Responsible Use of Refrigerants in HVAC

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PLEASE MUTE CELL PHONES
Responsible Use of Refrigerants in HVAC
Julian de Bullet ASHRAE
Distinguished Lecturer Director of Industry
Relations McQuay International 703-395-5054 julian
.debullet_at_mcquay.com
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Its About the World..
Globally the Issues are the Same.
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History of Refrigerants

• 1830s - Jacob Perkins - Vapor Compression (ether)
• 1851 - John Gorie - Patent for Vapor Compression
  Cycle
• 1859 R-717 / R-718 (Ammonia / Water)
• 1866 CO2 - Naval Applications
• 1873 - R-717 (Ammonia) Commercial Refrigeration -
  Karl Linde
• 1875 - R-764 (Sulfur dioxide)
• 1920s -R-600a (Isobutane) R-290 (Propane)
• 1922 - Willis Carrier - R-1130 (Dielene)
• 1926 - R-30 (Methylene Chloride)

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Fluorocarbons

• CFCs, HCFCs and HFCs
• Limited Combinations
• Adding Chlorine Or Bromine Increases ODP
• Adding Fluorine Increases GWP
• Adding Hydrogen Increases Flammability And Lowers
  Atmospheric Lifetime

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Ozone Depletion was Detected in the 70s..
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Refrigerants Circa 1987

• Common HVAC Refrigerants Include CFC-11, CFC-12
  (ODP1.0), HCFC-22 (ODP0.05)
• Chiller Efficiency 0.70-0.80 kW/ton
• Low Pressure Chillers Lose 25 Of Charge Annually

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Montreal Protocol Corrective Measures

• HFC-134a (ODP0) Replaces CFC-12 for Chillers and
  HCFC-22 for most Commercial HVAC Systems
• HCFC-123 (ODP0.02) Replaces CFC-11
• These Chillers Tightened Up (High Efficiency
  Purge, Portable Refrigerant Vessels, Blankets
  etc.)

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20 years later.Ozone Depletion Continues..
2005 Hole was one of largest and deepest
ever.
Latest NASA predictions delays recovery
until 2068..nearly 20 years later than
previously believed..
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(No Transcript)
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Montreal Protocol Changes Made on Friday
September 21st, 2007
Phase Out Schedule Developed Countries
100
Consumption cap reduced from 35 to 25 in 2010
80
65
60
Consumption
40
25
2015 Service Tail Review
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10
0.5
0
2015
1996
2004
2010
2020
2030
Phase Out Schedule Developing Countries
100
90
Current
Consumption cap steadily reduced starting in 2015

Freeze
80
65
Previous
Consumption capped at 2015 levels until 2040
60
Consumption
40
32.5
20
2.5
0
2013
2020
2025
2030
2040
2015
Note acceleration shown in light blue
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AVAILABILITY OF REFRIGERANT(Dupont ICI
Projections)
Tons (000)
300 250 200 150 100 50 0
HFC134a HFC410A
HCFC22
HCFC123
1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030
Year
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And Dont Forget HCFC-22

• HCFC-22 phase-out in 2010 for new equipment and
  2020 for service tail production
• Consider alternatives for HCFCs now
• Recommended actions
• Select high efficiency units that use zero ozone
  depleting refrigerants like HFC-410A, HFC-134a
  and HFC-407C

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HCFC-22 Issues- Clarification
Allow the sale of window air conditioners,
packaged terminal air conditioners, and some
commercial refrigeration units after Jan. 1,
2010, if they were manufactured before Jan. 1,
2010. Stockpiling of this equipment is allowed
under the rule. Allow the sale of pre-charged
appliance components and parts manufactured (in
the traditional sense), such as condensing units,
line sets, and expansion valves, used for
servicing as long as they were manufactured
before Jan. 1, 2010. Stockpiling of this
equipment is allowed under the rule. Ban the
sale and installation on or after Jan. 1, 2010,
of pre-charged R-22 air conditioners (such as
split systems) and refrigeration appliances that
require field charging. Contractors are advised
not to stockpile this equipment. Permit
servicing and repair work that requires the
refrigeration loop to be opened and closed. There
was a question as to whether this activity would
be banned because it could be interpreted as
manufacturing after the Jan. 1, 2010 deadline.

