The Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry Board (ACRIB) has provided a document providing guidance on the future use of R404A refrigerant once the F-Gas regulations come into effect.
The Guidance on the future use of R404a and the new F-Gas Regulations document points out the key parts of the regulations that will have a major impact on the use of R404a. These key parts include a significant phase down in the amount of HFCs on the market from 2018, bans on the use of refrigerants with a GWP of 2500+ in stationary refrigeration equipment from 2020, a ban on the use of refrigerants with a GWP of 2500 or more for service or maintenance of refrigeration equipment with a charge sizee of 40 tonnes CO2 and the change of leak detection requirements.
The document also provides information on the future availability of R404a, whether R404a should be used in new equipment, what other refrigerants have a GWP over 2500 and what end users and/or suppliers should do now. The document also provides a list with links that provide further information on R404a and the new F-Gas regulations.
The document was released by ACRIB last month, however The F-Gas regulations, which come into effect from January 1, which is two weeks away, places restrictions on the use of certain HFC refrigerants in certain applications. R404a is one of these HFC refrigerants. The F-Gas regulations will apply throughout Europe.
The Guidance on the future use of R404a and the new F-Gas Regulations document can be found here.