Refrigerant

Our areas of application are diverse and cover the IT industry, telecommunications industry, manufacturing industry, hotels & commercial buildings, shopping centers as well as clinics & practice rooms.

We support consultants, architects and plant manufacturers and implement state-of-the-art air conditioning technology in order to operate more cost-effectively and at the same time more sustainably. The reduction of CO2 emissions as well as sustainable and future-oriented products are an important part of our work and products.

 

The top refrigerant manufacturers forecast a future scenario characterised by refrigerants with a lower environmental impact, particularly of type A2L (mildly flammable), unlike those currently used, classified as A1 (non-flammable).

 

Refrigerant Classification
ISO 817 standard classifies refrigerants based on their degree of toxicity and flammability:

• A1 = Low toxicity + No flammability
• A2L = Low toxicity + Low flammability

The european F-Gas regulations mainly focus on the refrigerants used until now (HFCs) due to their high GWP1 value. In this respect, the regulations will impose, star ting from 2020, a ban on the use of refrigerants with a GWP value of over 2500 in maintenance operations; additionally, a progressive phasing down of the quantities of greenhouse gases that may be marketed is also envisaged. This reduction is calculated on the basis of the equivalent quantities of GWP: compared to the total equivalent marketed in 2015, a gradual phase-down will be applied to reach -79% in2030, with impacts in terms of product costs as well as commercial availability.

The refrigerants shown in the tables are possible replacements for the fluids currently used, however, those with a value of GWP>500 are medium-term choices only, because the ratio of the available amounts to the amount of refrigerant currently used would result in an average GWP value equal to 500 by 2030. With this in mind, R454B is an excellent substitute for high pressure (R410A) products while for low pressure (R134a) products the best options pure refrigerant R1234ze (HFO). Both alternatives are A2L class refrigerants.

 

WHAT IS A A2L-READY CHILLER?
The unit, pre-filled with an A1 safety class refrigerant, is already pre-configured and equipped to allow, if the customer requires it, quick refrigerant replacement at a later stage. Purchasing an A2L Ready version unit rather than an R454B factory-filled version is particularly advantageous for customers who, for various reasons, need to urgently replace their units or install new ones: an A2L Ready unit can be installed without having to apply for plant viability or CPI certificates, as it is supplied with a class A1 refrigerant. Another strong point of the A2L Ready range by HiRef consists in offering customers better guarantees in terms of return on their investment: the A2L Ready units are future-oriented.

 

At 0.04%, carbon dioxide is a natural component of our atmosphere and thus of our air. However, the natural gas can also be used in refrigeration technology as a natural refrigerant and thus brings a number of advantages. CO₂ or R744 is extensively available in nature and is not associated with any resource restrictions. In addition, it is a non-toxic and, above all, non-flammable inert gas. This contributes to cost reduction and safe installation of the systems. This refrigerant can be widely used in the field of commercial refrigeration; among other things, it offers good thermodynamic performance due to its inherently favourable chemical and physical properties

 

The refrigerant R744 is environmentally friendly, because it has a GWP (Global Warming Potential) value equal to 1. It has all the characteristics to become the refrigerant of the future, because it is not bound by the new rules that seek to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

 

 

• High cooling capacity
• Very high planning security of environmental policy developments -> natural occurrence
• Low refrigerant prices, high and long-term availability
• Environmentally friendly -> non-ozone-depleting
• No disposal and recovery costs
• Safety: CO₂ does not burn and is non-toxic

The range of water condensed chillers XTW uses the new HFO refrigerant with low GWP (GWPR1234ze=6) with a view to Green Technology.

 

Our chillers with centrifugal oil-free compressors have high levels of safety and reliability even with the use of mildly flammable refrigerants (A2L). The electrical panel is monitored by an R1234ze refrigerant sensor, it can be channeled through appropriate flanges and ventilated in overpressure with uncontaminated air. The on-board software is designed to carry out adequate checks before the compressor is switched on, so as to guarantee the absence of refrigerant particles near electrical components.

 

 

For further information, please refer to our white paper refrigerant A2L