Dr Daniel Colbourned.colbourne@re-phridge.co.uk

36th Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol – Side Event

UNEP OZONACTION: SAFE USE OF ALTERNATIVES TO HCFCs

A brief overview of safety issues to beconsidered when alternative

refrigerants are adopted

Types of refrigerants

CFC HCFC PFC HFE AmmoniaCarbon dioxideHydrocarbonEthers

un-saturated

HFC

saturated HFC

un-saturated

HC

saturated HC

Fluorinated Non-fluorinated

R11R12R13

R113R114R115

R22R123R124

R142b

R318R218

R1234yfR1234zeR1243zf

R161R32

R125R134aR143aR152a

RE245cb R717R744R1270R1150

R170R290R600

R600aR601

R601a

Refrigerants

RE170

“natural” synthetic

HFC

un-saturated

HCFC

saturated HCFC

R1233zdR1233xf

Selection of suitable alternatives

Hazards of all refrigerants

Release of refrigerant

Pressure rise

Presence of dangerous

concentration

Chronic physical impact

Acute physiological

impact

Physical damage to structure

Injury to persons

Rapid boiling of liquid

Ignition of flammable

mixture

Freeze burn

Asphyxiation

Secondary fireThermal radiation

Rapid de-compression

The new importance of safety…

HCFC-22

HCFC-123

R-717

R-744

HFC-32

HC-290

HC-1270

L-40

R-444A

R-444BHFC-1234yf

DR-7

DR-5R-446A R-447A

Higher toxicity

Higher pressure

R-410A

Flammable

Refrigerant safety classification

Lower (chronic) toxicity

Higher (chronic) toxicity

A1 B1

A2 B2

A3 B3

No flame propagation

Flammable

Higher flammability M

ore

oner

ous

requ

irem

ents

More onerous requirements

A2L B2LLower flammability

Number for state State Letter(s) for hazard Hazard Examples

2Liquefied gas (under

pressure)

A Non-flammable HCFC-22, R-744F Flammable HC-290, HFC-32

TC Toxic and corrosive R-717

UN system

Refrigeration industry system (Ashrea, ISO)

Accounting for the lifetime of equipmentPR

ODUC

TION

END-

OF-LI

FEOP

ERAT

ION

design

manufacture

storage and distribution

installation

in-use

decommissioning

product development

commissioning

service

disposal

technical managersdevelopment engineers

design engineers

production managerassembly line technicians

service, maintenance, other field technicians

service, maintenance, other field technicians

installation technicians

logistics department

commissioning engineer

EQUIPMENT STAGES RELEVANT PERSONNEL EXAMPLE ACTIVITIES

§ equipment design and development

§ conformity to regulations and standards

§ risk analysis concepts§ product safety testing

§ production and manufacture§ sample testing

§ storage of products and parts§ transportation

§ installation of equipment§ refrigerant handling

§ checking installation§ functional testing

§ service and maintenance practices

§ refrigerant handling§ retrofitting and workshop

conversions

§ decommissioning and disposal

§ refrigerant handling

maintenance

General approach for confirming safety

Establish conditions

Conformity to safety standards

Specific risk assessment

Particularly applicable to

mass-produced products

Direct use of risk assessment if standards are inadequate

Relevant safety standards for subsectors

SectorIEC

60335-2-24

IEC 60335-2-

40

IEC 60335-2-

89ISO 5149

ISO 13043

EN 378

Domestic refrigeration ×

Commercial refrigeration × × ×

Industrial systems × ×

Transport refrigeration × ×

Air-to-air air conditioners × × ×

Water heating heat pumps × × ×

Chillers × × ×

Vehicle air conditioning ×

Obligations for new refrigerants

Greater flammability Greater toxicity Greater pressure Stricter limits on the

quantity of refrigerant in occupied spaces

Use of gas detection, alarms and emergency ventilation

Prohibition of items that could act as sources of ignition

Warnings/signage

Stricter limits on the quantity of refrigerant in occupied spaces

Limited use in more densely populated areas

Use of gas detection, alarms and emergency ventilation

Provision of personal protective equipment

Thicker materials/higher pressure rating for pipes and components

Additional use of pressure relief devices and/or pressure limiting devices

Higher competencies for workers involved in construction of components and assemblies

