OKVoyjS? Working Report No. 101 1997 Substitutes for Potent Green House Gases Status Report wSJEi Vty AU8 1 0 less O ST1 DBTRBUTION OF MS COMMENT G IMAGED FOREIGN SALES PROHIBITED^ Ministry of Environment and Energy, Denmark Danish Environmental ProtectionAgency Milj0- og Energiministeriet Miljostyrelsen DISCLAIMER Portions of this document may be illegible electronic image products. Images are produced from the best available original document. Arbejdsrapport fra Miljpstyrelsen Working Report No. 101 1997 Substitutes for Potent Green House Gases HFCs, PFCs and SF, Status Report Per Henrik Pedersen DTI Energy Ministry of Environment and Energy, Denmark Danish Environmental Protection Agency This report is subsidized by the Council for Recycling and Cleaner Technology. Please note that the contents of the report do not necessarily reflect the views of the Council or the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. Contents Preface 5 1 Background 9 2 Aim of project and organisation 13 3 Applications of HFC substances and possible alternatives 1 7 3.1 Refrigeration industry 17 3.1.1 Domestic refrigerators and freezers 18 3.1.2 Commercial refrigerators and freezers 22 3.1.3 Commercial refrigeration systems 23 3.1.4 Industrial refrigeration plants 27 3.1.5 Mobile refrigeration systems 28 3.1.6 Heat pumps 29 3.1.7 Air conditioning systems 30 3.1.8 Cryogenic systems 31 3.2 Polyurethane foam 32 3.2.1 Insulating foam 32 3.2.2 Jointing foam 34 3.2.3 Flexible polyurethane foam 35 3.3 Fire extinguishants 36 3.4 Propellant in aerosol cans and foghorns 36 3.5 Other fields of application 37 4 Use of PFC substances 39 4.1 PFC in refrigerant mixtures 39 4.2 Other applications of PFC substances 40 5 Consumption of SF6 and substitution possibilities 41 5.1 Noise-reducing double glazed windows 41 5.2 Protective gases in light-metal foundries 43 5.3 Insulating gas in electric power switches 44 5.4 Tracer gas and other laboratory purposes 45 5.5 Car tyres 46 5.6 Other possible applications of SF6 46 6 Evaluations and recommendations 49 7 Project proposals for the Cleaner Technology programme 51 8 Litterature 53 AppendixA: List over refrigerants and refrigerant mixtures 55 Appendix B: Sabroe Chillers with NH3 refrigerant, installed in Den­ mark 1990-1997 57 Appendix C: Gram Chillers (York International) with NH3 refriger­ ant, installed in Denmark 1993-1997 61 Preface In recent years the consumption of potent green house gases in Denmark has increased, whilst at the same time the consumption of CFCs, HCFCs and other substances, depleting the ozone layer, is approaching zero. Substitution for CFCs and HCFCs Especially the consumption of HFC-substances has increased. These sub­ stances are usedas substitutes for CFCs and HCFCs for certain purposes, especially for refrigeration and blowing of polyurethane foam. However, it should be mentioned that more environmentally friendly alternatives have been introduced, e.g. hydrocarbons in aerosol cans, cyclopentane for district heating pipes and hydrocarbons, ammonia and water in various types of refrigeration systems. Artificial substances CFCs (halogenated chlorofluorocarbons), HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocar- bons), HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons), PFCs (fluorocarbons) and SF6 (sulphur hexafluoride) are all artificial substances which were not to be found in nature until recently. Ozone depleting substances Furthermore, as these substances are relatively stable, their lifetime in the atmosphere is long. This applies particularly to the halogenated substances: CFCs, PFCs and SF@. The CFCs and HCFCs are ozone depleting substan­ ces, which are subjected to an international convention, the Montreal Proto­ col, for guarantee of elimination of these substances. Except essential uses, Danish and EU legislation has now prohibited the use of CFCs. Additional ­ ly, the use of HCFC is decreasing in Denmark and will be brought to a complete stop before year 2002. United Nation Climate Convention Because HFCs, PFCs and SF« contain neither chlorine nor bromide, these substances will not contribute to any depletion of the ozone layer. However, they are contributing to the green house effect. The regulation of green house gases will be conducted by the United Nation Climate Convention, - yet details of such regulation are not finally settled. This