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US: Work in progress to remove barriers to R744 |
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An expert group is meeting today to continue progress in issuing key recommendations on CO2 (R744) Mobile Air Conditioning. R744.com presents here the key points of the latest draft report under discussion, which can help pave the way for the commercialisation of R744-based MAC in the US.
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2008-04-16
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Led by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the so-called “CO2 Tiger Team” took shape last year to deliver key recommendations to policy makers and industry on good practice, standards and the removal of existing regulatory barriers to the successful introduction of R744 refrigerant for Mobile Air Conditioning in the United States. Following a meeting on 1-2 February 2008 in Colorado, the group is holding a key meeting today to ensure progress towards a final report, expected early May. R744.com got hold of the latest draft of the report and presents here its main points.
U.S. preparing for R744
Following the decision last summer by German car manufacturers to opt for R744 in their new vehicles as from 2011, the EU EPA considers that the US “should prepare for the introduction of these new systems”.
To achieve this, experts are drafting key recommendations, such as:
- SNAP Approval: R744 soon to be listed as acceptable alternative with use conditions
- Venting: an exemption from the prohibition of refrigerant venting should be established, due to R744’s negligible Global Warming Potential
- Training: mandatory Technician certification would be needed
- Servicing: to be done only by certified personnel
- Standards: SAE Standards should be reflected in federal and state laws. For certain components, OEM specifications and industry standards should be followed. Furthermore, the groups considers it “imperative that industry, government and standards organizations worldwide work together to quickly develop and pass needed standards”.
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R744 Consensus Report in progress
Given the key role that legislation plays on opening doors to a particular technology, a whole chapter of the report reviews laws and regulations affecting the use of R744 in the U.S. and in the EU. All States that still have barriers to the use of CO2 in North America, in response to an EPA request in 2007, confirmed that they would not block the use of R744 MAC, with some linking their acceptance to the application of standards by the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers), and/ or federal rules.
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In terms of safety, a broad number of options are considered to avoid high concentrations of the low-charge R744 refrigeration in the vehicle passenger cabin. These range from the most radical ones of installing a secondary loop to avoid any exposure to passengers to the more common use of sensors and other simple devices that can help detect important leakages. In a separate chapter, specific recommendations are given to ensure a professional and safe servicing of R744 MAC, based on adequate training programmes for certified technicians.
To complement this content, the report also evaluates R744 system design options, which highlights the potential to optimize the R744 to obtain higher efficiency than R-134a systems, as well as the opportunity to integrate heating mode for certain vehicle types without the need for an additional device.
Other chapters of the report include an extensive historical review of the use of R744 and other chemical refrigerants, and a review of different civil and military standards.
Background
As legislation in the EU forbids refrigerants with a GWP of over 150 as from 2011, and the industry is preparing for the transition to new systems, the U.S. is also paving the way for the introduction of alternative refrigerants. The consensus report on R744, drafted by the “Tiger Team” of international experts from the public and private sector and academia, follows a similar report on the refrigerant HFC-152a, issued in August 2007. The final report on R744 refrigerant is expected by early May 2008.
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