Workshop Title:

Risk Assessment of Mildly Flammable Refrigerants

Participants:
NameChair/Speaker Affiliation

1

Eiji Hihara

Chair

The University of Tokyo

2

Satoru Fujimoto

Co-Chair

The Japan Refrigeration and Air
Conditioning Industry Association(JRAIA)(Daikin Industries, Ltd.)

3

Kenji Takizawa

SpeakerNational Institute of Advanced
Industrial Science and Technology(AIST)

4

Tei Saburi

SpeakerNational Institute of Advanced
Industrial Science and Technology(AIST)

5

Tomohiko Imamura

SpeakerTokyo University of Science, Suwa

6

Chaobin Dang

Speaker

The University of Tokyo

7

Kenji Takaichi

Speaker

The Japan Refrigeration and Air
Conditioning Industry Association(JRAIA)(Panasonic Corporation.)

8

Ryuzaburo Yajima

Speaker

The Japan Refrigeration and Air
Conditioning Industry Association(JRAIA)(Daikin Industries, Ltd.)

9Kenji Ueda

Speaker

The Japan Refrigeration and Air
Conditioning Industry Association(JRAIA)(Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.)

10

Xudong Wang

Speaker

Air-Conditioning, Heating, andRefrigeration Institute (AHRI)

11

Zhao Yang

Speaker

Tianjin University

4) Abstract:

・Objective
The purpose of the session is to share new information on risk assessment of mildly flammable
refrigerants being carried out through industry, academia, and government cooperation in Japan.

・BackgroundThe use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) has been widely
restricted, and to protect the ozone layer they have been replaced with hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
However, HFCs used in air conditioners have a high global warming potential (GWP), and increasinguse of HFCs has become a serious issue with regard to the prevention of global warming. Therefore, it
has been widely recognized that replacing HFCs with low-GWP refrigerants would be an important
step in solving this problem.
On the other hand, low-GWP refrigerants may have mild flammability and it is thus essential to collectbasic data on their flammability and also conduct research on their safety for practical use. The
integration of basic information about refrigerant physical properties, flammability, and risk
assessment will simplify their selection for practical use.
Since 2011, the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) has been
carrying out the Technology Development of High-Efficiency Non-Fluorinated Air-Conditioning
Systems project. The goal of this project is to develop practical application technology for low-GWP
refrigerants used in the air-conditioning field.
With the objective of gathering essential data for assessing the risk of mildly flammable refrigerants,
safety studies are being conducted in NEDO’s project by teams from the Tokyo University of Scienceat Suwa, Kyushu University, The University of Tokyo, and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial
Science and Technology (AIST). Results of the studies conducted to date have been used in industry(Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association (JRAIA)) for risk assessment of mildly
flammable refrigerants. In addition, a research committee has been organized by the Japan Society ofRefrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (JSRAE) to assess risks associated with mildly
flammable refrigerants.
As described above, risk assessment of mildly flammable refrigerants is being carried out throughcooperation among industry, academia and government in Japan.

・Presentations
Session 1●Opening Remarks
13:30 – 13:38 (NEDO)●Introduction
13:38 – 13:43 Research Project on Risk Assessment of Mildly Flammable Refrigerants

Eiji Hihara (Chair, The University of Tokyo, Project Leader of NEDO)●Presentations: Research Project on Risk Assessment of Mildly Flammable Refrigerants
13:43 – 14:03 Fundamental and Practical Flammability Properties of 2L Refrigerants
Kenji Takizawa (AIST)
14:03 – 14:23 Hazard assessment of the combustion of mildly flammable refrigerants
Tei Saburi (AIST)
14:23 – 14:43 Experimental evaluation of physical hazard of A2L refrigerant assuming actual
handling situation
Tomohiko Imamura (Tokyo University of Science, Suwa)
14:43 – 14:58 Diesel Combustion of Oil and Refrigerant Mixture during Pump Down of Air
Conditioners
Chaobin Dang (The University of Tokyo)●Discussion
14:58 – 15:10●Coffee Break
15:10 – 15:30
Session 2●Introduction
15:30 – 15:40 Basic Procedure of the Risk Assessment in JRAIA
Satoru Fujimoto (Co-Chair, JRAIA, Sub Project Leader of NEDO)●Presentations: Risk Assessment of Refrigeration System Using Mildly Flammable Refrigerants
15:40 – 15:55 Overview of the Risk Assessment for Residential Air-Conditioners
Kenji Takaichi (JRAIA)
15:55 – 16:10 Overview of the Risk Assessment for VRF System
Ryuzaburo Yajima (JRAIA)
16:10 – 16:25 Overview of the Risk Assessment for Chiller
Kenji Ueda (JRAIA)
16:25 – 16:40 Overview of AHRI Risk Assessment Studies for A2L Refrigerants
Xudong Wang (Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI))
16:40 – 16:55 Research on Flammability of the lower GWP refrigerants
Zhao Yang (Tianjin University)●Discussion
16:55 – 17:10●Conclusion
Eiji Hihara (Chair, The University of Tokyo, Project Leader of NEDO)(※We will offer 2014 progress report booklet to the first 50 people.
Contact information:

1. Name: Masamichi Abe
2. Affiliation/Organization name: New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization(NEDO)
3. Address: 19F Muza Kawasaki Building, 1310, Omiya-cho, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa
212-8554, Japan
4. E-mail address: abemsm01@nedo.go.jp