaints of the system not maintaining the temperature setting during a mild load.
“In
refrigeration, the conditioned space will never make the control
setting, or the customer will notice the compressor running a lot more
than usual,” he said. “In air conditioning, the room temperature will
rarely, or never, make the thermostat setting. Really savvy customers
may notice an increase in their electric bills without a correlation
with the outdoor temperature. Valves that are damaged enough may cause
the compressor to overheat and overload, which leads to a no cooling
call.”
THE NECESSARY STEPS
Once a technician has recognized the issue, there are a few different steps needed to properly address it.
“An
in-depth procedure of checking the compressor valves requires the
compressor to have a suction service valve and the technician use their
low-side manifold pressure gauge,” said Silvestri. “With the compressor
off and the low-side pressure gauge installed onto the suction service
valve, front seat the suction service valve and turn on the compressor.
The low-side gauge should read at least a 20-inch vacuum within a minute
or so. If the gauge cannot read at least a 20-inch vacuum, then the
compressor’s suction valves are leaking, which means they are not fully
closing shut. The compressor’s discharge valves can also be checked to
see if they are leaking.”
Griewahn said it’s important to note that the first hint of trouble usually comes from the pressure readings.
“If
you’re familiar with estimating high- and low-side pressure, you’ll
notice the high-side pressure will be lower than normal and the low side
will be operating higher than normal,” he said. “Pressures being too
close together are the usual suspects for lost pumping capacity. I’ll
check superheat to confirm the metering device isn’t grossly overfeeding
and make sure there aren’t any hot gas valves bleeding through or
sticking open and rule them out. To confirm low pumping capacity, I
usually check for abnormal line temperatures, low compressor amp draw,
and an overheated compressor shell. Sometimes, depending on how badly
the valves or compressor are damaged, you’ll hear the valves bypass when
the compressor is turned off. If a whistling or ‘whooshing’ sound is
heard — not to be confused with the check valve seating in a scroll
compressor — when the compressor is turned off, it is likely that the
valves or other internal components are bypassing and faulty.”
Adeszko
added that there are no shortcuts to take when troubleshooting
compressor valves. “A good tech must gather the data necessary to
troubleshoot the system before analyzing the data to see what the issue
may be,” he said.
A FULL REPLACEMENT
While
the panel members agreed on most parts of the diagnostic process, they
had differing opinions on when exactly it is time to replace an entire condensing unit.
In
Adeszko’s opinion, if the compressor is more than five years old on a
residential condensing unit, it’s better to replace the condensing unit
completely. “This way the end user gets a new unit with a full five- to
10-year parts warranty,” he said. “The cost is not much more than a
compressor-only change out.”
When
faced with leaking or broken valves with the fully welded hermetic
compressor design, the discussion needs to revolve around replacing the
compressor or the entire condensing unit, said Silvestri.
“With
the semi-hermetic type, there is the option of replacing the
compressor’s complete valve plate(s),” he said. “This is not that
difficult of a compressor tear down, especially if the compressor has
both a suction service valve and a discharge service valve. This allows
for simple isolation of the compressor from the rest of the system. Many
factors need to be looked at when considering to replace/rebuild the
compressor or just replace the entire condensing unit, such as age of
the system, past problems, and how many refrigerant retrofits the system
has gone through.”
Griewahn recommends a full replacement of a condensing unit if it meets one or more of the following conditions:
- The cost of purchasing and installing a new condensing unit is the same or lower than a new compressor;
- The condensing unit is available sooner when the equipment is mission critical;
- There is substantial or unrepairable damage or corrosion on the old condenser or unit base; or
- There is a condensing unit replacement option that will substantially increase efficiency for the owner.
sábado, 18 de marzo de 2017
compresor de levitación magnética
Las unidades agua-agua con compresor de levitación magnética Turbocor de Sogimair
cuentan con una serie de elementos que les otorgan las elevadas
eficiencias que ofrecen, siendo estos el compresor Turbocor, el
evaporador inundado y el sistema de gestión.
