Smart Thinking

Topic Author
F-Gas Regulations – What you Need to Rob Lamb
Know Group Sales and Marketing Director

The effects of the F-Gas programme. need to be aware that these gases are at
risk in the near future.
Regulations on refrigeration gas
production, equipment, service The new F-Gas regulations set out the phase down
timeframe for HFCs and impose greater requirements
and maintenance for leak testing.

Refrigerant Gas costs set to increase by 20% – Effects of In addition to production phase downs, product and
the F-Gas Regulations on refrigeration gas production, service bans will come into effect over the next seven
equipment, service and maintenance. years. These include a complete ban from 2020 on
the use of virgin R404A and R507 gases for stationery
New European Union (EU) regulations will dramatically refrigeration systems with a charge greater than 10kg.
affect the cost and availability of synthetic refrigerants
with high global warming potential. As Europe begins its The F-Gas regulation affects your business
scheduled phase down of selected HFC gases, there is
a need for food manufacturers, temperature controlled Do you know the level of risk of the gases you are
storage and distribution firms and other process using? High risk refrigerants over the next five years
industries to take a long term, strategic view of their will become harder to source, and more expensive as
refrigeration systems in order to mitigate significant they will be in high demand.
future financial costs.
Users of refrigeration systems that operate on HFCs
Phase Down need to be aware that these gases are at risk in the
near future. The message from Europe is clear: HFC
As the phase down of HFC gases with high global refrigerants are not a viable long term solution and
warming potential takes place over the next 15 years, refrigeration plant operators should look to invest in
there will be a rapid increase in cost and a marked futureproof cooling systems to avoid escalating costs
decline in their availability. and ensure uninterrupted business operation.

Refrigerant manufacturers have been allocated quotas Record Keeping

for the HFC gases they can produce and supply within
Europe. These quotas are measured in terms of carbon The new F-Gas regulation demands all companies
equivalent rather than kg, with the target to cut the keep comprehensive records of all gases and
current levels down to 63% by 2018, 45% by 2021 and refrigerants used and details of any leakages. You
21% by 2030. must record:

Over the past fifteen years, the refrigeration industry

• Quantity and type of gas installed
has seen the gradual phase out of synthetic, ozone-
depleting refrigerants. From January 2015 the last • Quantity of gas added*
of these HCFC gases, including R22, were banned in
Europe. • Whether gas is recycled/reclaimed

HFC refrigerants have been widely used as replacement • Quantity of gas recovered
gases for CFCs and HCFCs, but are now the focus of the
EU’s F-Gas Regulations. Gases such as R404A and R507 • Identity of who carried out the work
have been found to have a high global warming effect
and are currently the subject of a 15-year phase out • Dates and results of leakage tests
• Measures taken to recover and dispose of
refrigerant at end of life

• Copies kept for 5 years by operators and

contractors

The expected phase-down timeframe for HFCs.

Installation, maintenance, service and leakage

The regulation also strengthens the requirement for the

use of certified personnel. It is complsory for contractors
to train staff working on refrigeration systems and
carrying out one or more of the following tasks:

• Installation/service/maintenance
• Repair
• Decommissioning
• Leak checking
• Recovery

More information on F-Gas training and certification at

http://www.i-know.com/f-gas-certification-and-training- There will also be a ban on the servicing of equipment
city-and-guilds-2079.aspx with a charge of more than 40 tonnes CO2-eq from
2020: this affects refrigerants with a GWP ≥ 2,500.
Equipment and Service Bans Between 2020 and 2030 it will be possible to use
reclaimed or recycled refrigerant with a GWP ≥ 2,500.
The phase down of certain refrigeration gases
is accompanied by bans on non-sustainable equipment. Whilst refrigerant suppliers are busy developing
The table below shows which products and refrigerants new blended synthetic gases with lower global
warming potential, there are long-established, natural
are affected:
alternatives, including CO2 and ammonia. Both
refrigerants can achieve great efficiencies and are safe
to use when managed by trained personnel. In
addition, the use of advanced technologies such as low tested for retrofit to existing system. These have
charge ammonia systems further reduces refrigerant GWPs that aren’t subject to the 2020 service ban
related concerns, with charges reducing up to 90% (for and therefore provide some degree of certainty in
an example of how this is achieved see the Brakes case the future. Depending on the style of system and the
study). current/retrofit gases, there may be cost implications
as well as changes in efficiency and capacity. As
with Option 1, attempts should be made to reduce
refrigerant charge, particularly as the new refrigerant
is likely to be many times more expensive per kg.
When considering this option, a detailed plant survey
should be carried out to determine the suitability of
available gases and what measures need to be taken
with the existing equipment.

