Johnson Controls (JCI) HVACR Trends - GineersNow Engineering Magazine Key Trends Making Our Cities Greener & Smarter | Page 67

Technologies Ltd., an international sales and
technical support provider for YELLOW JACKET
based in Europe, the discussion about using
alternative refrigerants that have lower Global
Warming Potential (GWP), is much further ahead in
Europe than it is in United States. GWP alternatives
may come to the United States in the future, most
likely through regulation led by a state such as
California, which has taken the lead in enacting
ground-breaking environmental regulation ahead of
other states and the federal government.
As of today, there is no worldwide standard for an
alternative refrigerant to replace HFC refrigerants.
Potential alternatives that are being used
throughout Europe include a combination between
“natural” fluids such as butane, propane, ammonia
and CO2, and low GWP synthetic fluids.
From an environmental standpoint, these
alternatives are considered to be more
environmentally friendly than HFCs and available at
a relatively reasonable cost for manufacturers.
However, from a service perspective, some of
these GWP alternatives pose a new risk as they are
slightly flammable or highly flammable. HVAC/R
technicians will need to take extra care (and
potentially more time) to safely service units filled
with fluids.
In addition to these alternatives, Stewart says
that chemical manufacturers on both sides of the
Atlantic will be developing other synthetic fluid
alternatives (particularly in the U.S.) as HFCs are
phased out over the next ten years.
“The race is on to develop new alternatives,”
says Stewart. “The HFC phase out applies not
just to residential and commercial AC units and
refrigeration units, but also to the automotive
market as well. For the automotive market,
we’ve heard about one auto manufacturer that
is experimenting with converting CO2 into a
refrigerant.”
As HFCs are replaced by alternative fluids,
HVAC/R technicians will need to take appropriate
precautions during their servicing procedures.
Stewart offers these recommendations:
• Ensure the recovery unit is approved by the
manufacturer for use with A2L refrigerants.
• When charging or recovering from an AC
or refrigeration unit with A2L refrigerants, use
equipment with a power cord that is at least 10
feet (3 metres) long to avoid a spark.
• Make sure the recovery unit has an ambient
pressure switch. This will switch the unit off at
ambient pressure and will prevent contamination
of the refrigerant tank in case of a leak in the
system. Potentially creating a combustible
mixture of refrigerant, air and compressor oil.
• Use an approved recovery tank. The European
recovery tanks are identified with a red strip
and left handed threaded valve.
To help HVAC/R technicians prepare for the
growing use of these new refrigerants, Ritchie
Engineering has developed the YELLOW JACKET®
RecoverXLT™ recovery machine.
The RecoverXLT2-AP is specifically designed for
the new lower GWP refrigerants including R-32,
R-1234yf and R-1234ze as well as the most
common CFC, HFC and HFO refrigerants, including
R-22, R-404A, R-407, R-410A, R-448A and
R-449A.
The YELLOW JACKET RecoverXLT2-AP Refrigerant
Recovery Machine features a twin cylinder ½-hp
oil less compressor and a gravity drain condenser.
The unique “ambient pressure switch” and three
metre power cord comply with current safety
requirements in both European Union, the United
Kingdom, Canada and Australia/New Zealand.
In addition, YELLOW JACKET recently introduced
the ManTooth Pressure-Temperature-Vacuum
Pressure (PTV) Gauge system. Wireless gauges
help technicians work smarter and faster. The new
YELLOW JACKET ManTooth PTV is part of a full
line of wireless, smartphone-controlled gauges that
offers quick and accurate temperature readings
when maintaining and repairing cooling and
refrigeration systems. The ManTooth PTV gauge (in
single and dual units) works in conjunction with the
ManTooth 2.0 app, which calculates and displays
a system’s actual readings in an easy-to-read
format for iPhones, iPads, and Android devices.
The ManTooth 2.0 app allows HVAC/R technicians
to easily select from among all known GWP
alternative refrigerants during a service call.
“This is a dynamic issue within the HVAC/R
industry,” says Stewart. “It is continuing to change
and evolve and we at YELLOW JACKET are
committed to provide HVAC/R contractors and
technicians the latest information to help them
understand what’s happening, and the impact of
those changes on their business, and in conducting
service calls.”
HVACR Leaders • May 2017
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