Further tests on low GWP refrigerants
15th January 2014
USA: The Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) is to launch a second phase of its Low GWP Alternative Refrigerants Evaluation Programme (AREP).
The first phase having been completed at the end of December, AHRI will continue research in areas that were not previously addressed. This includes research into the performance of refrigerants in high ambient conditions, refrigerants in applications not tested in the first phase and new refrigerants identified since testing for the programme began.
“This program is an excellent example of our industry’s environmental stewardship,” said AHRI pPresident and ceo Stephen Yurek. “The research conducted in this second phase will expand the programme to make it relevant to virtually all areas of the globe,” he said.
The first phase began in 2011 as an industry-wide cooperative research initiative in response to environmental concerns raised by high-GWP refrigerants. It sought to identify promising low-GWP alternative refrigerants for major product categories including air conditioners, heat pumps and heat pump water heaters, dehumidifiers, chillers, ice makers, and refrigeration equipment.
AHRI invites applications from oems, universities, and laboratories to perform tests on refrigerants for the second phase. Interested companies are encouraged to contact AHRI vice president of regulatory and research Karim Amrane.
The first phase identified and tested 38 low-GWP single component or blend refrigerants. The performance of some new refrigerants was tested in compressors and/or in a whole system as pure drop-in refrigerants. To understand their potential performance improvement, some systems were modified for alternative refrigerants using standard production line components. Eighteen air conditioners and heat pumps, five chillers, five commercial refrigeration equipment, 24 compressors, one bus air conditioning system, and one transport refrigeration system were tested.
