Use of hydrocarbon refrigerants in commercial …hydrocarbons21.com/files/colbourne-hydorcarbons-colombia...Hydrocarbons in RAC systems Maximum and allowable HC charges sizes Location

UNEP South America Regional Workshop

Low-GWP, Energy-Efficient HCFC Replacement Technologies in the

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Sector

Use of hydrocarbon refrigerants in commercial

refrigeration and air conditioning equipment

22nd – 23rd April, 2010, Bogota, Columbia

Daniel ColbourneRE – PHRIDGE

[email protected]

Hydrocarbons in RAC systems

Introduction

• HC refrigerants being used fairly widely

• Good properties (excellent efficiency), no ODP, negligible

GWP, good material and oil compatibility … almost ideal

– Flammability the obvious problem!

• Flammability risk can be handled by use of standards

– Also good engineering design, considering relevant hazards

• Various end-users and manufacturers provide a range of

RAC equipment using HC refrigerants

– Will describe examples of commercial refrigeration products

– Will describe examples of air conditioning products (air

conditioners and chillers)

• Commonly used/available HC refrigerants– Many other (similar) blends available

• Other hydrocarbons– n-butane (R-600) not normally used

– Ethane (R-170), methane (R-50) in low temp industrial only

– Numerous other mixtures being sold

Refrigerant Name Normal boiling point

R-600a iso-butane -11°C

R600a/R290 (50%/50%) iso-butane/propane mix -31°C

R-290 propane -42°C

R-1270 propylene -48°C

R290/R170 (94%/6%) propane/ethane mix -49°C


Refrigerant composition


Classification

• Basis of addressing safety

requirements is a

refrigerants’ safety

classification

• ISO 817 details refrigerant

safety classification

• Based on

– 2 toxicity criteria

– 3 flammability criteria

• Higher toxicity + higher

flammability = more onerous

requirements

No

flame

propagation

Lower

flammability

Higher

flammability

Lower

(chronic)

toxicity

Higher

(chronic)

toxicity

A1

(HFCs)B1

A2 B2

A3

(HCs)B3

onerous requirements

on

ero

us r

eq

uire

me

nts


Overview of safety standards

Standard Title Application HC charge limits

IEC and EN

60335-2-24

Particular requirements for

refrigerating appliances, ice-cream

appliances and ice-makers

Domestic refrigeration Up to 150 g

IEC and EN

60335-2-40


electrical heat pumps air-

conditioners, and dehumidifiers

Any air conditioning and heat

pump appliances

Up to ~ 1kg and ~

5 kg, depending

upon application

IEC and EN

60335-2-89


commercial refrigerating appliances

with an incorporated or remote

refrigerant condensing unit or

compressor

Any refrigeration appliances

used for commercial situations

Up to 150 g

EN

378

Refrigeration systems and heat

pumps –safety and environmental

requirements

All refrigeration, air conditioning

and heat pumps; domestic,

commercial, industrial

Variable,

depending upon

application

ISO (DIS)

5149

Mechanical refrigerating systems

used for cooling and heating –

safety requirements

All refrigeration, air conditioning

and heat pumps; domestic,

commercial, industrial

Variable,

depending upon

application


Maximum and allowable HC charges sizes

Location of

refrigerant

containing

parts

Sys-

tem

type

Refrig-

erant

mass

Occupancy type

Category A (general occupancy) Category B (supervised occupancy)

Category C (only

authorised

access)

RHPAC Comfort HPAC RHPAC Comfort HPAC All types

Human

occupied

space which is

not a

machinery

room

Direct

Allowable

(Mal)PL Vrm

2.5 LFL1.25 h√Arm

or 0.55 Arm LFLPL Vrm

2.5 LFL1.25 h√Arm

or 0.55 Arm LFLPL Vrm

Max

(Mmax)

1.5 kg, or 1 kg

BG

26 LFL, or 1 kg

BG

2.5 kg, or 1 kg

BG

26 LFL, or 1 kg

BG

10 kg (or 25

kg*), or 1 kg BG

In an

unoccupied

machinery

room or in the

open air or a

special vented

enclosure

In-

direct

Allowable

(Mal)

5 kg, or 1 kg

BG

130 LFL, or 1 kg

BG

10 kg, or 1 kg

BG

130 LFL, or 1 kg

BG

No limit, or 1 kg

BG

Max

(Mmax)

5 kg, or 1 kg

BG

130 LFL, or 1 kg

BG

10 kg, or 1 kg

BG

130 LFL, or 1 kg

BG

No limit, or 1 kg

BG

Notes:

RHPAC = Refrigeration, heat pumps and air conditioning; Comfort HPAC = heat pumps and air conditioning (specifically for human

comfort); Allowable and maximum refrigerant charge sizes in kg; BG = below ground; PL = Practical Limit = 0.008 kg/m3; LFL = lower

flammability limit = 0.038 kg/m3; * 25 kg if compressor and liquid receiver are in an unoccupied machinery room or in the open air


Overall risk levels with application of HCs

• Equipment considered to

have the least risk have the

following characteristics:

– Smaller refrigerant charges

– Fewer number of potential

SOI

– Similar equipment

characteristics across the

installed base

– Refrigerant-containing parts

outside

– No additional modifications to

make to the system

System categories Overall risk

Domestic refrigeration level 2

Retail

refrigeration

Integral (stand-alone) level 2

Split (condensing unit) level 4

[Central direct expansion] [level 4]

Central indirect level 2

Air conditioning

Integral (window/portable) level 1

Split level 1

Close control level 3

Rooftop unit level 3

[Ducted direct expansion] [level 4]

[Multi-split] [level 4]

