Refrigerants and the Ozone Layer

PIOVAN S.p.A. Cooling Centre

1 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 UV radiation absorption

10

extraterrestre
Irradiazione monocromatica

Al suolo, cielo sereno.

Angolo solare zenitale 60°
Albedo del suolo 0.15.
[W/(m^2nm)

assorbimento da
parte dell'ozono.

UV C
UV B UV A

10e-6

280 300 315 330 345 360 375 390

Lunghezza d'onda [nm]

2 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 Traditional Refrigerants

CFC chlorofluorocarbons: R12, R113, R502

HCFC hydrochlorofluorocarbons: R22

3 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 Effect of Chlorine on Ozone

UV RADIATION
CHClF2 CHLORINE
MONOXIDE
SERIES OF
REACTIONS

CHLORINE FREE
RADICAL

Cl OZONE
CHF2
MOLECULAR
OXYGEN

4 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 RESTRICTIONS ON PRODUCTION LEVELS OF HCFCs

100%

50%
Year

25%

5%

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Level of HCFC production compared to reference year (1995)

5 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 Legal aspects

- Law 179 - 16/6/97

[ fase out HCFC 31/12/2008 ]
[Reg. CEE 3093/94 ]

- EC regulation CEE 3093 (current)

[ fase out 1/1/2000 for cool storage ]
[fase out 1/1/2000 for systems over Pa>150kW]
[fase out 31/12/2014 other uses ]

- EC regulation CEE 3093 (propose amendment)

[fase out 1/1/2001 except heat pumps ]
[fase out 1/1/2004 in all new systems ]
[fase out 1/1/2008 other uses (service...) ]

6 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 REFRIGERANT EVALUATION INDEX

ODP: Ozone Depletion Potential -

DIRECT
GWP: Greenhouse Warming Potential INDICES
-

INDEX OF
TEWI= Total Equivalent Warming DIRECT +
Impact INDIRECT
EFFECTS

7 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 TEWI

TEWI considers the direct effect of the refrigerant and

the indirect effect of the production and consumption of energy.
TEWI = X * GWPX,N + αCO2 *L * E
X= fluid mass emitted in the atmosphere
GWPX,N greenhouse effect potential of the fluid for CO2
α CO2 mass of CO2 emitted per unit of energy produced
L life of the system
E energy consumed per unit of time

EUROPE 0.51 ITALY

0.60
USA 0.67 FRANCE
0.12
CANADA 0.26 SWITZERLAND 0.14

AUSTRALIA 1.04 GERMANY0.66

JAPAN 0.58 UK
0.84
8 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 ALTERNATIVE REFRIGERANTS

HFC HYDROFLUOROCARBONS :
R134a similar characteristics to R12;
R407C a mix of R32-R125-R134a (23-25-52%);
R410A more than 50% higher operating pressure
than R22.

HYDROCARBONS:
Butane (R600)
Isobutane (R600a)
Propane (R290)

NATURAL GAS
Ammonia (R717)

9 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 ALTERNATIVE REFRIGERANTS

Refrigerant Group ODP (1) GWP (2) Toxic Inflammability Efficiency

R12 CFC 1 9.300 no no
R22 HCFC 0.055 1.700 no no =
R134a HFC 0 1.300 no no < R22
R407C HFC 0 1.610 no no < R22
R410A HFC 0 1.890 no no > R22
R290 (Propane) hydrocarbon 0 3 no high < R22
R717 (Ammonia) natural 0 negligible yes moderate > R22

(1) ODP = Ozone depletion potential

(2) GWP = Global warming potential over 100 years (CO2 = 1)

10 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 R407C

fluid composed of R32-R125 and R134a

does not require fundamental unit re-design
requires polyester oil (not compatible with mineral oils)
problems if the refrigerant circuit leaks
GLIDE during evaporation and condensation phases (6-7°C)
lower capacity than R22 (around -3%)
lower COP than R22 (around -7%)