Occupancy type

Seve

rity

of re

quire

men

ts

Direct systems

Indirect systems

a

mor

e se

vere

Less

sev

ere

Trained, controlledRandom, uncontrolled

b c unoccupied

Impact of system and occupancy on design

STEP 1: Avoidance of excessive pressurerelease

Identification of dangerous substances

Characterise the maximum achievable pressure

Construct system to withstand maximum pressure

STEP 2:Elimination of causes ofexcessive pressure rise

Identification of possible adverse causes leading to higher pressure

Eliminate causes or apply devices to avoid excessive pressure rise

STEP 3:Limiting theconsequencesof excessivepressure

Estimate the severity of excessive pressure

Adopt devices to alleviate unintended excessive pressure

STEP 1: Avoidance of toxic atmospheres

Identification of dangerous substances

Characterise possibility of toxic regions

Limit the extent of toxic regions

STEP 2:Elimination of contact with persons

Identification of possible recipients of exposure to toxic gas

Eliminate or protection of persons that may be exposed

STEP 3:Limiting theconsequencesof exposure

Estimate the severity of consequences of exposure

Adopt features to minimise the extent or duration of exposure

STEP 1: Avoidance of flammable atmospheres

Identification of dangerous substances

Characterise possibility of flammable regions

Limit the extent of flammable regions

STEP 2:Elimination of ignitionsources

Identification of potential sources of ignition

Eliminate or protection of potential sources of ignition

STEP 3:Limiting theconsequencesof ignition

Estimate the severity of consequences

Adopt features to minimise the severity of ignition

General risk assessment

For flammability

For high pressure

For toxicity

Topics for training

Topics FlammableHigher toxicity

Higher pressure

Basic principles

How to carry out flammability risk assessment for systems and installations X

How to carry out toxicity risk assessment for systems and installations X

How to carry out elevated pressure risk assessment for systems and installations X

Awareness of material safety data sheets (MSDS) X X X

Flammability characteristics (“fire triangle”, LFL, ignition energy, heat of combustion, etc) X

Toxicity characteristics (short term, long term, physiological effects, etc) X

Relevant safety standards and regulations that relate to equipment using flammable, higher toxicity and higher pressure gases X X X

Differences in refrigerant density compared to ordinary refrigerants and the implications on charge size and cylinder filling X

Differences in refrigerant pressure compared to ordinary refrigerants and the implications on system design pressure and size and cylinder pressure ratings X

Behaviour of a leak of refrigerant under different circumstances, i.e., the flow of denser-(or lighter-) than-air gas in closed rooms, enclosures, the outside in still or windy conditions and the effect of ventilation X X

System design and construction

Classifications within refrigeration safety standard – flammability, toxicity, occupancies, locations, system types X X X

Requirements of safety standards – determination of charge size limits (or minimum room sizes), need for safety devices (such as pressure limiters, pressure relief, etc), gas detection, ventilation, etc X X X

Sources of ignition; types of ignition sources, spark energies, temperature effects, etc X

Need for and types of protection appropriate for potential sources of ignition X

Importance of leak minimisation and methods for avoiding leakage X X X

Information requirements such as equipment marking, labelling and signage X X X

Working practices

How to carry out a risk assessment for creating and maintaining a safe working area and for carrying out work on a system containing flammable refrigerants X

How to carry out a risk assessment for creating and maintaining a safe working area and for carrying out work on a system containing higher toxicity refrigerants X

How to carry out a risk assessment for creating and maintaining a safe working area and for carrying out work on a system containing higher pressure refrigerants X

Selection and use of appropriate tools, equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling flammable, higher toxicity or higher pressure refrigerants X X X

Appropriate use of fire extinguishers X

Standard procedures for safe charging, recovery, evacuation, venting, etc X X X

Emergency response procedures, such as in the event of a major release or a fire or carrying out first aid X X X

Provision of relevant information for data-plates, equipment documentation and owners/operators X X

Selection of appropriate ‘like for like’ replacement components for electrical devices, electrical enclosures, compressors, etc., and maintaining the integrity of sealed electrical enclosures X

Presence and absence of odorant X

Restriction on relocation of existing systems/equipment X X X

Equipment for service and maintenance

Final remarks

Daniel Colbourned.colbourne@re-phridge.co.uk

Thank you for your attention!