Option 3 – Secondary Fluid Conversion

One option often overlooked is the possible

conversion of the existing, direct refrigeration system
Don’t take risks! to cool a secondary fluid that can then be circulated
out to the point of cooling. The secondary fluid
could be water or glycol, but consideration should
also be given to the use of a volatile fluid such as
CO2. In most cases, the existing pipework and heat
exchangers at the point of cooling will need to be
replaced, resulting in a significant cost but without the
need to replace the compressor(s) and condenser(s).
The resulting system will have 80% to 80% less
primary refrigerant and could mean that a service ban
is avoided from 2020. The lower primary refrigerant
suction temperature and need to pump a secondary
fluid will typically increase power consumption and
reduce capacity. As with Option 2, a detailed survey is
recommended to review the suitability of the system
Plan for the future to conversion and what works will be necessary.

Businesses need to start preparing for the future Option 4 – Replacement Equipment
now – remember implementing change as soon as
possible is likely to save you money in the future. There This final option is recommended where the existing
are a number of options available for users of HFC plant isn’t in a suitable condition for Options 1 to
refrigeration systems: keep what you have got, gas 3. In this case, transition refrigerants such as R407F
retrofit, secondary conversion or a replacement plant are available, but consideration should also be given
using synthetic or natural refrigerants. Each has its to natural refrigerants such as ammonia and carbon
benefits but also its challenges: dioxide. Ammonia has zero GWP and CO2 a GWP of
one, meaning that they aren’t affected by the F-Gas
Option 1 – Keep what you’ve got and see what regulation. This means that both can offer a long term
happens in the future solution and are available over a range of applications
and capacities.
This is by far the lowest cost option but also the riskiest.
Even if existing equipment is retained, steps should Replacement equipment options by refrigerant
be taken to address ‘leaky’ components. Thought
should also be given to whether low cost options When it comes to replacement equipment options,
are available to reduce refrigerant charge without synthetic refrigerants perform well but can slightly
affecting performance. Checks should be made to increase running costs. https://www.youtube.com/
ensure the necessary leak detection measures are in watch?v=yax4lD_xnWE
place. At some point in the future, a drop in alternative
refrigerant may be available for the equipment, but this F-Gas Training & F-Gas Certification
is not guaranteed. This gas change may require costly
modifications which result in loss of capacity and/or This video shows a refrigeration, air conditioning
efficiency. and heat pump engineer going through the tasks
involved in the actual City & Guilds 2079 F-Gas
Option 2 – Gas Retrofit Certification assessment in preparation for the
exam. The tasks carried out involve brazing a piece,
For relatively recent plant installations, a gas retrofit charging refrigerant into the system, identifying the
provides a medium term solution and avoids investment refrigerant, pressure test, leak test and evacuation of
in an entirely new system. Alternative HFC and HFC/ the system. This practical session was carried out at
HFO refrigerant blends are available or being field Star Refrigeration’s Glasgow branch.
Following EU legislation, it is a legal requirement for initial capital cost of a plant that operates on a
engineers handling, recovering, supplying, installing, natural refrigerant may be higher, but the lifecycle
manufacturing, maintaining, servicing or having cost of running the system is key. Those who
ownership of refrigeration, air conditioning and heat continue to operate cooling systems with HFCs are
pump equipment containing HFC refrigerants to be facing the risk of escalating running costs in the
F-Gas certified. short to medium term.

Synthetic Refrigerants For more information and support in selecting the

way forward for your refrigeration system, contact
• R134a lowest GWP for chill Rob Lamb at [email protected].
• R407A/F lower GWP options for freezers
• Possible use of R32 at low temperature This article has been certified for Continuing
• Slightly higher capital cost vs R404A/R507 Professional Development (CPD) by CIBSE
• Look at small, low charge systems and The CPD Certification Service. To get your
• Consider EC fans, EEVs and inverter motors CPD Certificate please email your request to
[email protected]
Natural gases such as ammonia have been
successfully used as refrigerants for over 100 years.
Ammonia has no global warming effect and offers
high efficiency, long term availability and low cost
per Kg. The use of carbon dioxide as a refrigerant
is also growing in popularity due to its relatively low
global warming potential. Here’s what you need to
know:

Natural refrigerants – Ammonia

• Suited for systems > 100kW

• Chill, freezer and two stage options
• Secondary chillers
• Established technology
• Higher efficiency than HFCs
• Zero GWP
• Higher capital cost
• Flammable and toxic
•
Natural refrigerants – CO2

• Suited for systems < 200kW

• Chill, freezer and two stage options
• Similar performance to HFCs
• Higher operating pressure
• Higher capital cost
• GWP = 1
• High grade heat recovery available

Natural refrigerants are a long term solution for

companies affected by the F-Gas regulations. The

Star Refrigeration The Star Refrigeration Group

Thornliebank Industrial Estate, Nitshill
Rd, Thornliebank,
Glasgow G46 8JW

Tel: 0141 638 7916 [email protected]

@StarRefrig
www.star-ref.co.uk