11 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 R-22 R-32/125/134a
R22 - R407C

resa COP perdite di carico ev. perdite di carico cond. T. fine compr. Cil. compressore
Prova nominale a freddo

12 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 R134a

ideal alternative to R12;

lower density than R22 leading to:
compressor with higher volumetric flow (+50%)
larger refrigerant piping (higher pressure drop)
high critical temperature (good for applications with high
condensation temperatures)
does not require fundamental unit re-design
requires polyester oil (not compatible with mineral oils)
reduced system efficiency compared to R22

13 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 R410A

Fluid composed of R32 and R125 (50%/50%)

more than 50% higher operating pressure than R22
requires re-design of unit (special components)
certification problems (pressurised containers)
different exchanger sizes
higher efficiency in the heat exchanger
high system efficiency compared t R22
requires polyester oil (not compatible with mineral oils)
very low GLIDE (0,1 °C).

14 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 Summary of performance
differences

Fluids Difference in capacity (*) Change in COP

[%] [%]
R407C/R22 -3.2 (experimental) -7 % (experimental)
R410A/R22 (**) +5 % (theoretical)

15 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 TEWI for water / air chiller

Refrigerant TEWI Percentage of direct potential

R22 (experimental) 94450 10.0
R407C (experimental) 95600 11.7
R410A (theoretical) 81700 10.3

Calculation of TEWI considering 10 years of operation, total loss of refrigerant charge and 3000
function hours /year:

16 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 Refrigerant Advantages Disadvantages
R407C Good thermodynamic properties; widely Low critical temperature and low COP;
available. significant glide; pressure drop problems.

R134a Pure fluid; good thermodynamic Low operating pressure; larger volumes
properties; low compressor output of refrigerant moved; increased cost of
temperature; excellent in applications a/c unit.
with high condensation temperatures
R410A Excellent physical properties; high COP. High operating pressure - components
need to be re-designed.

17 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 UNIT DEVELOPMENTS

Starting point = energy efficiency [TEWI]

Electrical lamination devices

low condensation temperature, low operational superheating

Use of small Scroll compressors in parallel

part-load efficiency, modularity

Rotating compressors
Scroll, screw

18 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 UNIT DEVELOPMENTS

Starting point = energy efficiency [TEWI]

Optimised condensers using sub-cooling

15% increase in COP - new fluids with high liquid Cs

Inverters in medium/large units

19 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 1 2 3

CONDENSER
Condenser Sub-cooling
OUT
refrigerant
IN

Outside air

Refrigerant fluids with

high liquid specific heat 1 2 3
Thermal
flow

CONDENSED VAPOUR
GAS Liquid

AIR

20 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 Change in refrigerant cycle COP as a function of the proportion of the
surface dedicated to sub-cooling of the liquid (Variable cooling capacity)

Tcond ∆h evap ∆ cond

X [%] COP
[°C] [kJ/kg] [kJ/kg]
100 44,0 150,31 43,91 3,42
95 44,75 156,03 44,50 3,50
90 45,57 160,54 45,17 3,55
85 46,46 163,7 45,91 3,56
80 47,5 165,55 46,73 3,54
75 48,6 166,98 47,67 3,50
70 49,9 167,71 48,73 3,44

R22 refrigerant

21 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)
 Change in refrigerant cycle COP as a function of the proportion of the
surface dedicated to sub-cooling of the liquid (Constant cooling capacity)

Tcond ∆h evap ∆ cond

X [%] COP
[°C] [kJ/kg] [kJ/kg]
100 44,0 150,31 43,91 3,42
95 44,23 156,72 44,07 3,55
90 44,6 162,72 44,41 3,66
85 45,3 164,68 44,93 3,67
80 46,0 166,54 45,56 3,65

R22 refrigerant

22 Pre_K meeting La refrigerazione industriale nella trasformazione delle materie plastiche (Modification reserved)