From Guest Blogger James Timpson: Natural Refrigerants Help Business Meet Strict New Environmental Legislation

There is no doubt that man-made refrigerants, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFSs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), have had a dramatic impact on the environment and are one of the chief contributory factors to global climate change.

Simply put, these chemicals have started to destroy the earth’s protective ozone layer, which has allowed additional ultraviolet rays to reach the surface leading to a warming of our environment. If this warming is allowed to continue it could lead to devastating consequences for our planet including acidification of the oceans and the melting of the ice sheets, which will see a huge rise in sea levels around the world.

In 1987 the depletion of the ozone layer first came to the world’s attention and the international Montreal Protocol began the process of phasing out substances it felt to be damaging the environment in this way. Legislation has continued to be tightened through the years and so concerned are the UK government and the EU about reducing the emissions of these hazardous chemicals still further that in 2014 the EU introduced the fluorinated greenhouse gas (F gas) regulation. This replaced earlier legislation of 2006 and includes the phasing out of these chemicals and ultimately product bans.

It has therefore become increasingly important that companies who use these synthetic gases in their work find natural replacements, not only to comply with legislation, but also to protect the environment. Cooling companies can become leaders in this field, seeking and utilising natural gases and thereby causing their use to become more mainstream.
Natural Alternatives

At the moment there are three main alternatives to CFSs and HCFCs and these are:

· Hydrocarbons (a blend of propane and isobutene)

· Ammonia

· Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

These chemicals exist in nature and therefore have less of an environmental impact. In the case of ammonia there is no global warming potential and with regards to hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide there is a substantially reduced potential for global warming when compared against CFSs and HCFSs. Probably the most promising of these is carbon dioxide as it is non-flammable, it doesn’t deplete the ozone and its global warming potential is regarded as 1. Another benefit to these more naturally occurring refrigeration chemicals is that they are cost effective

It is also hoped that companies who need to use refrigeration will invest heavily in finding other natural alternatives which are safe for the environment and safe for consumers to use in their homes and places of work.

It is only by large companies taking the lead in this research we can expect solutions to be found which are protective of the environment, safe for consumers and viable in terms of cost. Some engineering companies are also looking for innovative ways to make their cooling systems even more efficient and effective. The introduction of air curtains for example means that less heating and cooling needs to be expended in a building, therefore making it much more energy efficient and lower in terms of costs for utility bills.

Legislation concerning reducing greenhouse gases will continue to be tightened, by the UK, EU and through global accords, and therefore it is imperative that in order for business to stay ahead of the game it needs to continue making innovations in the refrigeration chemicals used. The utilisation of natural refrigerants is one area of research which will be a huge boon for the refrigerant industry and will have much wider implications in terms of benefits for the environment.