27
GBGB
7.
ENVIRONMENTALLY
FRIENDLY
REFRIGERANT
R410A / Respect for the environment
All synthetic refrigerants damage the ozone and contribute to increasing the temperature of our planet, thus playing a
role in increasing the greenhouse effect. R410A gas, an equicomponent mix of R32 and R125 with the lack of chlorine
guarantees an environmentally-friendly, efficient and reliable operation of conditioning systems. Parameters have been
set to determine the environmental impact of different kinds of refrigerant:
ODP: Ozone Depletion Potential, can register a value between 0 and 1 (CFC-R12 = 1)
GWP Global Warming Potential: the relationship between the overall warming caused by a particular substance and the
one cause by CO
2
carbon dioxide.
TEWI Total Equivalent Warming Impact: parameter relating to the emission of refrigerant during the unit life-cycle, and
the indirect emissions of CO
2
for energy production.
It is, in fact, important to assess the environmental impact of a given substance, not only intrinsically, that is, considering
its chemical-physical features only, but also its application and effects during the entire duration of use.
In cooling devices, most of the contribution to the greenhouse effect (approximately 90%, if not more) is caused by energy
consumption, or better, in indirect terms, to the amount of CO
2
produced by power plants for supplying the energy necessary
for operating the device. It is thus essential to consider the energy consumption of a unit, and its ability to guarantee and
maintain high energy efficiency during the entire product life-cycle.
The TEWI index considers both the direct impact a substance has on the greenhouse effect, and its indirect contribution
in terms of CO
2
equivalent.
It takes the following points into account:
- refrigerant losses
- energy efficiency
- refrigerant recycling
Consequently, from the point of view of energy efficiency, the kWh consumed by the unit must be calculated and
converted into CO
2
produced.
The higher the unit COP (or EER), the lower the environmental impact at the same cooling capacity.
This is the addition of the most significant TEWI when dealing with cooling equipment, which takes into account the indirect
contribution to the greenhouse effect. This component of the TEWI varies from country to country as the kWh –> CO
2
conversion coefficient depends on the power plants considered and the amount of fossil fuel they use. Refrigerant losses
must obviously be kept to a minimum and unit energy efficiency maintained. In the case of non azeotropic refrigerants, loss
of part of the fluid leads to the complete recharging of the cooling circuit, and it will not necessarily maintain the declared
efficiency.
As the R410A is an almost azeotropic mix, it is possible to refill the circuit even with small quantities and maintain energy
efficiency for longer, improving both the direct and indirect contribution.
Thus, even though the GWP may be aligned with the other refrigerants, the R410A clearly has a better TEWI, guaranteeing
both greater respect for the environment and sustainability.
7. Environmentally friendly refrigerant
R410A / Efficiency
R410A gas, whose behaviour is almost azeotropic, is characterized by the absence of the glide during state changing
phases, which thus occur at a constant pressure without energy loss. As a result of greater thermal exchange capacity
(greater intrinsic efficiency) and a considerable reduction in pressure drops it is possible to optimise the unit increasing
efficiency and effectiveness. Performance levels are maintained over the years, and do not decrease due to separation
of the gas components. Infact, eventual refrigerant losses, with the necessary integrations, can be managed quickly and
efficiently without having to completely replace the refrigerant, thus the initial composition remains unvaried.
R410A
p
h
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