Guidelines for the R404A and F-Gas Regulations

The new F-gas Regulation, which came into force on 1 January 2015, specifies limits on the use of certain HFC cooler bunkers in certain systems.

The new F-Gas Regulation, which came into force on 1 January 201. and lays down restrictions on the use of certain HFC refrigerants in certain systems. The R404A VAP is 3922 and therefore falls into a group of refrigerants with a VAP of over 2500. The essential elements of the Regulation will have a major impact on the use of R404A. They are:

1) From 2018, the reduction of HFC refrigerants in the market will be crucial. This will reduce the supply of HFC from 100% in 2015 to 21% in 2030. A 37% reduction in the supply of such refrigerants to the market is due in 2018.

2) From the year 2020, the use of refrigerants with a VCA of 2500 or greater in new stationary refrigeration systems, with the exception of systems designed for refrigerated products to -50 ° C, will be prohibited.

3) From the year 2020, the use of refrigerants with a VCA of 2500 and / or higher for repair and maintenance purposes will be banned if the system contains more than 40T CO2 equivalent (eg R404 40T = 10kg). It is not applicable to military-purpose systems and systems for refrigerated products up to -50 ° C.

4) Until 2030 it is allowed to use purified, re-regenerated R404A for repair and maintenance purposes.

5) From 1 January 2015 The leak detection limits have changed: from 3kg, 30kg and 300kg to 5T, 50T and 500T CO2 equivalents. From 1 January 2015 R404A filled systems with a refrigerant content of 127kg or more are required to install stationary automatic leakage detection systems.

Future options with R404A

The beginning of the reduction of use of HFC refrigerants was from 2009 to 2012, when the base volume of HFC refrigerants supplied in tonnes of CO2 equivalents in tonnes was calculated and calculated on the basis of various refrigerant RDPs. 2016m and 2018m the quantities of products allowed on the markets decrease by 7% and 37%, respectively, calculated in 2009. In addition, for the first time since 2017, the quantity of refrigeration agent coming from refrigeration equipment from non-EU countries should be included in quotas, which may amount to about 10% of the quantity used. This part of the Regulation does not prevent any refrigeration agent, but the total quantity placed on the market during the year must remain the maximum allowed. This assigned quota allows for the supply of a limited total amount of CO2 eq. Tonnes, but it is up to you to decide which product range to choose. Primarily interpreted, this means that it is possible to supply larger quantities of coolant with lower VAP than the higher RAP-containing refrigerant R404A.

It is not known exactly how the R404A refrigerant will have a reduction in these quotas in 2016, 2017 and 2018, except that the use of high VAP refrigerant, such as R404A, will have to be reduced during this period and will not be available on the market with such feedstocks as present today .

This can be achieved by various means: better leakage prevention and detection, refusal to use R404A in new systems, replacing it with a smaller refrigerant with RPM, replacing R404A in existing systems with a smaller refrigerant containing VAP. The speed of withdrawal will be affected by those market participants who will still buy the R404A refrigerant in 2017-2018.

Should I use R404A on new devices?

Anyone currently installing the R404A cooler will have the ability to adapt the equipment to a smaller RPM refrigerant within the next five years. It is likely that this will have to be done before the automatic system wears out. It should be considered carefully whether the use of R404A in new plants is economically feasible and to consider alternatives to the use of smaller refrigerant agents containing VPAs.

What other refrigerants with a VAP greater than 2500?

These provisions relate to R404A as the most commonly used refrigerant refrigeration system, but this should apply to other refrigerants with an SOP> 2500. Such as R507, R422A, R422D, R434A and R428A.

What should be done for the end user and supplier at the moment?

The ARCIB advises to pay attention to the availability of quotas and capabilities for equipment manufacturers, refrigerant producers and suppliers for the future supply of R404A. Ask the most appropriate alternative to a planned refrigeration system with refrigerants with a lower VAP.

 

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