Refrigerant Gases Have High Global Warming Potential (GWP) And Contribute To Climate Change
Posted: Friday, February 05, 2010
by Daniel Stouffer
Earth Phone
The higher the global warming potential a chemical has, the longer it stays in the atmosphere which causes greater damage to the ozone layer. Carbon dioxide has a global warming potential of 1.0, whereas refrigerants could be in hundreds or even thousands.
All greenhouse gases are assigned with global warming potential values. This number is used by scientists to determine how gases, such as HFC, HCFC, and PFC refrigerants gases, will impact global warming within 20 years, 100 years, and 500 years. Most greenhouses gases stay in the atmosphere longer than 20 years, with many as high as 100 years. Unless action is taken to control carbon emissions and dangerous refrigerant gases, considerable harm will be done to the Earth.
To maintain a healthy environment, the lower the global warming potential of a substance or chemical, the better it is. Mostly all refrigerants in use today are greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming, which is why regulations are in place to limit their use and eventually phase them out entirely and replace them with alternative substances.
Chemicals with the highest global warming potential are hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), such as those found in refrigeration and cooling systems or HVAC-R equipment. The values for hydrochlorofluorocarbons range from 120 to 12,240 over their atmospheric lifetime. When these numbers are broken down, it takes only one molecule of refrigerant gas to cause harm to the ozone layer.
The refrigerant Trichlorotrifluoroethane (R-113) has one of the highest global warming potential values at 4800, while the refrigerant Dichlorotetrafluoroethane (R-114) has one of the lowest values at 3.9. The alternative SNAP refrigerants being developed by the EPA and various refrigerant gas manufacturers have no impact on global warming and are being used in the production of all types of new refrigeration and air conditioning systems.
Because refrigerants used in commercial refrigeration and air-conditioning systems, as well as heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, have a high global warming potential, facilities with this equipment in use are required to follow guidelines set forth by the U.S. International protocols and treaties mandate the reporting of refrigerant gas usage to environmental regulation authorities.
New regulations are helping in the reduction of refrigerant emissions with high global warming potential, though there are still reports of refrigerant leaks from systems which are poorly maintained.
By implementing leak reporting regulations and guidelines for fixing leaks, the U.S. is controlling the problem. The U.S. Clean Air Act is also well underway to phasing out harmful refrigerant gases by 2015 to ensure our environment remains healthy for years to come. Facilities should comply with these regulations in order to avoid penalties and sustain the future of the environment.
--------
Sustainability Resource Planning (SRP) platform for carbon emissions and refrigerant gas tracking, energy efficiency, sustainable asset management, and water conservation. Increased greenhouse gases regulations are causing significant challenges and impacts to business operations, brand management, and fiscal accountability. Learn more at http://www.verisae.com/articles
This Article has been viewed 542 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.