Understanding A2L Refrigerants for Air Conditioners
ACHR News - "Understanding A2L Refrigerants for Air Conditioners"
Daikin published a sponsored article on
the ACHR News to educate readers
(contractors) by addressing their
concerns about A2L refrigerants.
Air Conditioning | Heating | Refrigeration
the NEWS
THE HVACR CONTRACTOR'S NEWSMAGAZINE SINCE 1926
AUGUST 12, 2019 | $10.00 | ONLINE AT WWW.ACHRNEWS.COM
in
A2L Refrigerants for Air
Conditioners
A brip PUBLICATION
Contents
1. Background
2. Drivers of Change
3. Finding the Right Alternative
Refrigerants
4. Adoption of A2L Refrigerants
5. Mitigating Risks
6. Research
7. Safety Standards
8. Situational Awareness
9. Conclusion
R
efrigerants used in air conditioners are changing....
again. The last round of changes took place between
the mid-1990s through 2010, as CPC and HCFC
refrigerants were phased out and largely replaced by
HPCs. This transition was a global effort under an international
treaty known as the Montreal Protocol (MP) that addressed the
destructive effects these compounds had on the cozone layer. This
latest change is also in response to an environmental crisis, but the
transition is well under way. As of today, more than 68 million
air conditioners globally are already using new refrigerants with a
safety group classification of A2L..
BACKGROUND
Why change again so soon? Through science and research,
stakeholders now recognize the full environmental impact of
operating air conditioners, both directly due to refrigerant released
to the atmosphere, and indirectly due to the carbon emissions from
the generation of electrical power. The previous round of refrigerant
changes intended to reduce the impact of refrigerants on the ozone
layer. Periodic atmospheric measurements have confirmed the
steady decrease of ozone depleting substances after implementing
those refrigerant changes. The Montreal Protocol is considered one
of the most successful international environmental treaties, and the
benefits are being seen today as continued atmospheric monitoring
confirm a steady increase in the ozone layer. The current round of
changes aims to reduce the greenhouse effect of refrigerants, as those
atmospheric measurements have also confirmed the steady increase
of greenhouse gases over the last several decades, some of which are
synthesized substances with no naturally occurring sources.
This article will focus on the class of refrigerants that will
replace R-410A, by far the most commonly used refrigerant in new
air conditioners and heat pumps installed today. R-410A was the
primary replacement for R-22 during the last transition. While
not cozone depleting, R-410A has a higher GWP than R-22, so
its environmental impact rules it out as a long-term refrigerant
solution. Similar concerns apply to other refrigerants currently
in use for a wide range of applications involving cooling or
refrigeration and using many different types of equipment, which
are beyond the scope of this article.
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DRIVERS OF CHANGE
The MP has been revised nine times since it was agreed
upon in 1987, the most recent of which is known as the
Kigali Amendment. The Kigali Agreement was created in
October 2016, became effective globally on Jan. 1, 2019, and
has been ratified by 72 countries as of this June. Initially, the
MP would reduce usage of ozone depleting substances by
half, but it later placed bans on substances with significant
ozone depletion potential (ODP). It resulted in the complete
phaseout of various substances and refrigerants (CFCs and
HCFCs). The Kigali Amendment added restrictions to the MP
on substances with global warming potential (GWP) that trap
heat in the upper atmosphere, with reduction targets established
based on carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (00,-el.
This will result in a phasedown of refrigerants with higher-
GWP and a transition to lower-GWP refrigerants, with several
reduction steps globally from 2019 to 2047. The end goal is to
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