| Refrigerant 22 Phase-Out |
| Written by Daniel Stouffer | |
| Sunday, 12 April 2009 | |
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Refrigerant 22, widely used in numerous industrial applications, is being phased out. As the government mandated phaseout continues, those facilities that have equipment using this chemical are rushing to impose measures that enable them to meet the requirements of the law.
Refrigerant 22, widely used in numerous industrial applications, is being phased out. As the government mandated phaseout continues, those facilities that have equipment using this chemical are rushing to impose measures that enable them to meet the requirements of the law. Numerous substances suspected of causing great harm to our climate, the depletion of the ozone layer and global warming. Refrigerant 22 has been on the list of substances to phase out, since the Montral protocol and US Clean Air Act moved to eliminate hydrochlorofluorocarbons and chlorofluorocarbons found in various refrigeration and cooling systems. Other countries are following suit. Found in commercial refrigeration units, air conditioning systems and HVAC systems, refrigerant 22 is a known hydrochlorofluorocarbon. As such, it may be found in operation throughout a number of industries, including hotels and restaurants, office buildings, hospitals, retail supermarkets, food processing warehouses and manufacturers. Should Refrigerant 22 leak into the environment or be otherwise released into the air it has the potential to cause damage. The EPA insists the regular businesses and municipalities track usage and submit reports on a regular basis to enable them to better manage this gas. As complying with these regulations can be very time-consuming, companies are turning to software to automatically track and report. Penalties await those who fail to comply. Eco-friendly refrigerants have been developed to serve as alternatives to refrigerant 22, which will longer be manufactured or used in new cooling and refrigeration equipment. Although companies with equipment which still uses the refrigerant are not required to purchase new, they will be required to follow strict guidelines when it comes to routine maintenance and repairs. Chemical manufacturers have up until January 1, 2020 to produce Refrigerant 22 for existing systems. Following that date the substance can no longer be manufactured. Only refrigerant that has been recovered and recycled may then be used in existing systems. Refrigerant 22, as a greenhouse gas has been around for over four decades. Just as natural greenhouse gases help stabilize the world's temperature, man-made chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons increase the average temperature around the globe. If no action were taken the makeup of the planet would change and eventually cause major hardship and devastation. There are alternatives to refrigerant 22, which have been tested and found to cause no harm to the environment. These include R-410A, R404A and R407c. Some of these blends are already in use in new refrigeration and air conditioning systems and are found to be much more energy efficient. EPA requirements specify approved alternatives and should be researched by facility managers. The Article Author: Daniel Stouffer has detailed data on the need for good refrigerant gas management and more data about refrigerant 22 . |
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