1. Didier COULOMB
International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) - www.iifiir.org
MILANO, Italy
Friday, June 7, 2013
INTRODUCTION
New regulations on F-gases and new refrigerants.
New plants with reference to energy and
environmental optimization. World situation.
XV EUROPEAN CONFERENCE MILANO 7th
-8th
JUNE 2013 CSG
Latest Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Under the Auspices of the PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

2. The International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) is an
independent intergovernmental science and technology based
organization which promotes knowledge of refrigeration and
associated technologies that improve quality of life in a cost-
effective and environmentally sustainable manner including:
• Food quality and safety from farm to consumer
• Comfort in homes and commercial buildings
• Health products and services
• Low temperature technology and liquefied gas technology
• Energy efficiency
• Use of non-ozone-depleting and low global warming refrigerants
in a safe manner
XV EUROPEAN CONFERENCE MILANO 7th
-8th
JUNE 2013 CSG
Latest Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Under the Auspices of the PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

3. It comprises 60 member countries (both developed and developing
countries) including of course Italy, 500 experts and 600 corporate
and private members: private companies (refrigeration equipment,
public services, food and pharmaceutical sectors…), consultants,
academics, students…
It was founded in 1908.
The head office is in Paris. The IIR’s information services comprise
the refrigeration portal with almost 100 000 references, the
publication of journals (the IJR: the highest impact factor in its
field), books, Informatory Notes, statements, and its activities
include conferences and working parties, research projects…
XV EUROPEAN CONFERENCE MILANO 7th
-8th
JUNE 2013 CSG
Latest Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Under the Auspices of the PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

4. Refrigeration is increasingly necessary
Refrigeration is necessary to mankind
Why?
 Temperature is a magnitude and a key variable in physics, chemistry
and biology.
 It characterizes the state of matter and liquid, solid and gaseous
phases. It thus drives to materials applications.
 It is vital to all living beings and each living being (bacteria, plant,
animal) has a temperature range within which it can live (more or less
optimally: metabolism slowdown – or even arrest, hibernation…).
XV EUROPEAN CONFERENCE MILANO 7th
-8th
JUNE 2013 CSG
Latest Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Under the Auspices of the PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

5. - Refrigeration is everywhere:
• Cryogenics (petrochemical refining, steel industry, space industry,
nuclear fusion…)
• Medicine and health products (cryosurgery, anaesthesia, scanners,
vaccines…)
• Air conditioning (buildings, data centres…)
• Food industry and the cold chain
• Energy sector (including heat pumps, LNG, hydrogen…)
• Environment (including carbon capture and storage), public works,
leisure activities…
XV EUROPEAN CONFERENCE MILANO 7th
-8th
JUNE 2013 CSG
Latest Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Under the Auspices of the PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

6. Increasing needs in developing and emerging countries
 1600 deaths/year in the USA are due to pathogens, at least
partly associated with temperature control and many more in
“developing” countries. According to a WHO report (2008)
refrigeration and improved hygiene have reduced stomach cancer
by 89% in men and 92% in women since 1930 in the USA. Another
estimation: about 3 million deaths/year related to refrigeration
worldwide.
 There is an increase in the global population, particularly in Africa
and South Asia (9-10 billion in 2050, about 8 billion in developing
countries)
 70% (50% now) will be in urban areas (doubling in developing
countries) and this will increase the need for cold chains, because
of longer distances between production sites and markets, and
because of increasingly westernized models (meat...)
XV EUROPEAN CONFERENCE MILANO 7th
-8th
JUNE 2013 CSG
Latest Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Under the Auspices of the PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