Compresor Turbocor
El
compresor de levitación magnética Turbocor es el corazón de esta
unidad. Es sabido por todos, que los compresores centrífugos presentan
rendimientos muy elevados a cargas plenas, no siendo tan eficientes a
cargas parciales y presentando problemas cuando el sistema de
lubricación falla. El compresor de levitación magnética Turbocor de
Danfoss, elimina estos inconvenientes de los compresores centrífugos, ya
que suprime la presencia de aceite e incrementa el rendimiento de este a
cargas parciales.
Gracias a la tecnología de
levitación, este compresor monta dos cojinetes magnéticos que mantienen
el asta (rotor de compresión) en una posición de levitación, evitando el
rozamiento de esta con los elementos de fricción del compresor, por lo
que se prescinde de la necesidad de la utilización de aceite. Al estar
en ausencia de fricción, se aumenta la vida útil del equipo.
La utilización de un motor DC Brushless y un control Inverter, permite regular la velocidad del asta, con el fin de adecuar el giro a la potencia demandada. Combinando la variabilidad de la velocidad de giro con las dos etapas de compresión del asta, se consiguen altos rendimientos de funcionamiento a cargas parciales.
La utilización de un motor DC Brushless y un control Inverter, permite regular la velocidad del asta, con el fin de adecuar el giro a la potencia demandada. Combinando la variabilidad de la velocidad de giro con las dos etapas de compresión del asta, se consiguen altos rendimientos de funcionamiento a cargas parciales.
La
variación de la velocidad, también permite disminuir el pico de
arranque de la unidad, siendo muy inferior al que dispondríamos con
unidades semejantes equipadas con compresor de tornillo. Este compresor
dispone de un control electrónico que nos permite adecuar en todo
momento la potencia entregad a ala demanda de la instalación,
controlando el posicionamiento del asta con una tolerancia de 7 micras.
Esto lo hace sensible a los fallos de alimentación, pero es por ello que el compresor cuenta con 4 condensadores que carga antes de iniciar su uso, para mantener con tensión suficiente a los elementos de control para conseguir que el asta repose suavemente sobre los cojinetes magnéticos sin dañar el compresor, ante un fallo de suministro.
Esto lo hace sensible a los fallos de alimentación, pero es por ello que el compresor cuenta con 4 condensadores que carga antes de iniciar su uso, para mantener con tensión suficiente a los elementos de control para conseguir que el asta repose suavemente sobre los cojinetes magnéticos sin dañar el compresor, ante un fallo de suministro.
El sistema de gestión de la unidad,
comprueba en todo momento las revolucions por minuto de giro del
compresor, con el fin de adecuar estas a la demanda y evitar problemas
de cavitación o respiración. Al comparar el rendimiento de este
compresor con un compresor de tornillo, podemos apreciar la diferencia
de rendimiento en cargas parciales, siendo estas las de mayor uso según
la definición de cálculo que define el Eseer.
3.2. Evaporador multitubular inundado
Esta
tipología de evaporador, permite disponer de un alto rendimiento,
gracias a la posibilidad de trabajar con temperaturas de evaporación más
altas, hasta un recalentamiento de 1 °C. A diferencia de un evaporador
multitubular estándar, en este caso el refrigerante baña a los tubos por
donde circula el agua.
El empleo de una válvula electrónica y un controlador de nivel, permiten mantener el nivel de líquido en el interior del evaporador adecuado a la demanda de la instalación.
El empleo de una válvula electrónica y un controlador de nivel, permiten mantener el nivel de líquido en el interior del evaporador adecuado a la demanda de la instalación.
