VRV Selection and new EU F-Gas Reductions 1

[greenen]

Hi All,

As you may know the EU is looking to reduce the use of HCF gases. This includes common refrigerants such as R-410a. The multi-split VRV/VRF industry heavily uses R-410a. How do you think the new rules will affect the selection of VRV/VRF for new mechanical systems? From my research, the R-410a replacement refrigerants are ASHRAE safety class A2L (mildly flammable.) Although a mildly flammable refrigerant could be safely managed by a trained technician working in a mechanical room, it does not seem prudent to me to pipe the refrigerant throughout a building.

 

[Drazen]

That is something fire authorities will have to deal with, decisions go much beyond scope of designer.

In theoretical plan, R-410a will stay in use for larger systems, while R-32 is planned for use in smaller systems, which are usually tied to buildings with lower fire risk, like small residential buildings.

All this, though, come from pressure of ignorant politicians, mostly green-dogmatists which turned bright modern concepts into inquisition-like practice.