FLAMMABLE REFRIGERANTS UPDATE FOR HVAC&R EQUIPMENT IN NORTH AMERICA

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Candace Poole
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1 FLAMMABLE REFRIGERANTS UPDATE FOR HVAC&R EQUIPMENT IN NORTH AMERICA April 2015 Barry Karnes, Principal Engineer UL LLC UL and the UL logo are trademarks of UL LLC

2 Some History Pre 1990, most refrigerants were non-flammable Environmental concerns drove change In 2000 UL published flammable refrigerant requirements for household refrigerators in UL 250 In 2008 UL published flammable refrigerant requirements for commercial refrigerators in UL 471 In 2011 UL hosted the first meeting of the Flammable Refrigerant Joint Task Group (JTG) in Las Vegas, NV 2

3 Terms to Understand: Standard ASHRAE 34, Designation and Safety Classification of Refrigerants; (Similar to ISO 817) Classified for Toxicity: Class A (Lower) & Class B (Higher) Classified for Flammability: Class 1 - Not Flammable Class 2 - Lower Flammability Class 2L - Same as 2 with low Burning Velocity Class 3 - Higher Flammability Some Common Class A2L Refrigerants: R-32; R-1234yf and R-1234ze 3

4 What did the JTG Do? JTG Task Create a Recommendation Report outlining requirements applicable to HVAC & R equipment using ASHRAE Class A2 & A3 refrigerants: The JTG created 3 Working Groups (WG s): 1, 2 & 3 Focused on Class A2 and Class A3 (lower toxicity but higher flammability) refrigerants Initiated developing end-product Class A2L requirements In September 2014, the JTG issued the Recommendations Report based on the information provided by the Working Groups. 4

5 Working Group No. 1 (WG#1) UL 474 Dehumidifiers No flammable requirements planned (being superseded by UL ) UL 1995 Heating and Cooling Equipment No flammable requirements planned (parts being superseded by UL ) UL 484 Room air conditioners Allowable amounts presently based on room size, but these requirements are being challenged 5

6 Working Group No. 1 (WG#1) UL Heat pumps, air conditioners & dehumidifiers Requirements currently being developed for small amounts of Class A3 refrigerants and somewhat larger amounts of A2/A2L refrigerants. Apply to equipment which is: Non-ducted Factory charged Sealed Requirements for equipment with larger amounts of A2L are being drafted as part of the IEC process. 6

7 Working Group No. 2 (WG#2) UL Refrigerating Appliances, Ice Cream Appliance & Ice-Makers 225 & 50 gm (A2 and A3 limits) UL 250 Household Refrigerators/Freezers 225 & 57 gm UL 399 Drinking Water Coolers 270 & 60 gm UL 427 Refrigerating Units 500 & gm UL 471 Commercial Refrigerators/Freezers 500 & 150 UL 541 Refrigerated Vending Machines 500 & 150 gm UL 563 Ice Makers 500 & 150 gm + - For a charge limit not over 300 grams but greater than 150 grams, leak detection means and use of Class 1, Division 2 (HAZ LOC) components are required. Alternately, a walk-in refrigerator must be intended for use within a room sized per UL 427, Section SA3. 7

8 Working Group No. 3 (WG#3) UL 2182 Standard for Refrigerants ASHRAE 34 Standard for Designation and Safety Classification of Refrigerants Changes are being proposed for Flammability Limit, Fractionation Analysis Burning Velocity test developed for Class A2L refrigerants. 8

9 What are Other Groups Doing? End-use equipment Class A2L requirements being developed by collaboration between: IEC SC61D WG#9 Updating IEC ; In 2013 published 61D/212/DC and 61D/257/DC; Proposals include ducted home air conditioners with large charge; Will meet in Bruges, Belgium in Apr. ISO/TC 86/SC 1 In 2014, updated ISO 817 and ISO 5149 ASHRAE 15, Standard for Refrigeration Systems Developing Class A2L requirements CANENA WG#6 Developing Class A2 and A3 requirements for UL/CSA/ANCE ; Will meet in Mexico City in May 9

10 What are Other Groups Doing? Standards Technical Panel (STP) Revised UL 484 in 2011 to permit up to 1 kg of Class A3 refrigerant In 2014, requirements were proposed and reached consensus(+) to UL 484 to REDUCE the amount of: Class A3 refrigerant from 1 kg to 114 grams Class A2 refrigerant to 225 grams In 2014 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed changes to equipment in the scope of UL 484 (+) - Negative ballots must be resolved before finalizing. 10