3.3. Sistema de control / gestión web
La
centralita de gestión del equipo de producción es la Danfoss MCX. Esta
se suministra con un panel de superficie que permitirá, con un simple
vistazo, visualizar los datos de trabajo, elementos que están en On, o
si ha acontecido alguna alarma. Accediendo al menú de programación,
podremos leer condiciones específicas de trabajo, como presiones de
líquido o gas.
Además, la centralita controla en
todo momento las rpm del compresor de levitación magnética, con lo que
se evitan las posibles cavitaciones o reaspiraciones de refrigerante,
por lo que se tiene bajo control los principales problemas que puede
presentar un compresor centrífugo.
La utilización del control Danfoss MCX y el empleo del compresor de levitación magnética Danfoss Turbocor, otorga a la gama Turboline el certificado emitido por Danfoss Turbocor de alta eficiencia energética.
La utilización del control Danfoss MCX y el empleo del compresor de levitación magnética Danfoss Turbocor, otorga a la gama Turboline el certificado emitido por Danfoss Turbocor de alta eficiencia energética.
La
gama Turbocor presenta una alta eficiencia energética. Esta alta
eficiencia se debe poder medir en cualquier momento, siendo este el
motivo por el que esta unidad incorpora de serie un sistema de gestión
vía web, llamado Web Monitoring, que nos permitirá gestionar el
funcionamiento de la unidad a la vez que obtenemos datos de su
rendimiento.
Este sistema ayudará al equipo de mantenimiento, mostrando el estado de la unidad, pudiendo modificar consignas sin necesidad de desplazarse a la instalación, así como la obtención de gráficos de funcionamiento.
Este sistema ayudará al equipo de mantenimiento, mostrando el estado de la unidad, pudiendo modificar consignas sin necesidad de desplazarse a la instalación, así como la obtención de gráficos de funcionamiento.
lunes, 20 de febrero de 2017
Air conditioning faces flammable future
USA: A search of more than 60 million
chemicals to find a replacement for R410A in air conditioning systems
has found just 27 suitably-efficient fluids – but all are at least
slightly flammable.
The multi-year study was carried out by
researchers at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST) to identify the best candidates for future use as air
conditioning refrigerants that will have the lowest impact on the
climate.
The study found no ideal refrigerant that
combined low GWP with other desirable performance and safety features
such as being both non-flammable and non-toxic. All 27 fluids NIST
identified as the best from a performance viewpoint are, at best,
slightly flammable, which is not allowed under US safety codes for most
end uses. And several fluids among the list of refrigerants are highly
flammable.
The authors of the report, published in Nature Communications, maintains that the 27 fluids are the ‘best’ low-GWP fluids allowed by chemistry.
“It is highly unlikely that any
better-performing fluids will be found, and unknown risks associated
with the lesser-known fluids may further reduce the list,” the authors
say.
“The takeaway is there is no perfect,
easy replacement for current refrigerants,” NIST chemical engineer Mark
McLinden said. “Going into the study, we thought surely there has to be
something else. Turns out, not so much. So it was a bit surprising, a
bit disappointing,” he said.
The recent global decision to phase-down
HFCs under the Montreal Protocol, added to the pre-existing European
F-gas phase-down has prompted regulations which will see the elimination
of many of the highest GWP refrigerants from certain applications.
These include common refrigerants like R404A and R134a where suitable
alternatives are known to exist.
R410A, a blend of R32 and R125, and
currently the dominant refrigerant in small air conditioning systems,
stands somewhat exposed with its relatively high GWP of around 2000 –
50% higher than R134a. Many feel that a replacement for R410A will need
to be found if the global phase-down targets are to be achieved.
R32 has been introduced by Daikin and
others for use in small splits and propane is also being considered in
similar applications in some Far East markets. However, their
flammability precludes their use under current national and
international safety standards in all but the smaller systems.
“The path forward will involve
tradeoffs,” said Mark McLinden. “Safety codes could be revised to allow
the use of slightly flammable refrigerants. Blends of two or more fluids
could yield a non-flammable refrigerant, but at a higher GWP. Carbon
dioxide is nonflammable, but would require a complete redesign of AC
equipment.”
