ACR Journal

However, because all of these lower GWP alternatives are at least mildly flammable then we are faced with restrictions on charge limits under the EN378 safety standards that limit their use to certain applications only. This issue becomes even more critical when using highly flammable, potentially explosive, refrigerant gases in AC units that are classed as “domestic” and frequently sold to end users for “DIY” installation. One of the biggest concerns from the environmental perspective has always been the GWP of the refrigerants that we use. This is understandable because our sector has a chequered history on the subject of environmental responsibility, but the biggest barrier to wider roll out of ultra-low flammable refrigerants like R290 in non-hermetically sealed systems has been the safety concerns of non-competent people handling a dangerous substance. There is good reason why we have safety standards! F-Gas Regulation Review 2020-22 The best way we can get around this difficulty is to ensure that units are only worked on by certified people, in the same way that units using f-gases are supposed to be. This is already under discussion at the European Commission and by industry stakeholder bodies in Brussels as we head towards another review of the F-Gas Regulations. Huge strides were made under the last review process with numerous loopholes removed and a general tightening of the requirements to help our sector become more environmentally responsible. Numerous product and service bans were introduced – many of which have enforced rapid change in the industry and led to a plethora of new “alternative” refrigerants being created, some containing fluorinated greenhouse gases to some extent and some with none at all. The updating of the safety standard EN378 in 2016 helped to facilitate a safe transition towards flammable refrigerants that became necessary after the f-gas review in 2014. The one guarantee that we can expect from the updated regulations from 2020 onwards will be that a greater emphasis will be placed on encouraging more low and ultra-low GWP refrigerants, which means we need to prepare now to be ready to use these alternatives safely. 06 ❘ The Refrigerant Update