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“HC in RAC Equipment:
Handle with care and competence”
SESSION V: SESSION V:
Installation & Service: Best Practices in Installing
and Servicing Systems with New Refrigerants
Bernhard Siegele
GIZ Proklima
28th/29th October 2014, Dubai
Page 1
• Deutsche
Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH
• An international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development
with worldwide operations
• Owned by the German Government
• Established in 1975
• In more than 130 countries
• With 67 own offices.
• ~18,000 employees
Page 2
Proklima worldwide
–
–
–
–
–
–
~ 19 years worldwide initiatives
~ 245 projects
~ 40 Partner countries
~ 8,100 ODP tons reduced
~ 100 Mio tons CO2eq. reduced
> 35.000 technicians trained
Integrated ozone and climate protection with focus on
natural refrigerants with low-GWP and energy-efficient
applications
Page 3
Potentials of Natural Refrigerants RHPAC Applications
RHPAC = Refrigeration, Heat Pumps, Air- Conditioning
10/11/2014
Source: adapted from Mayekawa, 2012
Page 4
HC application
 HCs used in domestic fridges since
1990’s
•
700+ million in operation worldwide
•
> 50% of new domestic refrigerators
use HCs
•
> 1.5 million HC ice cream freezers
and bottle coolers, humidifiers
•
> 100,000 split AC units
 HCs also now in larger chillers
 Industrial applications with larger HC
charge
Page 5
Key factors of safety management
Required changes and instruments :
- Innovative technology/know how  demonstrate application
- Awareness  provide information
- Education  build competence
- Skills  practical guidance
- Behavioral aspects
- Normative action
 certification/registries
 regulation/standards
 quality assurance
 monitoring
 enforce controls
Page 6
Building capacity
throughout the
value chain
Transformational Education:
Know what?  Informal
Know how !  Formal
Know why ...  Competent
Person
Page 7
Building capacity throughout organisations
•Industry associations
•Technical/vocational institutes and associations
•Development and funding agents
•National authorities
•Standardisation bodies
•Accreditation bodies /quality assurance
•Research institutions and others ……
Integration with national stakeholder processes is essential for
sustainability of activities
Page 8
Time frame needs to be adjusted
System categories
Domestic refrigeration
Retail refrigeration
 Integral (stand-alone)
 Split (condensing unit)
 [Central direct
expansion]
 Central indirect
Air conditioning
 Integral
(window/portable)
 Split
 Close control
 Rooftop unit
 [Ducted direct
expansion]
 [Multi-split]
 Chiller
Transport
 Car air conditioning
 Transport a/c
 Truck refrigeration
 Fishing vessels
Food processing,
bespoke
Risk rating (Low, Medium, High)
numbe
charge
Simiextern
other
r of
size
larity
al
items
SOIs
L
H
L
H
L
Overall
risk level
level 2
L
M
M
M
M
H
H
M
L
H
level 2
level 4
H
H
H
M
H
[level 4]
M
L
L
L
M
level 2
L
L
L
H
L
level 1
L
M
M
L
H
M
L
M
M
M
M
M
L
M
M
level 1
level 3
level 3
H
H
H
M
H
[level 4]
H
H
M
L
H
L
M
L
H
M
[level 4]
level 2
L
M
M
M
L
M
M
M
L
H
M
H
L
M
L
M
L
L
M
M
level 1
level 3
level 2
level 3
H
M
H
M
H
level 4
Capacity building activities
need to start as early as
possible. Suggested timescale
for the staged introduction of
HC refrigerants according to
risk level
level 1
level 2
level 3
level 4
0
1
2
3
4
Introduction year
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5
6
General safety rules for alternative refrigerants
Main topics within RAC safety standards
 Classification of refrigerants, occupancy, systems
 Refrigerant charge size – limits/conditions
 Safe design and testing of components and pipes
