News

New products for CO2, ammonia and propane refrigeration systems are being launched at leading tradeshow ‘Climatización & Refrigeración 2017’ in Spanish capital Madrid this week.

Compressor manufacturer SECOP argues that its improved range of compressors utilising variable speed technology can reduce energy costs in light commercial and household applications.

Agreed upon in October 2016 after negotiations from over 170 nations, the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol seeks to phase out the use of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants due to their high global-warming potential (GWP), paving the way for newer, low-GWP refrigerant materials to enter the marketplace. Although the Kigali Amendment is certainly the most prominent refrigerant-related ruling in recent years, several other regulations focused on reducing the use of high-GWP chemical refrigerants have been implemented, including major delistings of HFCs in Europe, the U.S. and Japan. This article provides perspective on low-GWP refrigerants and some attendant operational considerations, and also highlights two refrigerant-free cooling technologies.

The study finds that the market has slowly recovered from past years of lackluster performance. In 2016, the China market for blowing agent is valued at RMB 6.3 Bn and around 400,000 tons of blowing agents are sold. The domestic market is expected to maintain stable growth rates through to 2021. Because of the Montreal Protocol, China will be reducing its HCFC production and consumption to 35% of baseline level in 2020. This will mean that many downstream users in the building materials market especially those making PU and XPS foams will have to switch to other blowing agents by then. This change is by no means a small one, as HCFC is still the second largest segment in 2016. With the phase out of HCFC, there will be more users switching to hydrocarbon (HC), HFC and HFO blowing agents. Through a comprehensive study of the market, this report will identify the possible opportunities available for existing and potential players looking to capitalize on this development.

David Bernet, a sales area manager at Huayi Compressor Barcelona, says the light commercial refrigeration sector in Latin America has shifted 60% of its production to propane.

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has warned that new safety proposals, designed to reduce the risk of potentially deadly fridge and freezer fires, have a “gaping hole” in them.

On 9 January 2017, the Madrid Provincial Court convicted a former company owner to a six-month prison sentence, a fine and prohibited the involvement in any commercial activity related to refrigeration or air-conditioning during a period of 6 years.

Officials from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Ministry of Environment attending ATMOsphere Japan 2017 were confident that the country would achieve its f-gas phase-down targets.

Kirloskar, the Pune-based chiller manufacturer, is the first company in India to announce the use of low GWP refrigerant R1234ze(E).

Singapore Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat announced the tax in his budget speech in parliament on Monday.

A Midwestern retail chain has chosen the lower GWP refrigerant R448A over CO₂ for a new store in Isanti, Minnesota.

Mitsubishi Electric has released a free, CPD-accredited guide to working with the F-gas regulations.

Low-charge ammonia systems are set to become increasingly popular worldwide, Professor Pega Hrnjak – a leading authority on natural refrigerants – told participants in yesterday’s ATMOsphere Japan conference.

As the global HFC phase-down gathers pace, participants in the first-ever ATMOsphere Japan conference – held yesterday at the Shin-Marunouchi Building Conference Square in Tokyo – heard how policy changes and technology developments are creating new opportunities for natural refrigerants in Japan.

Since the Marrakech Climate Change Conference, 17 countries have ratified the Paris Agreement. The total number of ratifications stands at 132 countries.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is to adopt the new lower GWP refrigerant R32 in all 274 models of a new high efficiency air conditioning range to be released in Japan this May.

With the support of Department of Industrial Works, Government of Thailand, UN Environment, ASHRAE, IIR and UNIDO are organising the first international conference on: Sustainable Management of Refrigeration Technologies in Marine and Off-Shore Fisheries Sectors

By using natural refrigerants and an increase in energy efficiency, the global warming impact of data-centre cooling systems can be reduced to ‘virtually zero’, an Ecofys report found.

The new CO₂OLtec Evo system includes newly-developed adjustable modulating ejector technology.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has extended its range of chillers running on new low GWP refrigerant R1234ze(E) to cover capacities from 150 to 5,000TR.