Chiller level 2

Transport

Car air conditioning level 1

Transport a/c level 3

Truck refrigeration level 2

Fishing vessels level 3

Food processing, bespoke level 4


Availability of equipment

Sector Equipment type System type Available

Domestic refrigerationChiller cabinets Integral

Freezer cabinets Integral

Retail refrigeration

Chiller, freezer cabinets Integral

Chiller, freezer cabinets Remote

Chiller, freezer cabinets Distributed

Chiller, freezer cabinets Indirect

Cold storage and food

processing

Storage cabinets Integral

Coldstores Remote

Coldstores Distributed

Coldstores Indirect

Process cooling/freezing Remote

Process cooling/freezing Distributed

Process cooling/freezing Indirect

Transport refrigeration

Road transport trucks Integral

Refrigerated railcars Integral

Reefer containers Integral

Marine refrigeration Integral


Availability of equipment

Sector Equipment type System type Available

Air conditioners,

dehumidifiers and heat

pumps

Portable units Integral

Window units Integral ( )

Through-wall units Integral

Split units Remote

Multi-split/VRV Distributed

Packaged ducted Remote

Central packaged Remote

Positive displace chillers Integral/Indirect

Centrifugal chillers Integral/Indirect

Hot water heating Integral

Central heating Integral/indirect

Transport air conditioning

Cars Remote Converted only

Buses Remote

Trains Remote

Aeroplanes Remote


Commercial refrigeration

• Williams refrigeration (www.williams-refrigeration.com)– Commercial stand-alone cabinets

– (also supplied with R134a and R404A)

• Safety aspects– Designed to EN 378

– Charge size up to 150 g of R290

• Cost of R290 systems same as HFC products

• Energy consumption– R290 gives 15% lower kWh/24h than HFC options

• R290 provides lower noise levels, operates efficiently up to +43 C ambient



• Foster Refrigerator (www.fosterrefrigerator.co.uk)– Commercial stand-alone cabinets

– (also supplied with R404A and R134a)

• Safety aspects– Designed to EN 60335-2-89



• Energy consumption– R290 gives 15% lower kWh/24h than R134a/R404A

option



• Verco (www.ver.co.uk)– Commercial display cabinets

– (also supplied with R404A)



• Cost of R290 systems similar to HFC products

• Energy consumption– R290 gives 15-20% lower power than HFC options



• Gram refrigeration (www.gram-commercial.com)– Commercial stand-alone cabinets (also supplied with R134a; R290 is

standard)

• Safety aspects– Designed to EN 60335-2-89

– Charge size up to 150 g of R290 and R600a


• R290 has lower energy consumption than HFC options



• Palfridge (www.palfridge.com)– All types of commercial stand-alone cabinets (and domestic

fridge/freezers)

• Factory based in Swaziland, southern Africa

• Completed conversion to R600a, R290 January 2010– By GTZ, funded by German finance ministry

– Complete conversion of production line

– Charge size up to 300 g of R290 and R600a

• Cost of R290 models lower than HFC (R134a, R404A) models– Better production facilities

• Energy consumption much lower than HFC options– Between 8 – 24% lower

– Partly due to refrigerant, partly due to improved design



• Waitrose supermarket (UK)– All new refrigeration installations to use HCs


– Charge size of cabinets up to 500g

– Charge size of chiller ~ 5 kg per circuit

• System based on chilled water-circuit, removing heat from water-cooled condensing units in display cases


Small commercial refrigeration

• Various multi-national end-users only utilising natural-refrigerant appliances

• Many stand-alone commercial units on HCs (R600a, R290)– Numerous manufacturers

– Range from mini glass door bottle coolers, vending machines, ice-cream freezers, catering units, to multi-deck cabinets


Air conditioning

• Benson air conditioning (www.bensonairconditioning.com.au)– Single cooling-only, reversible and heat-recovery splits

• Safety aspects– Designed to AS/NZS 1677 (similar to EN 378)


• Cost of R290 systems less than R410A

• Efficiency (cooling and heating) better than competing R410A and R22 products


Air conditioning

• De’Longhi (www.delonghi-portable-air-

conditioners.co.uk)

– Portable type air conditioners

• Safety aspects

– Designed to EN 60335-2-40


• Cost of R290 systems same as HFC

products

• Energy consumption

– R290 gives 5-10% higher efficiency than

HFC options


Air conditioning

• York/JCI (www.johnsoncontrols.dk)– Air-cooled chillers


– Charge size up to 25 kg of R290

• Cost of R290 systems marginally more than HFC products– (“green premium”)

• Energy consumption– R290 gives >15% higher COP than

R407C and R410A products

– Frequency-controlled screw compressor


Air conditioning

• Frigadon (www.frigadon.se)– Air-cooled chillers

– (also supplied with R404A)


– Charge size up to 15 kg of R1270

• Cost of R1270 systems marginally more than HFC products (~3% more)

• Energy consumption– R1270 gives higher efficiency


Air conditioning

• Earthcare (www.earthcareproducts.co.uk)– Air-cooled chillers


– Charge size up to 25 kg of R290 (per circuit)

• Cost of R290 systems marginally more than HFC products (~3% more)

• Energy consumption– R290 gives 15% higher efficiency


Final remarks

• Success of HCs in domestics can be extrapolated to other

applications/systems

– Only minor technical hurdles, knowledge transfer, training

• Safety an issue in some systems with some alternatives

– Safety standards, codes and experience used to overcome this

• More and more products becoming available with HCs

– Product cost is rarely higher than HFC products

– (often suppliers charge a “green premium”)

• Many end-users are demanding natural refrigerants

– Feedback is that there is insufficient product availability and variety

Documents

Use of hydrocarbon refrigerants in commercial …hydrocarbons21.com/files/colbourne-hydorcarbons-colombia...Hydrocarbons in RAC systems Maximum and allowable HC charges sizes Location