Because all current refrigerants are
small molecules, the NIST search was limited to molecules with 18 or
fewer atoms and only eight elements that form compounds volatile enough
to serve as refrigerants. This initial screen resulted in 184,000
molecules to be considered further.
Screening for energy properties
corresponding to fluids usable in small AC systems and GWP of less than
1,000 yielded 138 fluids. This included the new low GWP HFOs R1234yf and
1234ze amongst an incredible number of 45 HFOs.
The researchers then simulated the
performance of these 138 compounds in air conditioners. Further
screening to rule out chemically unstable or very toxic compounds or
those with low energy efficiency resulted in the final list of 27
low-GWP fluids.
The report focuses on single-component refrigerants
(pure fluids) but recognises that refrigerant blends offer additional
possibilities, although the trade-off to reducing flammability will be
higher GWPs.
jueves, 16 de febrero de 2017
Mitsubishi announces European R32 launch
EUROPE: Mitsubishi Electric has announced the introduction of its first R32 air conditioners into Europe.
The Japanese manufacturer’s M Series
MSZ-LN range, first previewed at Italy’s Mostra Convegno show last year,
will the first to offer the new lower GWP refrigerant. The launch of
further R32 units are promised throughout the year.
The Cooling Post first revealed
Mitsubishi’s intentions last year. At that time the UK company revealed
plans for R32 in its residential M Series and commercial P Series air
conditioning ranges and Ecodan heat pumps. An R32 version of the
company’s City Multi HVRF water/refrigerant hybrid this year was also
hinted at.
Commenting on today’s announcement of the
M-Series launch, Donald Daw, UK commercial director, said: “This is a
major product evolution which will show the market exactly how air
conditioning using R32 can perform.
“R32 units have been available in Japan
for over two years now and we have taken that knowledge and experience
and refined it into this stylish and efficient offering, including our
first ever red unit,” he added.
The MSZ-LN range offers a choice of four
sizes from 2.5kW to 6.1kW, with four distinct indoor wall units which
are available in red, Onyx Black, Pearl White and Natural White colours.
A matching, colour co-ordinated room controller is also available.
It features a built-in Wi-Fi interface
enables full control and monitoring via the company’s MELCloud app, and
an i-see Sensor, which automatically monitors room occupancy, position
and body temperatures to deliver customised comfort.
Double vanes on the indoor unit operate
independently to distribute airflow evenly throughout the room and the
MSZ-LN offers a whisper-quiet operation as low as 19 dB(A). A Plasma
Quad Plus filter also uses powerful plasma technology to filter out even
microscopic particles, whilst the dual-barrier coating on the heat
exchanger, fan and air duct prevents dust and grease accumulation.
The line-up also includes Mitsubishi
Electric’s Replace technology which can utilise existing pipework,
making it ideal for office and retail refurbishments.
“We see this model as ideal for high-end,
stylish situations and have already had a lot of interest from our
customers,” Daw added. “R32 is expected to quickly become the standard
for split type air conditioning systems and we have more products lined
up for the UK market in the coming months.”
Mitsubishi Electric, like many of its
rivals, has introduced air conditioners using R32, the
non-ozone-depleting lower GWP alternative to R410A, in the Far East and
Australasia but, until now, the Japanese manufacturer has remained
silent on its intentions for Europe.
It has now been revealed that it is to
challenge its main rival Daikin, the R32 pioneer, with new products
across its main product platforms from 2017. This will include a move to
R32 on Mitsubishi Electric’s residential M Series and commercial P
Series air conditioning ranges and Ecodan heat pumps.
Only Mitsubishi Electric’s VRF products
will remain on R410A for the time being, although an R32 version of the
company’s recently relaunched City Multi HVRF water/refrigerant hybrid
will be launched in 2017.
