SW MARCH 2021 PRINT JOOMAG | Page 51

PRE-TREATMENT , SURFACE PREPARATION , DEGREASING & CLEANING
What are the alternatives to F-gases ?
The effects of F-gas Regulation and the restrictions it places on production are being felt across the market , as quotas for manufacturers are dropping and costs are increasing as a result .
One of the reasons the EU has placed restrictions on F-gas in particular is because so many environmentally friendly alternatives are available , so it is important to explore these options .
For solvents , a new generation of cleaning solutions are just as effective as those containing F-gases . In most cases , they also make cleaning processes more efficient and more cost-effective , as well as minimising environmental impact . Solvents such as the Opteon™ range from Chemours™ were specifically developed to be safe for users and for the environment .
New generation of cleaning solutions have significantly lower CO2 emissions than those containing F-gas .
Opteon™ SF80 ®, which is the newest product in the range and has an ultralow GWP of less than 2.5 , is a non-flammable , fast drying cleaning solvent that works well as a replacement for hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons as well as high GWP HFE ’ s currently noted in annex 2 of F-gas regulations . It is well-suited for vapour degreasing , precision cleaning and the removal of greases and oils ; and to clean a variety of soils from mechanical components , electronics , optics , and military hardware . These solvents are also increasingly replacing commonly used heat transfer fluids .
With quantities of F-gases decreasing , and costs escalating , businesses currently using F-gases in their equipment , and in particular those using solvents containing F-gases for industrial applications , should look to the future and to the alternatives . These regulations are not going away , and when there are choices available that deliver equal results , are more cost-effective , and reduce environmental impact , the time to embrace the change is now .
Telephone : 01506 443 058 Visit : www . frasertech . co . uk
F-gas use is scheduled to be reduced by 80 % over the 15 years to 2030 .
twitter : @ surfaceworldmag MARCH 2021
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