 Safe design and testing of assemblies (systems)
 Electrical safety, sources of ignition
 Installation areas, positioning, pipework, mechanical ventilation, gas
detection\
 (Preventive) Maintenance, leak detection
 Instructions, manuals, data-sheets/plates
 Refrigerant handling
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Having a strict work-routine in
place
General topics
• Technician activities and
refrigerant handling
• Installation of equipment
• Commissioning of
installations
• Routine maintenance
• Service and repair
• Dismantling
Page 11
Temporary Flammable Zones
Temporary
Flammable Zones
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Installation and Leak Reduction
There is no one simple solution to leakage reduction. All the
following contribute to minimising leaks:
• If the system is provided with fixed tubing, modifications are not permitted
(extension or shortening) > intrinsic safety
• Design systems with minimal joints using components which are known
not to leak excessively
• Route, support and clamp pipe work correctly, avoid chafing
• Keep equipment and tubing protected against corrosion
• Maintain adequate vibration isolation (equipment and tubing)
• Ensure brazers are competent and qualified > e.g. ISO 13585-2012
• Pressure leak test systematic to the correct standard
• Charge systems with the correct amount of refrigerant
• Carry out planned preventative maintenance to minimise head pressure
and ensure systems are operating at the optimum level
• Carry out sufficient leak testing and repair leaks where necessary
• Improve service practices, including replacing caps after service,
tightening flanges correctly and replacing gaskets where necessary
Page 13
General – Leak reduction
(design/construction)
•
Improve the tightness of systems (use
existing refrigerant)
•
Good design
•
•
•
Avoid vibration, external mechanical
impact, possibility of corrosion, etc
Selection of components
•
Avoiding flare connections,
Schraeder valves, good parts
•
Components tested under EN
16084 (Qualification of tightness of
components and joints)
Tightness testing
•
Systematic testing of systems, use
of helium tracer gas and high
sensitivity gas detectors
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Brazers competence certification
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Service and Repair
All staff and others working in the local area must be instructed
on the nature of the work being carried out









The area around the workspace must be sectioned off
Obtain permit for hot work (if required), place warning signs
Working within confined spaces should be avoided
No flammable materials are stored in the work area
No ignition sources are present anywhere in the work area and
avoid sparks by static electricity
Suitable fire extinguishing equipment (CO2 or dry-powder type)
is available within the immediate are
The equipment should, whenever possible, be isolated from
the electricity supply
Ensure that all refrigerant handling and mechanical handling
equipment is available
All necessary personal protective equipment is available and
being used correctly
Page 16
What is Leak Detection?
+
=
Gas Detector + Inspector Gadget = Find Leak
Page 17
Potential Hazardous Situations
 Hydrocarbon refrigerants are heavier than air
 Work area must be ventilated to disperse the HC,
especially important if the refrigerant is exposed below
ground level (basements, pits, trenches etc.)
 Avoid direct contact with liquid refrigerant. HC-Blend
evaporation temperature is -31,5°C @ atmospheric
pressure. Refrigerant causes violation at skin, eyes and
respiratory tract.
