DAIKIN

Alternatives for HCFCs

in single split type
(room)
air conditioners

Joint Network Meeting for Europe and Central Asia (ECA) and
South Asia (SA) Networks of Ozone officers
Istanbul, 26-30 April 2010

Prepared by DAIKIN Industries Ltd.

Presented by Daikin Europe N.V

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Scope
- Single split air conditioners
(stationary types, room air conditioners)
- many also with heating function (reversible)
- Turkish market appr. 500,000 pcs/year
- mainly residential & light commercial use

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Montreal Protocol

HCFC Accelerated Phase Out MOP 19 September 2007 Montral

Consumption

Phase Out Schedule Developed (A2) Countries

(some countries, incl EU are more strict)

100%
80%

EU

Consumption cap reduced

from 35% to 25% in 2010

65%

60%
40%

25%

20%

10%

0.5%

0%
1996

2004

2010

2015

2020

2030

100%

90%

80%
60%
40%
20%

65%

Freeze

Consumption

Phase Out Schedule Developing (A5) Countries

Current: Consumption cap steadily
reduced starting in 2015
Previous: Consumption capped at
2015 levels until 2040

32.5%

2.5%

0%
2013 2015

2020

2025

2030

2040

Note: green shows new schedule

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Abstract
To phase-out HCFCs, alternatives to HCFCs should be chosen carefully
through overall evaluations:
1) Energy efficiency 2) Total emission 3)Safety 4) Economic aspects.
There are several candidates.
1. HFO1234yf : Low GWP and not efficient
2. HFC32 : Intermediate (Medium) GWP and efficient
3. Propane(R290) : Natural and efficient but highly flammable
4. CO2(R744) : Natural but poor in efficiency
5. HFC410A : High GWP but applications are widely commercialized
This presentation shows the results of overall evaluations for
alternatives to HCFCs for single split air-conditioning applications.
From the comprehensive points of view, we recommend R32 as the
best alternative to new single split air-conditioners for the time
being.

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Contents

1. Properties of Alternative Refrigerants

2. Evaluation of alternatives
1) Energy-efficiencies
2) Total emissions
3) Safety measures
4) Costs
5) Summary
3. Conclusion

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1. Properties of Alternative Refrigerants

Following table shows properties of alternative refrigerants to HCFC22.

Red areas show unsuitable properties as an alternative refrigerant.
Refrigerant physical properties
Cond. Capacity COP
ODP
Press.
MPa R22 ratioR22 ratio

HFC

Life
Year

Flamm- Toxicity
ability

Single

1.73

100

100

0.05

1810

11.9

No

Low

HFC407C

Zeotrope

1.86

102

99

1770

No

Low

HFC410A

Azeotrope

2.72

141

92

2090

No

Low

R32

Single

2.80

160

97

675

Low

Low

HFO1234yf

Single

1.16

57

90

7day

Low

Low

HCFC22

HFO mixture
Natural

GWP
(IPCC4)

Under
? investigation
?

Propane (R290)

Single

1.53

83

98

High

Low

CO2(R744 )

Single

10.00

243

41

120

No

Low

Ammonia (R717)

Single

1.78

116

106

Low

Candidates for preventing

global warming

In case of
Residential A/C
Commercial A/C

Note: Ammonia is not considered as a candidate refrigerant for small air-conditioners due to its high toxicity

High

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2.1 Energy-efficiencies
Annual efficiency (APF) comparison

(R410A ratio) Case of 4kW Room A/C by JRAIA

Peak power comparison

(R410 ratio) under cooling condition
Outside 35C, room 27CDB/19.5 CWB

HFO1234yf (1.2 kg)

R32 (1.2kg)

R290 (0.49kg)

R744 (1.05Kg)

R410A (1.4kg)

Efficiency ratio

0.5

Consideration:
As for annual efficiency of APF, CO2 is the
worst, HFO needs further optimization, and
the rest of the candidates are equivalent to
R410A.

50

Power ratio

100

150

200

Consideration:
A big difference exists in the peak power
under cooling condition. HFO and CO2 will
cause the peak power problem in large cities.

Calculation conditions: HFO1234yf A/C is modified to improve efficiency, such as an increase in the pipe size of heat
exchanger.

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2.2 Total Emissions

LCCP comparison (4kW Room A/C)

Total emissions = Indirect emissions+Direct emissions+Emissions during producing refrigerant

JRAIA; in China 09.4.4

Indirect impact
Direct impact

HFO1234yf (1.2kg)5
R32 (1.2kg)

R290 (0.49kg)

Precondition:
refrigerant recovery rate is 30%
which is current rate in Japan.

LCCP (Life Cycle Climate

Performance) means the sum of
2
R744 (1.05Kg)
"the warming impact during
refrigerant production (which is
1
R410A (1.4kg)
negligible compared to HCFC22) ,
the warming impact according to
(Refrigerant charge)
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000 energy consumption during
KgCO2
operation in life cycle and
"the warming impact by emission
of refrigerant.
Consideration:
LCCP of R32 and propane are less in terms of total emissions.
The charge volume of R32 can be reduced by 40% compared to
R410A.
HFO1234yf needs to be improved in efficiency to be practical.

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2.3 Safety measures to use flammable refrigerants

(1) Current status of Safety standards to use flammable refrigerants

[International] ISO5149 and ISO817 are being drafted, IEC 60335-2-24, 40 and 89 are published
[European]

EN378 is published

[U.S.]

