ACR Journal

April | May 2020 TEMPORARY COOLING 30 Matt Watson, Temperature Control Specialist at Aggreko, explains how temporary chiller or cooling systems can help companies smoothly manage the transition into F-Gas ban compliance. Assisting the F-Gas transition with long-term hire solutions Volume 6 No.3 With the introduction of the F-Gas ban on January 1, companies are under increasing pressure to implement more environmentally friendly practices as far as refrigerants are concerned. However, certain solutions enacted in light of this ban, such as continuing to run equipment on recycled refrigerant, can place organisations at significant financial risk. A requirement of EU Regulation 517/2014 that will continue to be in e†ect after the UK leaves the European bloc, the F-Gas ban came into force at the beginning of 2020. Under the regulations, any hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) with a global warming potential (GWP) of over 2500 are now banned. While F-gases count for just 2% of the EU’s overall greenhouse gas emissions, the fact they have risen by 60% since 1990 marks them out as a cause for concern, especially considering all other emission contributors have been reduced. Consequently, the ban forms part of a larger UK and EU-wide initiative to reduce HFC usage by 79% by 2030 due to this outsized contribution to climate change. Specifically, it applies to all refrigeration systems containing hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) equivalent to over 40 tonnes of carbon dioxide. This equates to around 10kg of R404A, a common refrigerant in medium sized systems. As a result of the F-Gas ban, businesses that refill industrial and commercial refrigeration or freezer units of this size with virgin HFC refrigerants are required to take steps to phase out the use of these materials. Breaching the ban is classed as breaking the law and can put companies at risk of a fine of up to £200,000 under 2018’s Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Enforcement Regulation in Great Britain. Consequently, the ban represents a source of major upheaval for most commercial and industrial organisations using cooling, chilling and freezing equipment. Specifically, those using commonly used refrigerants such as HFC R404A or R507 will need to enact wide- ranging operational changes and find new solutions in order to keep in line with new regulations. This can include making adjustments to system components such as compressors and condensing units, which, depending on the unit in question, may see their duty cycle a†ected by the use of non-R404A or R507 refrigerants, or need a liquid injection fitted for lower temperature applications. Furthermore, plant owners and operators might need to invest in new electronic expansion valves designated for use with F-Gas ban-compliant refrigerants, and could also have to carry out a number of software updates to ensure their unit adheres to regulations. Coming up against capex constraints Although though these necessary changes will solve issues around obeying the F-Gas ban, the cost associated with their adoption and investing in new refrigerants with a lower GWP value can provide prohibitive. This means options around adjusting existing plant, never mind investing in new, compliant units, may not always a viable option for certain site owners and operators. Indeed, while certain organisations may have the financial capital to implement these changes, other companies may find their options limited by capex constraints. As a result, many of these businesses find themselves in an unenviable situation – needing to obey this new law, but unable to provide the funding required to do this. So, while enacting change through a permanent solution remains Aggreko says there can be many benefits from hiring equipment