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ASHRAE Standard 34
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ASHRAE 34 SAFETY GROUPS
B3
A3 Propane Butane
High Flammability LowFlammability No
FlamePropagation
A2 R-142b, 152a
B2 Ammonia
A1 R-11, 12, 22, 114, 500, 134a
B1 R-123, SO
2
Lower Toxicity
Higher Toxicity
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Refrigerants Compressors
Application Considerations
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REFRIGERANT TRANSITION
SO2 -NH3
CFCs
HCFCs
HFCs
1930s-1990s
1950s-2010s
1990s
1920s

• high chlorine
• strong ozone depletion
• strong global warming
• 1974 Molina-Rowland theory
• 1987 Montreal protocol
• 1990 CAA amendments
• 1996 total phaseout of CFCs

no chlorine zero ozone depletion lower global
warming
toxic flammable

• lower chlorine
• lower ozone depletion
• lower global warming
• 2010 - phaseout of
• HCFC-22 for new
• equipment
• 2020 - total phaseout
• of HCFC-22 and New
• HCFC -123 chillers.

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ASHRAE Standard 15
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ASHRAE Standard 15

• What is ASHRAE 15?
• An industry standard that specifies safe design,
  construction, installation, and operation of
  refrigerating systems
• Establishes safeguards for life, limb, health,
  and property, and prescribes safety standards

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Mechanical Room Safety Check
Location of inlet vents in relation to exhaust
outlets ?
Location of roof drains ?
Rupture disc outlet locations ?
Is there a tight seal on doors ?
Purge vents to outside ?
Are safety rupture lines the right size ?
Is access to mechanical room restricted ?
Are drain valves connected to evacuation devices ?
Are there any pit areas in the room ?
Where do the floor drains empty to ?
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Mechanical Room Per ASHRAE 15
Relief discharge shall be located not less than
20 from ventilation opening and not less than
15 above ground level (9.7.8)
All indoor machinery rooms must be vented to
the outdoors utilizing mechanical
ventilation 98.13.3 4
Purge systems and relief devices must be vented
to outside (8.16)
Access to mechanical room shall be
restricted. Tight fitting doors opening outward
(self closing if the open into the
building) adequate in number to ensure freedom
of escape. No other openings that would permit
passage of escaping refrigerant (8.13)
Refrigerant sensors are located in areas
where refrigerant vapor from a leak will be
concentrated so as to provide warning at
concentration not exceeding the refrigerant
TLV-TWA
The total amount of refrigerant stored in
a machinery room in all containers not
provided with relief valves piped in accordance
with standard shall not exceed 330 lb.. (11.5)
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What About GWP and Leakage Rates?
For chillers, (Indirect) global warming gas
emissions (CO2) at the power plant account for
more than 96 of the Total Equivalent Warming
Impact
Energy Efficiency
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (AFEAS/DOE) Energy
and Global Warming Impacts of HFC Refrigerants
and Emerging Technologies Nov 1997
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Number of Leaks Detected per Unit
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Climate Change HFC Refrigerants

• 1 kg R-12 10,600 kg CO2
• 1 kg R-134a 1,430 kg CO2
• 1 kg R-410A 2,088 kg CO2
• 1 kg R-404A 3,922 kg CO2

• GWPHow much a given mass of GHG contributes to
  global warming
• HFC emissions covered under the Kyoto Protocol
  Represent less than 2 of all GHG emissions

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Climate Initiatives

• Waxman/Markey House Bill- Energy Efficiency
• The goal would be for the model building energy
  codes to be updated every three years to reduce
  building energy consumption by 30 such target to
  be increased to 50 incremental reductions in
  building energy consumption for new code editions
  released after January 1, 2016, with the ultimate
  goal being net-zero-energy buildings.
• The starting baselines would be the 2004 IECC and
  ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2004.