11 IEC SC61D WG#9 Proposals: Key proposed requirements applying to Class A2L from documents for comments, 61D/212/DC and 61D/257/DC: Refrigerant Detection System Refrigerant Piping Electrical Components (that can be a source of ignition) Hot Surfaces Increased Charge Limits 11

12 Changes to N.A : Changes are being proposed to the North American (U.S./Canada/Mexico) Standard by CANENA Working Group # 6: At present, a trinational deviation eliminates all the flammable refrigerant requirements. Proposals are being made to remove this deviation. In addition, requirements that are more stringent than the IEC base requirements are being proposed for North America. 12

13 Changes to N.A : A key change proposed to the North American : Revision to Clause GG.1.1 that would reduce the refrigerant charge from: m 1 = (4 m 3 ) * LFL TO m 1 = (3 m 3 ) * LFL Where: m 1 Value of the refrigerant charge limit (kg) 4 m 3 Constant 3 m 3 Constant LFL Lower Flammability Limit of the Refrigerant in kg/m 3 13

14 Changes to N.A : Example of this key change: Propane (R-290), LFL = kg/m 3 Proposed revision to Clause GG.1.1 would result in the maximum charge amount for any direct system product being 3 x = kg or 114 grams Proposal also defines the term direct system as A system in which a single rupture of the refrigerant circuit would result in a refrigerant release to an unventilated space. 14

15 Proposed Changes to UL 484: Consistent with the North American : Revision to Clause E.1.2 and would reduce the refrigerant charge from: m 1 = (4 m 3 ) * LFL TO m 1 = (3 m 3 ) * LFL Proposed changes would eliminate all the room area and installation height criteria since the above equation would require a charge size based only on the refrigerant LFL. The proposal has been successfully balloted by the UL 484 STP, but will need to be re-circulated. 15

16 Current HVAC Requirements Summary of current status of product safety standards: UL 484 Allows up to 1 kg propane, higher limits for less flammable refrigerants but discussion underway to REDUCE allowed limits. UL 474 and UL 1995 Do not allow flammable refrigerants and will not in the future. UL Does not currently allow flammable refrigerants but discussion underway to include Class A2 and A3 requirements for non-ducted, factory charged and sealed equipment IEC Allows flammable refrigerants based on: m 1 (4 x LFL), m 2 (26 x LFL) or m 3 (130 x LFL) 16

17 Current HVAC Requirements UL Refrigerating Appliances, Ice Cream Appliance & Ice-Makers 225 & 50 gm (A2 and A3 limits) UL 250 Household Refrigerators/Freezers 225 & 57 gm UL 399 Drinking Water Coolers 270 & 60 gm UL 427 Refrigerating Units 500 & gm UL 471 Commercial Refrigerators/Freezers 500 & 150 UL 541 Refrigerated Vending Machines 500 & 150 gm UL 563 Ice Makers 500 & 150 gm + - For a charge limit not over 300 grams but greater than 150 grams, leak detection means and use of Class 1, Division 2 (HAZ LOC) components are required. Alternately, a walk-in refrigerator must be intended for use within a room sized per UL 427, Section 3. 17

18 Current HVAC Requirements KEY TAKEAWAY s: Many products with a limited charge can be certified by UL for use in the North American market (see prior slide). UL has laboratories in China (Suzhou), the U.S. and in Europe for testing equipment with flammable refrigerants. Products in the scope of North American will soon be able to be certified with a flammable refrigerant once this Standard is revised. No end-product Standards except ISO 5149 have been revised to include Class A2L refrigerants so equipment is evaluated as if using a Class A2 refrigerant. 18

19 Carbon Dioxide Systems UL 207 Refrigerant Containing Components UL 412 Refrigeration Unit Coolers UL 471 Commercial Refrigerators/Freezers UL 1995 Heating and Cooling Equipment UL Refrigerant Motor-Compressors These Standards presently include requirements applicable to equipment using carbon dioxide (transcritical and/or subcritical). 19

20 Thank You Randy Haseman and Barry Karnes Questions? 20

SEMINAR 48 (ADVANCED) International Codes and Standards Issues Impacting use of A2L Refrigerants in Unitary Heat Pump and Air-Conditioning Equipment

SEMINAR 48 (ADVANCED) International Codes and Standards Issues Impacting use of A2L Refrigerants in Unitary Heat Pump and Air-Conditioning Equipment Standards Development for 2L Flammable Refrigerants