Transition of refrigerants
foro air-conditioners
a co d t o e sin high ambient temperature region
Tetsuji Okada
The JapanThJRRefrigeration
fitianddAir Conditioning Industry
Association(JRAIA)
31st October, 2015
Technical Forum
Conrad Hotel Dubai
Dubai, UAE© 2013 MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Who is JRAIA?
<The Japan Refrigeration and Air conditioning Industry
Association>•••

Established in 1949.
159 member companies (as of 1st of Oct. 2015)
including the associate members.
The business fields of the member companies:-Air conditioning (domestic, commercial, automotive)-Refrigeration (commercial, Industrial)-Ventilation-Chiller-Heat pump system(HP water heaters)-Refrigerants-Parts1

0. Contents

1. Keyy Factors for alternative refrigerantsg
2. Simulation results of alternative refrigerants
3. Risk Assessment for lower flammability refrigerants
4 Conclusions
4.
Cl i2

1. Key Factors for alternative refrigerants
Actions to phase down HFCs have been started sector
by sector in Japan by considering not only
environment performance but also safety, energy
efficiency and economic feasibility.
feasibility
S+3E
Safety (precondition)Environment
P fPerformance

Energy Efficiency

・Low
LToxicity
T i it・Low Risk of Flammability
・Ozone Depletion Potential =0・Low
LGlobalGl b l Warming
Wi Potential
P t ti l・Superior for LCCP* value
・Similar performance at high load cooling・Reasonable Cost
Economic Feasibility ・Acceptable level in Developing Countries
LCCP*：Life Cycle Climate Performance32. Simulation results of alternative refrigerants
Refrigerants:
Flammability
GWP

R410A
A12088

R32
A2L675

R447A
A2L583

R22A11810

R290
A33Base AC model：
Single Split AC with R410A currently on sales in Middle East・ capacity: 7.0kW ・ capillary ・ constant speed compressor
Conditions：・ Specification, e.g. refrigerant amount, compressor rotating speed, expansion device(capillary/expansion valve) was determined to perform 7kW at AHRI-A condition witheach refrigerantrefrigerant.
・ Evaluation was carried out with the determined specification at each temperature.
・ Superheat at evaporator outlet = 0 degK, discharge temperature < 115ԨOutdoor
AHRI-A
T3
AT＝52Ԩ
AT＝55Ԩ

Indoor

DB（Ԩ）

DB（Ԩ）

WB（Ԩ）

35.0
46.0
52 0
52.0
55.026.7
29.0
29 0
29.0
29.0

19.4
19.0
19 0
19.0
19.04

2. Simulation results of alternative refrigerants
1）Cooling capacity and COP vs ambient temperature
・ Cooling capacities with all refrigerants in this study decrease similarly athigh ambient temperature conditions.

Estimated cooling capacity: 7kW ACs with capillary
120%
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
AHRI‐AT3
R410A

R32

AT=52Ԩ
R447A

R22R290

AT=55Ԩ

COP relative too R410A at AHRI-A cond.

Cooling capacityy relative to AHCHRI-A cond.
with eeach refrigerantt

・ COPs with all refrigerant in this study also decrease similarly at highambient temperature conditions. （COPs relative to R410A at AHRI-Acondition for each refrigerant are shown for the comparison. ）Estimated COP: 7kW ACs with capillary
120%
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
AHRI‐A

T3
R410A

R32AT=52Ԩ
R447A

R22AT=55Ԩ

R290

5

2. Simulation results of alternative refrigerants2） Improvement of COP with optimized expansion device
・ By optimizing expansion device at each temperature condition of eachrefrigerant, COP can be improved approximately by 10%.
Optimization of expansion device is one of effective technical solutions forenergy saving to protect global environment.

COP relative
e to R410A at A
AHRI-A cond.

Comparison of COPs: 7kW ACs （COP with R410A at AHRI-A condition = 100%）

capillaryillexpansion
i ddevice
i

120%
100%
80%
10%

60%
40%
20%0%
AHRI A AT=55Ԩ
AHRI‐AAT 55Ԩ AHRI‐A
AHRI A AT=55Ԩ
AT 55Ԩ AHRI‐A
AHRI A AT=55Ԩ
AT 55Ԩ AHRI‐A
AHRI A AT=55Ԩ
AT 55Ԩ AHRI‐A
AHRI A AT=55Ԩ
AT 55Ԩ
R410A

R32

R447A

R22R29062. Simulation results of alternative refrigerants① Higher discharge temperature(Td) at high ambient temperature.

