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Whether for industrial processes or for the comfort of building occupants, refrigerants are an integral part of daily operations in industrial and commercial facilities.
Thanks to their physical properties, which allow for a compression/expansion cycle (most often combined with a phase change), heat transfer is made possible using specialized equipment.
A variety of refrigerants
These fluids can be categorized into different families, each with distinct characteristics:
- Inorganic compounds, including ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2), and others;
- Hydrocarbons, such as propane, cyclopropane, and others;
- Halogenated hydrocarbons, including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and perfluorocarbons (PFCs);
- Hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs);
- Other fluids
Each fluid, its own set of challenges
The diversity of refrigerants means dealing with a wide range of distinct molecules. These can pose specific risks to human health, fire hazards, and environmental concerns.
Used in industrial refrigeration systems due to its high efficiency, ammonia (NH3) can cause pulmonary and ocular irritation in cases of acute exposure. Furthermore, this molecule is a flammable gas and therefore requires specific preventive measures.
Halogenated hydrocarbons, while generally posing little danger to human health and being non-flammable (in most cases), still have significant environmental drawbacks.
For instance, some of these fluids (such as CFCs) contribute to the destruction of the ozone layer, while others (such as HCFCs and certain HFCs and PFCs, depending on their Global Warming Potential or GWP) contribute to the greenhouse effect and global warming. HFCs and PFCs are specifically classified as greenhouse gases under the decree of January 25, 2016, regarding the greenhouse gases covered by the greenhouse gas emission reports.
European targets
Given the growing environmental impact of these refrigerants (particularly halogenated hydrocarbons) and in order to meet its targets (reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% compared to 1990 levels), Europe is continuously adapting the legislative framework governing these fluids.
Following the signing of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, the EU implemented European Regulation No. 842/2006 on greenhouse gases in 2006, known as the "F-Gas" regulation. This regulation was the primary driver behind the ban on CFCs and subsequently HCFCs.
This was later replaced by European Regulation No. 517/2014 also known as the "F-Gas II" regulation. Applicable since January 1, 2015, this regulation accelerates the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by setting deadlines through 2030 for the use of certain HFCs (with a GWP greater than 2500).
Any operator of equipment containing these types of refrigerants must stay informed about which fluids are prohibited over time, both for new equipment and for the maintenance of existing systems.
Fourth-generation refrigerants: a miracle solution?
This regulation has, by necessity, enabled the emergence of alternative fluids that are less harmful to the environment.
This is the case for HFOs, which have been in use since the 2010s. These fluids have a very short atmospheric lifetime, preventing them from having a harmful effect on the environment. However, many of these fluids are considered highly flammable and are classified as "A2L" fluids. Due to their properties, the use of these refrigerants is subject to specific requirements when used in public buildings.
What should be done with used refrigerants?
Waste from certain refrigerants (HCFCs, HFCs, PFCs) recovered from equipment is classified as hazardous waste.
Since 2011, halogenated refrigerants are no longer exempt from the requirement to issue a hazardous waste tracking slip (BSD). To reinforce and simplify this process, a CERFA form is available to refrigeration contractors performing fluid drainage. This form serves as both a service report and a hazardous waste tracking slip.