The F-Gas Regulation is a contribution to reducing industrial emissions by 70% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. Specifically, the regulation, which came into force on 1 January 2015, aims to reduce emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases) in the EU by 70 million tons of_{CO2 equivalent} to 35 million tons_{of CO2 equivalent}. Fluorinated greenhouse gases are used as refrigerants in refrigeration and air conditioning systems, among other things. Emissions of these climate-damaging substances must be reduced in order to reduce their impact on global warming - either through targeted substitution or the use of alternative technologies.

Rittal customer service staff check the cooling unit technology in switchgear.

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From January 1, 2020, this will result in bans on the use of refrigeration and air conditioning systems as well as new regulations and additions for their maintenance, servicing, leak testing, certification, disposal and labeling.

The EU Commission's statement on alternatives to F-gases is significant in this context: According to this, there is no 'one size fits all' solution due to the different thermo-dynamic and safety properties of the alternatives. Whether a particular alternative is suitable must be considered individually for each category of products and equipment. In some cases, the ambient temperature at the place of use of the product and equipment must also be taken into account.

When looking for alternatives to hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) in certain applications, it is the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with their use that must be considered. Therefore, suitable climate-friendly alternatives must have a sufficiently high energy efficiency so that the reduction in direct emissions from the alternatives to HFCs and HCFCs is not offset by higher indirect emissions from energy consumption.

Which cooling appliances can still be used?

For many refrigeration and air-conditioning applications where there are more environmentally friendly alternatives, bans on use have been imposed.

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The bans on the use of F-gases and the bans on placing products containing F-gases on the market are causing uncertainty: Customers from the global control, switchgear and mechanical engineering sectors are asking themselves which cooling units and chillers can still be used from 2020. Production plants, maintenance engineers and energy managers who use cooling unit technology from Rittal are on the safe side; these climate control solutions are designed to be F-gas-compliant and no further measures need to be taken.

As a service partner, Rittal also advises users of cooling units, including non-customers. The company supports system operators in overcoming the hurdles of regulations and efficiency requirements - from determining the current status of a system, calculating its efficiency, deriving a recommendation for action and determining potential savings, to setting up and commissioning a new system, including a maintenance contract.

The Global Warming Potential (GWP)

From January 1, refrigerants with a GWP greater than 2500 will be banned. Explanation: The (relative) global warming potential GWP indicates how much a defined quantity of a greenhouse gas contributes to the greenhouse effect; carbon dioxide (_CO2) serves as a comparative value (equivalent). The GWP value describes the average warming effect over a certain period of time. The_{CO2-equivalent} quantity is the product of the absolute quantity of the HFC and the respective GWP of the HFC.

As the enclosure cooling units and chillers from Rittal work with a hermetically sealed refrigeration circuit and the refrigerants R134a, R410a and R407c used have a GWP value (Global Warming Potential) of less than 2500, they are also approved after 2020. They belong to equipment with a quantity of less than 10 tons of_{CO2 equivalent} and do not have to undergo a leak test. Filling quantities, GWP values and_{CO2-equivalent} data can be found on the respective type plates and in the product descriptions on the company website.

The F-gas calculator

Since the F-Gas Regulation No. 517/2014 came into force, operators of refrigeration systems with a defined quantity of refrigerant are obliged to carry out regular leak tests. Operators can use the 'F-gas calculator' from Rittal, for example, to determine the extent to which an existing system is affected by the consequences of the F-gas Regulation. This online tool calculates the corresponding_{CO2 equivalent} based on the GWP value and the filling quantity of the refrigerant in use. This_{CO2 equivalent} determines which measures the system operator must take to comply with the regulation. In addition to the_{CO2 equivalent}, the online tool shows the admissibility of a refrigerant refill and specific recommendations for the operation of the current system.

Inspections and leak checks

Operators of enclosure cooling units must pay close attention to regular professional maintenance. This is because only reliable enclosure air conditioning protects the system investment and ensures that electronic components are protected from overheating and that processes can run safely and without interruption. Emissions are also avoided by regularly checking and maintaining existing systems with F-gases and recovering the gases at the end of the system's service life.

An unintentional release of F-gases (leakage) must be prevented and minimized by the operator of F-gas systems through precautions and all technically and economically feasible measures. If a leak is detected, the operator must ensure that it is repaired immediately.

The number of leakage checks required depends on the refrigerant charge of the system. If the_{CO2-equivalent} charge is greater than 10 tons, Rittal offers appropriate maintenance and leakage checks, as only certified specialist personnel are permitted to carry out leakage checks. The regular leak tests can be combined with inspections and maintenance. Such maintenance is carried out according to product-specific checklists and includes a visual inspection and assessment of the general condition, basic cleaning, measurement and documentation of the system parameters, inspection of fans, air routing and setting parameters, logging of the maintenance and assessment of the condition of the installation.

Increase system availability

The condition of cooling units without regular maintenance varies from plant to plant and is heavily dependent on the ambient conditions. If they are very dirty, machine availability decreases due to a significant reduction in the useful cooling capacity of the enclosure cooling units and an increase in energy consumption. For this reason, Rittal supports plant operators on site in complying with legal regulations and regularly checking the units: In addition to assessing the actual condition and recording all operating parameters, customers receive an efficiency analysis with a concrete calculation of energy consumption and potential savings as a basis for decision-making. In many cases, it is worth replacing old appliances with the latest technology, which ensures compliance with regulations and efficiency requirements.

In addition, system operators can benefit from applying for subsidies when replacing old appliances with more efficient technologies. With the National Climate Initiative (NKI), the Federal Ministry for the Environment promotes and initiates climate protection projects throughout Germany. One contribution to achieving climate protection targets is to increase energy efficiency, reduce cooling requirements and cut emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases in the refrigeration and air conditioning technology sector. Funding is therefore provided to support system operators with regard to efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction. Which appliances and which measures are specifically subsidized is determined and reviewed on an individual basis. The amount of funding per appliance is calculated on the basis of the cooling capacity, the type of refrigeration system, its application, the reduction in energy consumption and the_{CO2 savings}. A company specializing in the application for subsidies supports system operators with all the necessary steps and checks whether the same investment measure can be combined with other subsidy programmes.

Two user examples

A check of the current efficiency values at Voith Turbo in Heidenheim. A total of 28 'Blue e+' and seven 'Blue e' cooling units were installed on 21 machine tools.

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The Voith technology group in Heidenheim, for example, took advantage of Rittal's service and efficiency check. Every machine tool and its enclosure climate control system was examined at the Voith plant; in total, 50 different machines with climate control enclosures were examined. The result is comprehensive documentation on the condition of the enclosure climate control system for each machine examined, as well as a recommendation on whether it makes sense to replace the cooling unit, which unit is suitable and how much energy can be saved if it is replaced. Specifically, the replacement of cooling units was recommended for a total of 21 machine tools. With appliances from the 'Blue e' or 'Blue e+' series, a good 70 % of the energy previously consumed can be saved. Converting to more energy-efficient cooling units thus pays for itself after just over two years.

Rittal has also been able to demonstrate efficiency improvements at the Ford plant in Cologne: By replacing 150 cooling units with 'Blue e' and 'Blue e+', energy savings of more than 552,000 euros and a good 276 tons of_CO2 can be achieved over a useful life of ten years. After deducting the investment sum, the payback period was only 2.42 years - decisive arguments for Ford to also have analyses carried out at the plants in England and the USA. The result was that the more energy-efficient Rittal 'Blue e+' cooling units were also installed here - not least as a means of countering cost pressure in the automotive industry.

Author:
Judith Koetzsch is Head of Business Development Rittal Service International at Rittal in Herborn.