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Climate Initiatives

• Waxman/ Markey Bill- Climate
• The Draft provides for an HFC regulatory program
  under the Title VI of the Clean Air Act, and as
  expected, provides for (1) a cap and reduction
  schedule, (2) allocations to HFC Producers, Users
  and Importers (both bulk and products-containing)
  and several other provisions
• The Draft proves for an initial cap in 2012 that
  is based on the average of 2004-2006 production
  (and 100 of HFC and HCFC production).  The
  number is then to be reduced by 6 in the first
  year, and then 3 each year until 2028.  EPA is
  given authority to set this baseline within the
  bounds of 380 and 280 MMTCO2e

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Total Equivalent Warming Impact (TEWI)

• TEWI - Tool to estimate global warming impact of
  various technologies
• TEWI estimates CO2 emissions of a given system
  over its lifetime
• Direct equivalent CO2 emissions caused by direct
  leakage or loss of refrigerant
• Indirect CO2 emissions due to energy consumption
  by the system

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TEWI Major Findings

• New products have half the carbon footprint than
  products manufactured 35 years ago
• Energy efficiency is key to reducing greenhouse
  gas emissions from HVACR equipment

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Ohnishi Basis for ICCP/TEAP report
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ARI Standard 550/590
Chiller Certification and IPLV
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The Industry ARI Standard
Part Load Analysis (IPLV)

• Load
  Hrs
• 100
  1
• 75
  42
• 50
  45
• 25
  12
• Systems Solution

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Historic Energy Improvements
http//www.unep.org/ozone/Teap-Reports/teap_chille
r_report_May2004.pdf
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Full Load Vs. Annual Load
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ASHRAE Standard 147

• Reducing the Release of Halogenated Refrigerants
  from HVAC R Systems
• Replaces Guideline 3
• Includes HFC Refrigerants
• New Initiatives
• ARI- Responsible Use Guideline for Minimizing
  Fluorocarbon Emissions in Manufacturing
  Facilities

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Other Refrigerants

• R-718 Water
• R-717 Ammonia
• R-744 CO2
• R-290,600,600a (Propane, Butane, Isobutane)
• R-407c
• R-410a

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Natural Refrigerants - Water R-718

• Refrigerant In Absorption Chillers
• Safe, Abundant, Environmentally Friendly
• COP 1 (Centrifugal COP 6.4)
• Current Energy Rates Offer Poor Life Cycle
  Analysis In America
• Common In Japan

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Natural Refrigerants - Ammonia R-717

• Higher Toxicity And Lower Flammability (B2)
• Environmentally Friendly
• Efficient
• Special Safety Efforts Required (Std 15)
• Guarded Plants

European Built Ammonia A/C Chiller
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IIAR 2
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Refrigerants

• CO2
• R-245fa
• Hydrocarbons
• Water

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Flammable Refrigerants

• Propane And Butane
• Major Safety Concerns
• 35 Domestic Market In N. Europe
• 8 Domestic World Market
• Not Popular In North America

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Compression

• Best Performance And Lowest Cost Always Starts
  With Compression
• Refrigerant Choice Drives Compressor Design
• Examples
• Magnetic Bearing
• High Speed Synchronous DC Motors
• DC Rotary And Scroll Compressors (Japanese
  Technology)
• Inverter Technology

Synchronous brushless DC motor
Magnetic Brgs
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AHRI CFC Chiller Task Force

• Most recent estimate 27,000 CFC chillers still
  in N.A.
• Summit of AHRI and Efficiency Advocates- ACEEE,
  ASE, Utilities etc
• Plan to use Stimulus moneys to replace CFC
  chillers
• Three targets
• Federal Buildings
• State and Local Government Buildings
• Commercial Buildings
• Plan
• Gain consensus
• Develop communication piece
• e.g. CFC chillers at 0.9 kw/ton vs 0.56 kw/ton
  or 90.1- 2010 standards
• Write legislative language to finance using
  Stimulus funds

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Considerations when Replacing or Retrofitting

• Difficulties in Servicing and Maintaining
  Existing HCFC Equipment.
• Declining Availability of HCFC Refrigerants.
• Adequate Life-Cycle Timeframes for New Equipment
  using HCFCs.
• Determining the Remaining Life-Cycle of Existing
  Equipment.
• Understanding Alternative Equipment, Refrigerant
  Options and Compatibility of Both Refrigerants
  and Equipment.
• Containment is Key

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Steps we can take today

• To have sustainable HVAC solutions
• Need to focus on overall global impact
• No one solution works for everyone
• A focus on components alone
• Limited by efficiency of individual components
• Need to look at the performance of the system
• A focus on refrigerants alone
• May increase energy consumed (indirect effect)
• HFCs are a good solution today
• Focus on overall impact of building
• Reduce leaks in system
• Increase energy efficiency through performance
  standards

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Innovative Technology Award
Innovative Design Award
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Its about the NEXT GENERATION.
THANK YOU