November/December 2019

50 n CONTROLGEAR AND ENCLOSURES November/December 2019 www.drivesncontrols.com Do your cooling systems comply with the new gas regs? F rom 1 January 2020, bans will be imposed on the use of certain refrigerants, and new regulations and rules introduced that cover the operation, servicing and labelling of cooling and air-conditioning systems including those used, for example, to control the climate in control cabinets. Cutting back on emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases (F gases) is a topical issue that affects users and operators of refrigeration systems. These gases are used as refrigerants in cooling and climate control systems. In the future, emissions of these substances will have to be reduced through targeted substitution, or by using alternative technologies, to limit their impact. EU Regulation No. 517/2014 – known as the “F gases regulation” – which has been in force since 1 January 2015, aims to help cut industrial emissions in the EU by up to 70% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Specifically, emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases will need to be reduced by 70 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2 e) to 35 million tonnes of CO 2 e in 2030. From 1 January 2020, this will mean that the use of refrigerants with a GWP (global warming potential) of more than 2,500 will be banned, and new and amended regulations will be introduced covering the maintenance, servicing, leakage checking, certification, disposal and labelling of refrigeration equipment. The EU regulations are intended to limit gradually the quantities of F gases being used and released to protect the environment. Industry, plant operators and end-users will have to switch over to refrigerants with lower GWP values. Just how future-proof their existing cooling systems are will depend on, among other things, the refrigerants they are using. With the inception of F gases regulation, operators of refrigeration equipment with a defined amount of refrigerant will have to carry out regular leakage tests. Some countries are offering users of the banned refrigerants help in the change to acceptable alternatives. In Germany, for example, operators of industrial cooling equipment can take advantage of subsidies from the Federal Ministry for the Environment (as part of its National Climate Initiative) to help them replace existing enclosure cooling systems or chillers that use using unacceptable refrigerants. The equipment and its use are surveyed and checked on a case-by-case basis to assess their eligibility for the subsidies, which are also available from the German Federal Office of Economics and Export Control. Another, more widely available, form of assistance comes from the enclosure-maker Rittal, which has developed an online tool, called the F-gas calculator, that determines the extent to which existing systems are affected by the F gases regulation. The tool calculates the GWP value and the corresponding carbon dioxide equivalent, based on the type and amount of refrigerant being used. The carbon dioxide equivalent determines the action the operator will need to take to comply with the regulations. To use the tool, you simply enter the cooling system parameters (as shown on its rating plate), as well as the type of refrigerant and the filling quantity per circuit. The software then calculates the CO 2 equivalent of the system. The admissibility of refrigerant replenishment in the event of a leak, as well as advice on operating the current system are also provided. You can access the tool at www.rittal.com/de_de/f-gase/ rechner.php?lang=en Rittal’s enclosure cooling systems and chillers are not affected by the new bans because they operate with hermetically sealed refrigeration cycles and run on approved refrigerants. The company is offering advice for all users of cooling system – including non-customers – on determining the condition of a system, and calculating its efficiency and the potential savings of changing to alternatives. It can also advise users on how to commission a new system and to dispose of old equipment. As an additional service, Rittal has produced a White Paper that provides detailed information on the F gases regulation. This free document can be downloaded from https://bit.ly/2KwklLH n New regulations come into force in January banning the use of certain refrigerants in enclosure cooling systems and elsewhere. The regulations will also cover the maintenance, certification, disposal and labelling of refrigeration equipment, as well as checking for leaks, as this article from Rittal explains. The new F gas regulations require regular inspections of enclosure cooling systems, as well as checks for refrigerant leaks Software can be used to check the efficiency of enclosure cooling systems