Speaking at yesterday’s Hampshire
Refrigeration Society breakfast meeting, Martin Crawford, Mitsubishi
Electric’s wholesaler VAR manager, said: “R32 will be the predominant
refrigerant within our business in the coming years.”
He described it as the next generation
refrigerant and a good substitute for R410A, despite its slightly higher
pressure and mild flammability.
For those concerned about the new gas, he
said: “There are millions of R32 units already installed in Japan and
Asia, so you here in the UK will not be guinea pigs.”
On the plus side, he told
the audience that R32 benefits from being a single component
refrigerant, making it easier to reuse and recycle, easier to handle,
won’t separate, has no glide and exhibits higher efficiency than R410A.
With limits on charge sizes due to its “mild flammability”, R32 is currently proving a challenge for VRF, which is why Mitsubishi has developed its hybrid HVRF solution.
“The timing for R32 VRF will be advised in due course,” a Mitsubishi Electric UK spokesman later told the Cooling Post.
“Our plans are about offering a harmonised solution for customers
because we need to avoid the situation where as an industry, we are
using different refrigerants on different systems in the same
buildings.”
The spokesman also indicated that limited use of CO2 is
being considered especially for heat pumps where the predominant load is
on hot water.
It seems likely that Mitsubishi Electric will roll out
similar R32 introductions across Europe but, so far, there have been no
announcements of timings for individual countries.
jueves, 3 de noviembre de 2016
Beijer Ref to launch propane heat pump
CHILLVENTA 2016 PREVIEW: Refrigeration wholesaler Beijer Ref is to
use next week’s Chillventa show to officially launch a propane heat pump
boasting COPs as high as 10.
Beijer Ref became involved in the development of the new propane-based technology through its Dutch subsidiaries Coolmark and Uniechemie last year. It is said to be capable of achieving savings of up to 50% on commercial building heating and cooling costs.
TripleAqua is described as being ideal for countries with a moderate climate, because it can cool and heat at the same time. Rooms on the sunny side or housing equipment often need to be cooled, while other parts of the building need heat instead. Also, air conditioning is normally on during the day, with heating being required at night.
As a result, the developers say the system can be up to twice as economical as traditional heating and cooling systems, because it also buffers the surplus warm or cold energy for reuse later.
Using just three water pipes, installation costs are reduced and temperatures are also very favourable for a heat pump: warm (28-36˚C), cold (12-18˚C) and a common return pipe at ambient temperature.
Doing away with the traditional 4-way valve, the TripleAqua operates efficiently in the optimised efficient counter-flow modes, both in cooling as well as in heating mode.
The system is said to use only a few kg of propane in the high-efficiency heat pump installed outside the building. Only water flows through the pipelines inside the building.
Beijer Ref became involved in the development of the new propane-based technology through its Dutch subsidiaries Coolmark and Uniechemie last year. It is said to be capable of achieving savings of up to 50% on commercial building heating and cooling costs.
TripleAqua is described as being ideal for countries with a moderate climate, because it can cool and heat at the same time. Rooms on the sunny side or housing equipment often need to be cooled, while other parts of the building need heat instead. Also, air conditioning is normally on during the day, with heating being required at night.
As a result, the developers say the system can be up to twice as economical as traditional heating and cooling systems, because it also buffers the surplus warm or cold energy for reuse later.
Using just three water pipes, installation costs are reduced and temperatures are also very favourable for a heat pump: warm (28-36˚C), cold (12-18˚C) and a common return pipe at ambient temperature.
Doing away with the traditional 4-way valve, the TripleAqua operates efficiently in the optimised efficient counter-flow modes, both in cooling as well as in heating mode.