7. Increasing needs in developing and emerging countries
 1 billion people are undernourished; 23% of food losses are
caused by a lack of refrigeration (vs 9% in developed countries)
 There are needs related to better health everywhere (reliable
cold chain, air conditioning), particularly because of an ageing
population.
According to a recent study from the MIT, mortality during hot
days (temperatures higner than 32°C) decreased of 80%
between 1900-1959 and 1960-2004 in the USA and « the
adoption of residential air conditioning explains essentially the
entire decline in the temperature-mortality relationship »
This increase especially in emerging and developing countries will
increase the impact on the environment
XV EUROPEAN CONFERENCE MILANO 7th
-8th
JUNE 2013 CSG
Latest Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Under the Auspices of the PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

8. There are two consequences:
 We need to reduce the impact of refrigerants on the environment, because of
the protection of the ozone layer (already almost done) and because of global
warming (to be done)
 We need to reduce the energy consumption of systems and components, since
refrigeration is a major energy consumer and its indirect impact on global
warming is higher that its direct impact. We need to have an LCCP approach.
The aim of this conference is to present new developments in these areas and to
debate the measures which will have to be taken, especially at the European
level.
Have a fruitful conference!
XV EUROPEAN CONFERENCE MILANO 7th
-8th
JUNE 2013 CSG
Latest Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Under the Auspices of the PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

9. • Vapour-compression systems will remain predominant in the short and medium
term and thus we will need more refrigerants in the future.
• Because of their impact on the stratospheric ozone layer; chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are included in the Montreal
Protocol and each country (developed and developing countries) had to implement
phase-out plans. This issue will thus soon be behind us except the bank issue
(refrigerants in existing equipment to be destroyed in the future).
• There are alternative refrigerants:
- Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) have no impact on the ozone layer but an impact on
global warming (they are included in the Rio Convention and the Kyoto Protocol).
HFOs are HFCs with a very low GWP.
- Natural refrigerants (ammonia, CO2, hydrocarbons, water, air) have a very low
impact on global warming.
- Mixtures, combinations (cascades, secondary fluids) are being developed for
various uses.
FIRST SESSION
New refrigerants and perspectives
XV EUROPEAN CONFERENCE MILANO 7th
-8th
JUNE 2013 CSG
Latest Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Under the Auspices of the PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

10. The following table summarizes the impact of the main refrigerants on the ozone
layer (Ozone Depleting Potential = ODP) and on climate change (Global Warming
Potential = GWP). Even if CFCs have a very high ODP and GWP, HCFCs and HFCs have
similar impacts.
XV EUROPEAN CONFERENCE MILANO 7th
-8th
JUNE 2013 CSG
Latest Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Under the Auspices of the PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

11. CFCs and HCFCs are mainly replaced by HFCs,
which generally have a high GWP
Source UNEP
XV EUROPEAN CONFERENCE MILANO 7th
-8th
JUNE 2013 CSG
Latest Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Under the Auspices of the PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

12. Source UNEP
XV EUROPEAN CONFERENCE MILANO 7th
-8th
JUNE 2013 CSG
Latest Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Under the Auspices of the PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

13. HFCs currently represent less than 1% of CO2 equivalent emissions. In 2050, they will represent
7 to 45% (more likely 7%) of CO2 equivalent emissions.
HFC emissions in 2050 could offset the achievements of the Montreal Protocol related to the
phase-out of CFCs.
Source UNEP
HFCs are mainly used in refrigeration and air conditioning
XV EUROPEAN CONFERENCE MILANO 7th
-8th
JUNE 2013 CSG
Latest Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Under the Auspices of the PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

14. Hence, discussions are held at an international level (Montreal Protocol and Kyoto
Protocol meetings) on the future of HFCs: replacing HCFCs with HFCs could be a
real threat to the climate.
On the contrary, HFCs are short-lived substances compared with CO2. Thus, the
phasing down of HFCs would have short-lived results and the USA, Canada, Mexico,
Sweden, Ghana and Bangladesh launched a new initiative at the beginning of 2012.
Previously, North America (the USA, Canada, Mexico) and Island states (Mauritius,
Micronesia) proposed several times since 2008 during the Montreal and the Kyoto
Protocol United Nations meetings to phase down (15% of previous emissions in 2033
and 2043 for developed vs developing countries) the consumption and production of
HFCs, in all countries. The amounts would be weighted according to their Global
Warming Potential. Most countries agree. However, there is currently opposition
from India, China, Brazil and the Gulf countries.
XV EUROPEAN CONFERENCE MILANO 7th
-8th
JUNE 2013 CSG
Latest Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Under the Auspices of the PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

