ACR Journal

15 The RAC Engineer’s Guide to Low GWP Refrigerants For many years the refrigeration industry has played a key role in supporting food processing, storage and distribution. This has led to greater efficiencies in food production with refrigeration components and products becoming an essential part of the cold chain. Sustainable Cooling An overview from refrigeration component manufacturer Tecumseh on the switch to mildly-flammable refrigerants. Air conditioning has also improved the comfort, health and safety of people around the world in domestic and commercial environments. Refrigerants have been at the heart of this, ensuring that the end user has the most effective and efficient refrigerant to use for each individual system. Refrigerants have evolved as the world we live in has changed. Working together, government and industry have reacted professionally and responsibly to the challenges we face globally. CFC refrigerants were banned after their role in damaging the ozone layer was recognised. Climate change is having a huge effect on how we live and work. Global warming is forcing us to reduce the amount of virgin HFC refrigerants that we manufacture and use. In Europe, we have responded to this through the F-Gas Regulation which aims to curb our use of high GWP refrigerants. Tecumseh manufactures and supplies hermetically-sealed compressors for commercial refrigeration, residential and speciality air conditioning. Tecumseh also supplies indoor and outdoor condensing units, coolers, heat pumps, complete refrigeration systems and authorised spare parts and accessories. At Tecumseh we have met the climate change challenge fully by reviewing how we operate across the European Union market. Tecumseh’s commitment: We are fully committed to reducing carbon dioxide emissions and using low-GWP refrigerants by seeking innovative solutions through research and development. We are aiming for a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution and do not wish to contribute to the proliferation of refrigerants. In addition to our F-Gas commitment, all Tecumseh added-value products meet eco- design efficiency requirements and will be optimised for use with low-GWP refrigerants. We recognise that given the diversity of markets and applications, different options are needed to make it possible to evaluate the best appropriate alternatives.