The system is said to use only a few kg of propane in the high-efficiency heat pump installed outside the building. Only water flows through the pipelines inside the building.
miércoles, 2 de noviembre de 2016
El VRV IV indoor de Daikin amplía su capacidad para cubrir las necesidades de locales comerciales
El VRV IV indoor de Daikin amplía su capacidad para cubrir las necesidades de locales comerciales: Daikin ha ampliado la capacidad de su solución VRV IV indoor: VRV IV indoor 8 CV. 'Este sistema, que puede llegar hasta 26 kW, cuenta con todas las ventajas de comodidad y eficiencia energética de los VRV IV
jueves, 27 de octubre de 2016
jueves, 20 de octubre de 2016
HFCs flood Europe despite phase down
EUROPE: Refrigerant manufacturer
Honeywell has repeated claims that European HFC imports are increasing
despite the F-gas phase down.
Earlier this year, Honeywell claimed that
over 10 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent HFCs were illegally imported
into the EU in 2015 – the first year of the phase down when the
allocation was 182.5 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. This year is
supposed to see a 7% reduction but Honeywell claims some countries are
now importing as much as 2.5 times as much as they were pre-phase-down.
Dr Patrick Amrhein, Honeywell’s fluorine products marketing director for EMEA, said: “This is a major issue we are facing.”
Having recently run the numbers again on
import statistics, he said: “What we can see is the amount of
refrigerant coming from China into the European Union increasing
year-over-year. When you look at the phase down mechanism this should
not happen.”
He also claims that the problem seems to
be with certain countries. “Traditional importers like the Netherlands,
France, UK, Belgium, these countries are more or less stagnating or are
on a small decline. What’s new is that countries such as Poland,
Hungary, Greece, the Balkan areas, there you see increases compared to
previous years of 140-160%. The interesting question is who sits there
that holds all the quota?” he mused.
“We see a disconnect between the
legislation and its implementation at a national level,” Dr Amrhein said
in May. “I don’t think there is currently a system in place which
allows the national customs authorities to really check if an importer
has quota or if the importer who does have quota has exceeded the amount
of imports they can bring in.”
According to the F-gas regulation, the
consequences for producers and importers exceeding their allocated quota
is a deduction of double the excess from the company’s quota the
following year.
BELGIUM: One of the leading refrigerant
manufacturers has claimed that over 10 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent
HFCs were illegally imported into the EU in 2015.
Last year was the first year that the
European Union’s phase down under the F-gas regulations came into force,
allocating registered companies a quota from the total 182.5 million
tonnes of F-gas allowed to be placed on the market.
Honeywell maintains that this amount has
been exceeded by what it describes as illegal imports. If true, the
illegal amount is equivalent to more than 5% of the total allocation and
based on CO2 equivalents would represent, for example, well over 2,500
tonnes of R404A or 7,700 tonnes of R134a.
The concerns are also backed by another
leading refrigerant supplier Chemours who said that they, too, had seen
market indications of illegal imports.
Honeywell says it has based its estimated
calculations on publicly available sources, such as export data from
China, and compared these with EFCTC (Cefic) data. Honeywell has also
heard of instances of companies without quota bringing in material and
offering it for sale.
“As Honeywell is a significant market
player, we also used our own estimations of imports of the biggest
market players,” Dr Patrick Amrhein, Honeywell’s fluorine products
marketing director for EMEA, told the Cooling Post. “This
resulted in a figure showing material which cannot be assigned to any
market player – and therefore has to come to the market outside of the
quota.”
However, the real scale of the trade in
illegal material could be far higher and does not include any
refrigerant shipments that may have been smuggled into Europe or
mis-declared.
“The amount of material coming into
Europe far exceeds what should be coming in,” said Dr Amrhein. “I think
10 million tonnes is a conservative figure. Our estimation is that it is
larger.”
A total of 413 companies were assigned
quotas in 2015, 334 of them were new entrants. Each quota holder’s
figures are audited at the end of March each year. The consequences for
producers and importers exceeding their allocated quota is a deduction
of double the excess from the company’s quota the following year.
Earlier this year, the Cooling Post revealed that
imports of HFC refrigerants doubled in 2014, suggesting huge
stockpiling in the run-up 2015 to the introduction of F-gas quotas.
