Did you know that a leak of just 2.5kg of refrigerant R404a has the same CO2 impact as driving a service van once around the world!

Or a leak of just 1kg is the same as running a domestic fridge for 44years.

These types of figures put into perspective, the need to stop refrigerant leaks to atmospehere. But that is not the only effect leaks have on the environment. Refrigerant leaks to atmosphere have a ‘Direct Global Warming Potential’ and depending on which refrigerant is used, will have a value compared against CO2. But there is also an ‘Indirect Global Warming Potential’ and this is when systems are inefficient. An example would be a system with a small refrigeration leak. There is the effect of refrigerant being released directly into the atmosphere but also the system will need to run for a longer period of time to achieve the same product temperature. This inefficiency puts more load on the local power stations, which produce more emmissions as the demand for electricity increases.

What are the costs of a refrigeration leak?

Cost to replace refrigerant

Cost of labour to repair system

Increased electricity usage due to in-efficiency

Cost to recover and detroy old refrigerant if a zeotropic blend

Possible cost of replacement components ie compressor failure

Loss of productivity

CO2 impact on the environment

As you can see, even the smallest leaks can have a major financial and environmental impact. So it’s really important that our systems are running efficiently, are being maintained by competant staff and that refrigerant leaks are monitored throughout the course of the year.

Why do you need an F Gas Inspection?

There is a legal requirement under the F Gas regulations for all Air Conditioning equipment with over 3Kg of Refrigerant to have a yearly inspection.

What’s included?

Review of past Service & Maintenance visits

Ensure you meet current regulations  – AC Inspections, F Gas Log, Frequency of leak checks

Calculate total refrigerant usage per system and provide cost implications to your business

Calculate cooling loads to determine if equipment is sized correctly

Offer advice on ways to improve energy efficiency and system performance

Highlight the cost benefits of making improvements – both on the environment and financial savings for your business.

Provide a written report which highlights all of our findings, how to meet the current legislation, recommendations on ways to save energy and provide your F Gas Log book which identifies all of your RAC equipment – including make, model, refrigerant charge, etc

What is F Gas?

“F Gases” are chemicals that contain “Fluorine” within their chemical composition. The Fluorine within the gas acts as a powerful green house agent and as such can prove harmful to the environment. Air Conditioning is one example of equipment that contains such gases. In the case of air conditioning and refrigeration, these gasses are labeled “R” i.e; R22, R134a and R410a, to name just a few.

All air-conditioning systems with more than 3Kg of refrigerant gas  must be regularly inspected by a Certified F-Gas Compliant Engineer.

Identification and Hazards

Fluorinated greenhouse gases are among the Kyoto Protocol groups of gases for which the EU has committed itself to reduce emissions. EC Regulation 842/2006 on certain fluorinated greenhouse gases (the F gas Regulation) is the legal instrument by which emissions reductions are to be delivered. The Regulation requires leakage checks to be carried out, repairs to be completed, gases to be recovered so that they do not escape to the atmosphere, certified personnel and companies to be used, labels to be used on some equipment, information to be reported to the Commission, and bans some F gas products.

Article 3 of the F gas Regulation introduces a requirement for operators to use all available measures which are technically feasible and that do not entail disproportionate cost in order to prevent leakage of F gases and to repair any detected leakage (as soon as possible) from the following list of stationary applications: refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump equipment, including their circuits, and fire protection systems.

For the purposes of this requirement “checked for leakage” means that the equipment or system is examined primarily for leakage using direct or indirect measuring methods, focusing on those parts of the equipment most likely to leak.

Timetable for F Gas Inspection

The Regulation also provides a timetable for the checking of leakage of these stationary (fixed) applications. The operators of these applications have to ensure that they are checked for leakage in line with the timetable set out in the Regulation (see below). The checking for leakage timetable is graduated in line with the amount of F gas contained in the application as detailed below.

Schedule for Inspection

• at least once every twelve months for applications containing 3kg or more of F gases
• at least once every six months for applications containing 30kg or more of F gases
• at least once every 3 months for applications containing 300kg or more of F gases

Note: These applications must also be checked for leakage within one month after a leak has been repaired to ensure that the repair has been effective.

As F Gas products are harmful to the environment strict controls are required to ensure that fluorinated greenhouse gases do not leak from equipment into the atmosphere. Such equipment should be regularly checked for leaks and records maintained. Suitably qualified personnel install, service & repair the equipment in use. An example of the certificate is shown below. Authorised companies have certification for maintaining F Gas equipment in accordance with F gas regulations.

Penalties & Fines

Refrigeration and air-conditioning users are affected by the EC Ozone Regulation which is phasing out certain ozone depleting substances known as (ODS). If you are in doubt about any of the above points regarding F Gas or ODS Regulations Tel: 01274 426728 or contact us via the email form on the Contact Us page.

RHES promotional video.

One of the main refrigerants used in air conditioning and refrigeration systems, R22, is being phased out under European-wide regulations. We can advise on the options to safeguard your business.

R22 is a common refrigerant and continues to be used in up to 100,000 air conditioning systems across the UK. These are installed in shops, offices, restaurants, public buildings and leisure centres.

However, R22 is being phased-out under EU ozone protection legislation. The regulation EC: No 2037/2000 on (ODS) Ozone Depleting Substances came into effect on 1st October, 2000.

As a result of the legislation:

• Use of R22 in new plant has already been banned.
• The next stage is a ban on the use of “virgin” or new R22 for topping up existing air conditioning systems. This comes into effect from the end of 2009.
• After this date, only recycled R22 may be used to top up plant.
• After the end of 2014, top-up with any R22 will become illegal.

It is worth noting that there are reports that the European Commission may bring this final date forward by up to three years.

A recent survey of 350 companies, carried out by the Carbon Trust, showed that 70 per cent have at least one air conditioning or refrigeration system using R22. It concludes: “In most cases, these plants are of strategic importance, as they provide crucial cooling.”

Building owners and operators with air conditioning running on R22 need to act now to secure the continuity of their operations.

What to do

Companies who have air conditioning and refrigeration equipment that depends on R22 have three main options:

Replace with new
This is the most radical option, as it entails replacing what might be a perfectly good plant – possibly with several more years working life left – with a new system. However, bear in mind that the cost of recycled R22 is likely to rise dramatically and there is unlikely to be sufficient supplies to go round.

Retrofitting
This entails removing the R22 from plant, and replacing it with an alternative refrigerant not subject to legislative controls. There are a number of alternative refrigerant blends on the market, designed to mirror the characteristics of R22. However, they can be very expensive.

Managed approach
Existing plant is retained and kept running on recycled R22 – if sufficient supplies can be obtained. The law allows this until the beginning of 2015, although, as mentioned, this date may be brought forward by up to there years.

The right option for any given situation depends on a number of factors. These include:

• The remaining life expectancy of existing R22 plant;
• Possible efficiency gains (or losses) as a result of replacing or retrofitting;
• The comparative cost of retrofitting;
• The availability and cost of recycled R22 for top-up, under a managed approach.