15. However, the phase down of HFCs was mentioned in the final declaration of
Rio+20 (June 2012), adopted by 191 countries and a phase down according to
the Montreal Protocol was officially proposed by several countries during the
latest United Nations Conference on climate change in Doha (Qatar) in
December 2012.
• Other initiatives recently took place:
 Taxes and bans on HFCs in certain countries (Scandinavia, Australia…)
 The European F-gas regulation and the Mobile Air Conditioning (MAC)
directive.
We will discuss it later.
XV EUROPEAN CONFERENCE MILANO 7th
-8th
JUNE 2013 CSG
Latest Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Under the Auspices of the PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

16. An international decision is linked to other decisions regarding global
warming. The new time schedule is 2015 for a new agreement on this issue.
Various technical solutions
- There are other technologies: absorption, adsorption, solar refrigeration,
magnetic refrigeration, thermoelectric cooling, cryogenics (nitrogen, CO2)
but they still require technological improvements (cost, energy efficiency,
capacity). Thus, they are only niche technologies at the moment.
- Reducing leakage
Because of important variability within similar equipment working under
similar conditions, there are margins for progress.
The F-gas regulation in the European Union will strengthen controls on
leakage. Reducing leakage would avoid an increase of the global warming
impact of refrigerants in Europe but not a reduction.
Training is the biggest obstacle. However, reducing leakage has clear
advantages in terms of savings and safety.
XV EUROPEAN CONFERENCE MILANO 7th
-8th
JUNE 2013 CSG
Latest Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Under the Auspices of the PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

17. - Reducing the refrigerant charge
It is both an issue of safety and of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Research and development thus focus on all refrigerants, secondary
refrigerants and microchannels…
- Choosing a low-GWP refrigerant:
What is a low-GWP refrigerant? This question could be a delicate
regulation issue, at least on an international level. We need a sector-by-
sector approach, including high ambient-temperature conditions. “Low” or
“moderate” GWP, such as R32.
HFCs can be used, but often only as a possible intermediate step. Moving
directly to “very low” GWP HFCs (150 is the maximum allowed in the MAC
directive in Europe and could become an international reference in the near
future; HFOs would be the main “very-low”-GWP HFCs) and of course
natural refrigerants are a better option where possible (efficiency…)
XV EUROPEAN CONFERENCE MILANO 7th
-8th
JUNE 2013 CSG
Latest Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Under the Auspices of the PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

18. Key elements to take into account when choosing a low-GWP
refrigerant
- No very low-GWP refrigerant is perfect -
they all present safety risks and drawbacks
- Fair comparisons (outdoor temperature, type of equipment, suitable oils…)
concerning efficiency are rare.
- Safety regulations:
 They are a barrier to ammonia;
 They are also a barrier to hydrocarbons and even for very low-GWP HFCs
- Adaptation to warm climates
There are still few recent examples: HFOs are not commercialized and natural
refrigerant technical development is mostly in Europe and Eastern Asia.
- Industrial strategies:
 Refrigerant manufacturers
 Equipment manufacturers
 Installers
- Refrigerant prices:
There will be shortages of HCFCs and HFCs
XV EUROPEAN CONFERENCE MILANO 7th
-8th
JUNE 2013 CSG
Latest Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Under the Auspices of the PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

19. XV EUROPEAN CONFERENCE MILANO 7th
-8th
JUNE 2013 CSG
Latest Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Under the Auspices of the PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
All these considerations shall be discussed. However, a
phase down of HFCs will take place very soon in Europe and
very probably in the future, everywhere in the world: we
need to prepare it.
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Thank you.