Lack of control
Honeywell has also raised concerns at what it perceives as a lack of control or implementation at customs points.
“We see a disconnect between the
legislation and its implementation at a national level,” said Dr
Amrhein. “I don’t think there is currently a system in place which
allows the national customs authorities to really check if an importer
has quota or if the importer who does have quota has exceeded the amount
of imports they can bring in.”
The concerns over the potential for
illegal imports are shared by Chemours. “We have seen market indications
of illegal imports as mentioned by Honeywell,” said Lene Stosic,
Chemours’ senior communications manager, EMEA.
“We share the commitment to supporting the F-gas industry in the
successful implementation of the cap and phase down.”
Authorised dealer programme
To reassure the market, Honeywell has
implemented an Authorised Dealers programme to help purchasers ensure
they are buying refrigerants that comply with the European F-gas
regulations.
“This programme is part of Honeywell’s
ongoing efforts to help customers ensure they are using refrigerants and
other materials that comply with this new regulation,” said Dr Patrick
Amrhein. “By buying from a Honeywell Authorised Dealer, customers can
avoid putting their businesses at legal risk of violating the regulation
by using an illegal refrigerant. Honeywell is continuing to build
awareness of the risks and legal consequences of using illegally
imported refrigerants, and is working closely with EU authorities to
actively prevent illegal imports to the EU market.
“We are not the policemen of the
industry, we are just responding to requests from our customers who want
to buy genuine high quality material that is fully compliant with the
F-gas regulations,” Dr Amrhein maintained.
EUROPE: Shocking new figures reveal evidence of huge
European stockpiling of HFC refrigerants in advance of the 2015 F-gas
quotas.
The startling figures for 2014, just
released by the European Environment Agency, show that imports of HFC
refrigerants into Europe almost doubled to 122,781 tonnes (260.9Mt CO2‑equivalent) in 2014, the year before quotas under the European F-gas regulations were introduced.
This huge stockpile is thought to be the
reason why refrigerant prices, particularly for the higher GWP gases,
have not risen as predicted by many industry experts.
While bulk imports of fluorinated gases
had been declining from 2010 to 2013, HFC bulk imports in 2014 were
approximately 90% above 2013 levels, both by mass and CO2‑equivalent.
The figures are based on submissions by
companies on the production, import and export of fluorinated greenhouse
gases in the European Union for 2014, the first year of compulsory
reporting under the new F-gas regulation 517/2014.
Leaving aside the other fluorinated
greenhouse gases (SF6, PFCs, etc), HFCs are said to account for about
95% of the increase in bulk imports and around 75% of all reported
imports were destined for use as refrigerants for refrigeration, air
conditioning and heating purposes.
Although supplies intended for use in air
conditioning and refrigeration had been static or declining in recent
years, 2014 saw a huge increase to 92,958 – a 73% increase on the
previous year and a 36% increase on the peak year for HFC supply in
2010.
In contrast to the rise in imports, EU
production of HFCs declined for the fourth consecutive year. Production
measured in tonnes experienced a year-on-year decline of 15%, or 11% in
terms of CO2‑equivalents,
to 31,050 tonnes. Reportable HFC production in Europe was limited to
just six HFCs – 134a, 365mfc, 143a, 32, 227ea and 23. The supply of the
other 19 fluorinated gases used in the EU in 2014 was provided by imports.
Reporting of imports and production became compulsory in
2014 and led to a significant rise in reporting companies. For 2014, the
number of reporting companies tripled compared with 2013 to 468. The
European Environment Agency attributes the increase to the addition for
the first time of importers of products and equipment containing
reportable fluorinated gases and to new bulk importers of gases.
martes, 18 de octubre de 2016
viernes, 14 de octubre de 2016
martes, 4 de octubre de 2016
miércoles, 28 de septiembre de 2016
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