A-Gas boosts refrigerant reclamation

UK: A-Gas is to more than double its refrigerant reclamation capacity with a further investment of more than £1m on a new separator at its Bristol site.

This investment comes in the face of a predicted growth in refrigerant reclamation as result of increasing restrictions in the supply of high GWP refrigerants under the European F-gas phase-down.

The new separator is expected to be in operation in the second half of next year and will more than double the company’s reclamation capacity at Portbury.

A-Gas managing director John Ormerod said: “The investment is in response to the F-gas regulations. Supplies of reclaimed refrigerant are crucial to ensure that there is enough gas on the market to meet demand. We are already seeing changes in market patterns and as a major supplier of refrigerants we have to respond to this.

The new equipment will enable reclamation of mixed refrigerants received from customers across Europe.

A-Gas has been a pioneer of refrigerant processing for more than 10 years. Using fractional distillation technology, mixed refrigerant material that would otherwise be consigned for destruction can be separated and restored back to ARHI standards. This includes refrigerant cocktails as well as refrigerant blends.

John Ormerod added: “This type of waste has changed over the years as refrigerant mixtures get more complicated and we start to see much higher quantities of mixed gases. Several different refrigerants combined together in one mix sets us new challenges and without separation technology it is almost impossible to return the gas to the same kind of quality as virgin material.”

A-Gas reclaims thousands of tonnes of refrigerant a year across the world. Following its acquisition of Rapid Recovery in the USA, A-Gas is now one of the world’s leading reclaimers of refrigerants.