 Wear protective clothes as well as gloves, goggles
 Hydrocarbon refrigerants (as well as CFCs etc.) displace air
and will cause suffocation
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Cylinder Storage
Outside - follow
local regulations
for LPG, if none at
least:
 In a locked cage
 At ground level
 Away from air
intakes to building
 Remote from ignition
sources
 No smoking
Page 19
Summary - Safe Work Area
Golden rules:
 Ventilation
 Within 2m of work area:
• No flames (e.g. brazing)
• Do not use switches
• No smoking
• No other people
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Workshop Environment
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GIZ series on safe use of natural refrigerants
More than 30 national training programmes under MLF since 1996
10/11/2014
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Cool Training
•
Aim: to provide comprehensive knowledge and capacity for the
operation and maintenance of new cooling technology using natural
refrigerants
•
Approach: Trainings in cooperation with the Bundesfachschule KälteKlima-Techik (BFS), an international institution for vocational and
advanced trainings in the area of RAC technology
•
Target group: technical and training RAC experts active in developing
and emerging countries
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Cool Training Concept
•
Training consists of 30 %
theory and 70 % practical work
•
Main subject is the application
of natural refrigerants for
commercial refrigeration
systems
•
Training includes excursions to
innovative enterprises in the
sector
•
Regional replication and
upscaling
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Training curriculum
•
Refrigeration systems and heat pumps – safety and environmental
requirements according to DIN EN 378 1-4
•
Refrigerant circuit pipes joining and installation methods
•
Brazer Examination according to DIN EN ISO 13585
•
Leak finding and tightness test activities in practice
•
Application of propane (R290) as refrigerant
•
Application of carbon dioxide (R744) as a refrigerant
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The Pilot Training
•
•
First training held June
16th – 27th 2014 in BFS
Center in Maintal,
Germany
15 RAC trainers and
experts from 12 countries:
Brazil, China, Columbia,
Costa Rica, India, Iran
Kenya, Malaysia,
Mauritius, Mexico,
Philippines, and
Seychelles
„The training was an
amazing opportunity,
especially with the use
of real equipment in the
workshops.“
Wilbert Alvardo Marin (RAC
trainer/expert from Costa Rica)
„I am bringing home what
I have learned, and will
make sure training centers
will be impacted in their focus
on natural refrigerants.“
Fernando del Castillo Uribe (RAC
trainer/expert from Columbia
Page 26
Upcoming…
•
Next trainings: November 2014
and April, June & October 2015
•
Organization body is open for
nominations of participants
from partner agencies
•
Regional replication of training
from first batch of experts in
planning phase
Page 27
For more information, please refer to the webpages of the Green
Cooling Initiative and the Cool Training Alumni:
http://www.green-cooling-initiative.org/
https://www.green-cooling-initiative.org/rac-alumni-network/
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Example: Brazil best practice
Challenges
• Target 30,000 - 26,000 officially certified during NPP
• 80% of workshops „informal“ or „self-employed“
• huge geographical area, remote areas with low or no
access to qualification
• culture of training on the job, formal education low
• RAC vocational training concentrated in large centres
• national standards not developed
• High leakage, low carbon intensity of electricity
Approaches
• registration and certification system
• mobile training for decentral course system
• integrating with national training agents
• preference to practical training
• integrate contents in formal education
• adapted materials (visualized manuals)
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Transforming to a knowledge-based economy
•
•
•
Resolving complexities is a typical starting point
of environmental sound technologies
Safety & best practice is not refrigerant-specific,
it is a general requirement when competently
managing RAC systems
Continued education and knowledge sharing is
essential for transformation, e.g. engineers,
technicians, mechanics require to update their
knowledge and need to learn to think systems.
Lessons learned:
• HC refrigerators: just one example for global acceptance, incl.
know-how & infrastructure, RefNat example in commercial refrigeration
• Establishing qualification and controls for safe behaviour is essential
for public safety when introducing sustainable alternatives
10/11/2014
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Conclusions
• Newly acquired competences develop multiple benefits:
 higher energy efficiency from better practice (15 % +, EU)
 less wastes and operational failure - better economy
 customers understand value and pay for it
 local supplies of natural refrigerants, no dependence on imports
 enhances local know how and production options
 longer term application of framework and know how
• High safety standards may generally improve services & performance
• Cash saved during operation could be used to pay qualified workers
Sustainable practice provides sustainable income!
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Conclusions
• Training has to be seen in the context of ongoing transformation of global
economies; this takes time, better start as early as possible
• Despite the “burning” issues of introducing new refrigerants, a culture of
continued education and knowledge sharing in RAC sector is necessary
• In many countries formalization of education and certification to take place
• Capacity building not restricted to servicing personnel, integration with
value chain and public stakeholders essential
• Public support insufficient, initiative and cooperation from private sector
stakeholders required. Transnational technology cooperation specifically
beneficial.
10/11/2014
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Thank you for your attention!
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