24 // Trends
U.S. LAGS IN FLAMMABLE REFRIGERANT SAFETY ASHRAE Research Project 1807 cites technician training, refrigerant odorization and other requirements in place in other regions By Mark Hamstra
A
s the U.S. adopts the use of larger charges of flammable hydrocarbon refrigerants, it can learn from the safety standards and guidelines already in place in other regions, said Bill Goetzler, managing director, Navigant Consulting. Speaking at the AHR Expo in Chicago in January, Goetzler cited the results of a new repor t on this topic that Navigant compiled for the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). The report, dubbed ASHRAE Research Project 1807: Guidelines for Flammable R e f r i g e r a n t H a n d l i n g , Tr a n s p o r t , Storage, Equipment Ser vicing, Installation and Dismantling, evaluates the risks of using flammable refrigerants throughout the lifecycle of the equipment and the potential opportunities for mitigating those risks. Covering A3 and A2L refrigerants, the report is expected to be released publicly this month. Hydrocarbon refrigerants are currently more widely used in other regions, including Europe, Japan, Australia and Canada. For the ASHRAE 1807 research, Navigant examined the systems and processes used in those regions, and identified gaps with the U.S. where standards and practices could be improved. T h e r e s e a r c h c ove r e d r e s i d e n ti a l and commercial air conditioning and refrigeration systems, and examined practices in place for all stages of the product lifecycle, excluding the manufacturing stage for the equipment and refrigerants and the final destruction stage for the refrigerants.
RISKS VARY DURING LIFECYCLE Of the lifecycle stages examined in the report, installation/service and removal/dismantling of equipment and refrigerants were deemed the most high-risk because of the potential for a release of refrigerants in proximity to an ignition source. The storage and transportation stages were deemed low risk, and the routine operation stage was deemed moderate risk. While thorough regulations and procedures around the safe storage and transportation of flammable and hazardous materials in general are already well-established in the U.S., Goetzler said other countries have certain additional restrictions that are not in place in the U.S. and should be considered. Other practices and guidelines from around the world noted in the report include requirements for the odorization of flammable refrigerants, restrictions on the proximity of refrigerants to heat sources during storage and transport, and limits on storage to minimize the risk of theft.
It's important when we talk about flammable refrigerant safety to pay particular attention to the risks throughout product lifecycle.
Accelerate America // March 2018