Discharge temperature （℃）D3） Technical points to be considered
Estimated discharge temperature
130120110
1009080706050AHRI‐A② Lower COP due to the refrigerant
amount limitation related to safety
Under the limitation according toIEC60335-2-40,
the COP with R290 is lower

than that with 410A by 30%.

COP
P relative to R4
410A at AHRI-A
A cond.

R410A

AT=55Ԩ
R32R447A

R22R290

Decrease of COP with R290 due to therefrigerant amount limitation (IEC603352-40): ACs with capillary
120%
100%

30%

80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
AHRI‐A
R410A

AT=55Ԩ
R290

R290IEC7

3. Risk Assessment for lower flammability refrigerants

8Activities in Japan：
Japan Residential single split ACs case( example)
Safety criteria：（Use） Ignition probability ؒ 10-10 --- equivalent to the a lethal damage probability:
once a century for a hundred million (108) market stock（Others） Ignition probability ؒ 10-9Life cycleof products

Ignition probability
A2L（ex.R32)

Logisticg

4.1×10-17

Installation

2.7×10-10Use (Indoor)

3.9×10-15

U (OUse(Outdoor)td )10
1.5×1015×10-10Service

3.2×10-10

Disposal

3.6×10-11・AfterAft safety
f t criteria
it i was determined,d t
i drisk assessment over the whole oflife cycle was conducted.
・Residential
Residential split ACs were placedon the market after confirming theacceptable risk level.
・If the risk level exceeds the safetyy
criteria, additional safety measures
must be taken to satisfy the criteria.
They are to be applied to the safety
manual and guideline
guideline. Required
practices should follow depending onthe necessity.

The dThdetails
t il off activities
ti iti andd th
the progress reportst are available
il bl iin th
the ffollowing
ll i website:b it
http://www.jsrae.or.jp/jsrae/committee/binensei/risk_eng.html
Source: JSRAE
83. Risk Assessment for lower flammability refrigerants

9

Risk assessments has been carried out in Japanp for lower flammability
yrefrigerants (A2L). Studies are ongoing for various types of products.
→ Legislation and/or harmonization of safety regulation
for these products should follow.
Risk Assessment(A2L)
Completed in 2013

The shipment of high wallswith R32 has reachedapprox.
pp
100% in 2015.

Completed in 2015

Started to place on market.

Completed in 2015

Safety guideline underdiscussion

Ongoing (-2016)

RA Ongoing

Residential
Split
Commercial

Current situation(smaller products)

VRF, Chiller,
CG
GHP
Refrigeration

94. Conclusions
1) Refrigerant
R fishouldh ld b
be selectedld appropriately
i l b
by considering
id icomprehensive point of views:
Safety,y, Environment Performance,,
Energy efficiency and Economic feasibility.
2) The candidates of the alternative refrigerant are lower
flammabilit (A2L) flammable (A2) or higher flammabilit
flammability(A2L),flammability (A3)(A3).
Therefore, Risk assessment should be conducted andg
is needed depending
pg on the risk level.
legislation
3) The alternative refrigerants in this study perform as well as
R410A under high ambient temperature conditions.
4) By
B optimizingti i i expansion
i ddevice
i att eachh ttemperaturetcondition
ditiof each refrigerant, COP can be improved. Optimization ofexpansion device is one of effective technical solutions forenergy saving to protect global environment.
105) Harmonization with the safety law should be needed.

Th k you forThankf your kindki d attention.
i11

Standard: Refrigerant amount limitation[IEC60335-2-40, GG2]
Maximum charge [kg]

LFL: lower flammability limit [kg/m3]
h0: height of unit [m]A: floor are [m2]12

2. Simulation results of alternative refrigerants

Comparison between the results in this study and that inIEP(HATP) project・Similar results were obtained in both studies.
Comparison of cooling capacity（Capacity at AHRI‐A condition ＝100%）120%100%80%60%
40%20%0%

AHRI‐A
T3AT=52Ԩ
AT=55Ԩ
JRAIA

IEP

JRAIA

R410A

IEP

JRAIA

R32IEPJRAIA

R22IEP
R290

Comparison of COP(COP at AHRI‐A condition wthR410A＝100%)120%
100%80%60%
40%20%0%

AHRI‐A
T3AT=52Ԩ
JRAIA
R410A

IEP

JRAIA

IEP
R32

JRAIA

IEP
R22JRAIAIEP

AT=55Ԩ

R290
13