ASHRAEstd. 34 is published, and ASHRAEstd. 15 is now under a discussion.

[Japan]

High Pressure Gas Safety Law

(2) Charge limits for DX-AC set by IEC Standard, without ventilation
fan.
In the case of 10m2 room

Charge amount(kg)

10

Propane <0.24kg
HFO1234< 3.02kg
R32 <3.24kg

8
6

Wall mounted
R32
Wall mounted

R744

HFO1234

4
R32 Floor setting

R290 Wall mounted

20
Room
area(m2)
()

40

Flammable refrigerants are limited in charge

amount of DX-AC in IEC standard.
Maximum charge amount depends on
LFL and installation height.
In the case of wall mounted type, the charge
amounts stipulated in the std can be feasible
for small and medium sized ACs except
when using R290.
When charge volume exceeds the limits,

60 leak detector and mechanical ventilation

become mandatory.

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2.3 Safety measures to use flammable refrigerants

1
0

(3) Consideration on the use of 2L refrigerants classified by ASHRAE34

Class 1
(non-flammable)

Class 2L
(Low flammable limit with low
burning velocity)

Class2
(Low flammable limit
with high burning
velocity)

Class3
(High flammable and
higher heat of
combustion)

CO2(R744 )
R410A
R22

HFO 1234
R32
Ammonia (Toxic)

R152a

Propane (R290)

1. Class 2L is similar to ammonia which caused no flammable accidents.

Consideration is on going to clarify the safety requirements to use 2L refrigerants
2. Refrigerators, Commercial refrigeration and MAC(wrong use) which employed R290
caused fire accidents in the fields.

<Fire accident examples>

Beer cooler incident in Australia
10/19/95, CA: charging while engine
was still hot
8/18/96, MS: low pressure hose from
evaporator blew off
9/27/96, AR: torch used on truck AC
unit after venting refrigerant

Refrigerators Explosion
in UK and South Korea

Source: US-EPA in Bogota 2008

Source Telegraph.co.uk

Propane explosion in a New

Zealand supermarket.

Source: EFCTC newsletter

Fire accident in case of HC use for cooking & heaters : ave.68/yr, death: ave.1.3/yr (01-06) ,:Source METI Japan

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2.4 Costs

1
1

(1) Factors of Cost Fluctuation

Component which
increases cost

The example of Room A/C

Propane (R290)

R32

HFO1234yf

CO2(R744)

Cheap

Cheap

Expensive

Cheap

Modification required
Same as R22

Near as R410
Same as R410

Larger comp.
Larger pipe etc.

Two-stage comp.
High-pressure etc.

Cost for safety

Charge reduction
Joint
Electronic parts
Leak detector
Ventilation

Important (ex.230g)
Special joint
Sealing etc.
Necessary
Necessary

Necessary
Special joint
Sealing etc.
Unnecessary
Unnecessary

Necessary
Special joint
Sealing etc.
Unnecessary
Unnecessary

Necessary
Unnecessary
Unnecessary
Unnecessary
Unnecessary

Cost for handling

Manufacture
Supply chain
Installation
Service
Disposal

Special facility
Qualification
Qualified person
Qualified person
Qualification

Modified facility
Modification
Modification
Modification
Modification

Modified facility
Modification
Modification
Modification
Modification

Modified facility
Qualification
Qualified person
Qualified person
Modification

Refrigerant price
Cost for performance
Compressor,
EX, etc.

Consideration:
Propane requires additional cost
when taking safety measures in
application and handling.

Required in
Japan

Consideration:
CO2 requires significant cost
for performance improvement.

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2.5 Summary
Alternative
s

Refrigerant
GWP

Energy efficiency
Annual
efficienc
y

Peak
power

Total
emissio
n
(LCCP)

Safet
y

Economy

Issues

Application
cost

Infrastruc
-ture cost

Not
commercialized

675

Lower
flammable

Propane

Higher
flammable

CO2

Low
efficiency

209 warming
x
O
O refrigerants
x
O
The
impact of
0
120

High GWP

HFO1234
yf
HFC32

HFC410A

R410-ratio.

100
80
60

Assumption:
When R32 is used, the charge
volume is reduced by 25%.

40
20
0

Note:
= Suitable
= Poor
= Not Suitable

R22

R410A HFO1234 R32

Propane CO2

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3. Conclusion

13

1. To evaluate not only GWP but also the total emissions.

In case of R32, higher efficiency and less refrigerant charge will lead to lower
emissions. Additional leakage prevention measures will contribute to
emission reduction further.

2. Higher flammable refrigerants have bigger risks, esp due to handling

under poor quality control, or by wrong use.
When charge volume is small, we recommend to use class A2L refrigerants,
by taking measures in accordance with IEC60335-2-40.
When charge volume is large, we recommend to use class A1 refrigerants
for the moment.

3. Use of efficient refrigerants brings economical benefits.

Higher peak power will cause problems for energy supply.
CO2 application requires significant cost for performance improvement, and it
can be used for limited applications.

4. HFC32 is the most practical solution for the time being.

HFO mixture could be a candidate; however, it needs further improvement to
become practical.

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14

Thank you.
Hilde Dhont : dhont.h@daikineurope.com
Martin Dieryckx : dieryckx.m@daikineurope.com