Events and Exhibitions
FRIGAIR 2022 THEME IS ‘ NATURAL REFRIGERANTS ’
By Benjamin Brits
Since 1980 , FRIGAIR has been a leading influence in the HERVAC sector ’ s most relevant topics . The 2022 event will carry this forward as the world makes quick moves towards better choices in environmental impacts and the drive to mitigate climate change .
South Africa , as a signee to the Kigali Amendment to the
Montreal Protocol is legally bound to the forced phasedown of hydrofluorocarbons ( HFCs ). HFCs are commonly used alternatives to ozone depleting substances ( ODS ) used in the past . While not ozone depleting substances themselves , HFCs are greenhouse gases which can have very high global warming potentials ( GWPs ).
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons ( HCFCs ) were developed as transitional substitutes for the high ODS and GWP refrigerants and will also be subject to a phaseout schedule in the near future . The theme selection of FRIGAIR 2022 was therefore simple as natural refrigerants will be the norm of the future and are in fact already here as replacement refrigerants have to be implemented .
Natural refrigerants have zero ODS and zero to extremely low GWP figures , and therefore are aligned to mitigate the challenges of environmental effects in the HVAC & R sectors . Natural refrigerants include hydrocarbons ( HCs ), hydrofluoroolefins ( HFOs ), ammonia ( NH₃ / R717 ), carbon dioxide ( CO₂ / R744 ) and water – which is not very well developed as a refrigerant at this point in time .
These natural refrigerants are seen as the most sustainable replacements for existing options as they are able to reach the temperature requirements of the end user , they meet legislative and legal aspects , they meet environmental requirements and are also reasonably priced . These refrigerant solutions are also highly efficient in operation – so essentially tick all the boxes .
Globally , trends have been moving towards natural refrigerants for quite some time with CO₂ systems gaining a lot of traction and being known currently as a specialised field for engineers and technicians alike and are therefore still relatively ‘ unfamiliar ’ on a larger scale in South Africa . Their deployment
Table 1 : Non-Article 5 parties Article 5 parties – Group 1 ( South Africa ) Article 5 parties – Group 2
Department of Forestry Fisheries and the Environment
Baseline
Average HFC for 2011 – 2013 + 15 % of HCFC baseline *
Baseline
Average HFC for 2020 – 2022 + 65 % of HCFC baseline
Baseline
Average HFC for 2024 – 2026 + 65 % of HCFC baseline
Freeze – Freeze January 1 , 2024 Freeze January 1 , 2028 10 *% reduction January 1 , 2019 10 % reduction January 1 , 2029 10 % reduction January 1 , 2032 40 *% reduction January 1 , 2024 30 % reduction January 1 , 2035 20 % reduction January 1 , 2037 70 % reduction January 1 , 2029 50 % reduction January 1 , 2040 30 % reduction January 1 , 2042 80 % reduction January 1 , 2034 85 % reduction January 1 , 2036
80 % reduction January 1 , 2045 85 % reduction January 1 , 2047
HFC phase-down schedules for developed and developing countries . ( For developing countries such as South Africa the schedule to follow is highlighted ).
www . hvacronline . co . za RACA Journal I February 2022 19