# Presentation: 721531

## CFC Phaseout Implications for Commercial Cooling

- Presented by
**Marie Broadwell**
**US Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX**
**(415) 744-1174**
**broadwell.marie@epa.gov**

## Alphabet Soup

**CFCs****	****	**Chlorofluorocarbons
**HCFCs**	Hydrochlorofluorocarbons
**HFCs****	****	**Hydrofluorocarbons

- Release of these refrigerants to the atmosphere causes
- - **Ozone depletion**
- - **Global warming**

## Common Refrigerant Applications

- 			Residential Refrigeration
- 			Commercial Refrigeration
- 			Centrifugal Chillers

**Common Refrigerant Applications**

**CFC-11**			Centrifugal Chillers (low pressure)

**HCFC-22**		Unitary A/C & Heat Pumps
- 			(Residential & Commercial)
- 			Screw Compressors
- 			Centrifugal Chillers (high pressure)

**HFC-134a**		Centrifugal Chillers
- 			Reciprocating Chillers
- 			Automotive A/C
- 			Residential & Commercial Refrigeration

**Notes:**
Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC-134a) has been developed as an alternative gas for chlorofluorocarbons.
HFC-134a is thermodynamically similar to CFC-12 and contains no chlorine, therefore it has an Ozone
Depletion Potential (ODP) of zero. It can be used in many applications that currently use
dichlorodifluoromethane (CFC-12), such as refrigeration, polymer foam blowing, and aerosol products.
HFC-134a, however, is combustible under certain conditions of temperature, pressure, and concentration
with an oxidizer.

## EPA Recycling Regulations

- Purge losses OK, venting isn’t
- Refrigeration technician certification
- Recovery and recycling required
- Refrigerant record keeping
- Safe disposal requirements
- Enforcement underway

**VENTING**

## EPA Stratospheric Ozone Hotline & Web Site

- http://www.epa.gov/ozone
- Hotline: 1-800-296-1996

## What is the CFC Phaseout?

- U.S. response to stratospheric ozone depletion
- 1990 Clean Air Act
- CFC & HCFC production phaseouts
- Mandatory refrigerant recycling
- Significant New Alternatives Program (SNAP)

## CFC Phaseout Schedule

- CFC production halted
**January 1, 1996**

## HCFC Phaseout Schedule

- Year

- 2003

- 2010

- 2020

- 2030

**HCFC-141b**

**HCFC-22 (new equipment)**

**HCFC-22 (existing equipment)**

**HCFC-123 (new equipment)**

**HCFC-123 (existing equipment)**

## HFCs Are Ozone-Safe
HFCs Contribute to Global Warming

- HFCs Are Ozone-Safe
- HFCs Contribute to Global Warming

***No HFC Phaseout Scheduled***

## How Does the CFC Phaseout Affect Me?

- No more CFC production
- CFC shortages are here
- Many CFC chillers still not converted
- Large amounts of money at stake

## Conventional Wisdom:Concentrate only on refrigeration systems

- Designate a facility refrigerant manager
- Conduct inventory of equipment and refrigerants
- Develop a refrigerant management plan

## Designate a Refrigerant Manager

- Responsibility
- Knowledge
- Authority
- Resources
- Support

## Prepare an Inventory

- List chillers & refrigeration equipment, age, refrigerant type, condition
- Monitor the amount of refrigerants bought & used
- Evaluate leakage rates

## Develop an Action Plan

- Define responsibilities of key personnel
- Develop a CFC policy
- Decide what to do with each piece of equipment
**contain, retrofit or replace?**

## Containment of CFC’s

- You may have CFCs in stock
- Conserve CFC’s
- regular equipment maintenance
- leak repair
- install high-efficiency purge units
- Immediate strategy for all equipment

## Conversion of Equipment

- Substitute refrigerants
- 	CFC-12			HFC-134a
- 	CFC-11			HCFC-123
- 	HCFC-22			HCFC-407c
- Not “drop-in” substitutes
- Modification to equipment & operation usually required
- Refer to SNAP list for acceptability

## Replacement of Equipment

- Appropriate for equipment near end of its life
- Gives wide choice of refrigerants & technologies
- Don’t just design a new chiller, design a new chiller plant
- Chillers make up 60% of connected load
- Cooling towers, fans, & pumps make up 40% of load

**Cooling end-use: ****	****15%**
**Chiller end-use: ****	****9%**
**(% of electrical energy)**

## Beyond Conventional Wisdom:The CFC Phaseout Is an Opportunity

- To better understand your entire building system and current chiller stock
- Energy audit
- Quantify your cooling energy use
- To reduce cooling loads in your building
- To “right-size” your equipment

## The Big Opportunity:Integrated Chiller Retrofit

- Carefully consider
- the interaction of all building systems -
- it makes “Cool $ense”

## Voluntary Government Programs

**DOE**
- Rebuild America
- www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/rebuild
- 1-800-DOE-EREC

**EPA**
- Energy Star Buildings
- www.epa.gov/appdstar/buildings
- 1-888-STAR-YES

- community-based program

- building owner-based program