topic will be di­ scussed during the 3rd Meeting of the Parties of the Climate Convention in Kyoto, Japan in December 1997. Danish consumption In 1995 the Danish consumption of HFC substances was approximately 740 tonnes, where the corresponding amount of SF6 was about 17 tonnes. If the entire amount of these substances was released to the atmosphere, the resulting impact would correspond to an increased emission of green house gases, corresponding to appproximately 1.5 million tonnes of C02. HFC substances would account for 73%, SF@ with 26% and PFC for 1%. This corresponds to approximately 2.6% of the Danish C02 emission (nearly 60 million tonnes per year). This corresponds to about half of the aimed 6% reduction of C02 emission attained by introduction of mandatory A greens taxes on C02. 5 On this background the project was supported by the Council for Re-use and Less Poluting Technologies. According to experience from the CFC programme it is possible to recover some CFC and send it to controlled destruction. From 1993 to 1996 the re­ frigeration industry, for instance, has returned a total amount of 163 tonnes of CFC refrigerant through the KMO organization (Kplebranchens Miljp Ordning). Most of this has been destroyed and a small amount has been purified and recycled afterwards. Similarly, it is likely to believe that some HFC refrigerant will be returned through the KMO organization. Phase-out strategy Additionally, it should be mentioned that the Danish Minister of Environ­ ment and Energy, Mr. Svend Auken, during an international conference in September 1996 on applications for natural refrigerants, proclaimed that an environmental phase-out strategy would be initiated for HFCs and other potent green house gases in Denmark within a period of 10 years. At the same time he asked the Danish Environmental Protection Agency (the Da­ nish EPA) to examine the further aspects of such phase-out strategy and to initiate discussions about this topic with industry and the Agreens organi ­ sations. In addition, the HFCs, the PFCs and SFg are registered on the Danish EPA=s list of 100 substances, non-desirable in the future. Technical discussions In recent years various technologies have been discussed at conferences and seminars, in technical magazines and in daily newspapers. Many que­ stions have been asked about how to find the most suitable technology, environmentally safe and safe to use. Examples worth mentioning are modem household refrigerators using two kinds of refrigerants, viz. HFC- 134a and hydrocarbon (isobutane). Such discussions will continue many years from now. This is not only a matter between industry on the one side and Agreens organisations on the other. This subject is being discussed very actively between people within different industrial branches, and discussions are often influenced by com­ mercial interest. The Energy Division of The Danish Technological Institute (DTI Energy) is aware that this report might be used as reference in such discussions. The steering committee, established by the Danish EPA on the basis of this pro ­ ject, consists of members representing both industry and A greens organi ­ sations. On recommendation of The Danish EPA matters in relation to this project are openly discussed to allow contribution of further information from the members of the steering committee and their respective organisa ­ tions. DTI Energy will then attempt to make all relevant information avai­ lable afterwards. However, continous development taking place within the various technolo ­ gy areas, mentioned in this report, must be recognized. Hence, some of the information value might appear slightly out of date. Should any relevant in­ formation not be considered in this report, DTI Energy would appreciate to 6 receive further details of such information. This will be included in the final edition, which will prepared at the end of 1998. 7 1 Background Consumption In 1995 industry=s approximate use of chemical substances in Denmark amounted to 740 tonnes of HFCs, 17 tonnes of SF& and 1.5 tonnes of PFCs. From the table below the amount of use and environmental effect of these substances are shown. Consumption GWP C02 Atmospheric Life in 1995, (100 yr) equivalents, Time, Substance (in tonnes) (in tonnes) (inyr) HFC-134a 565 1300 734000 14.6 HFC-152a 47 140 6500 1.5 R-404A 119 3260 387940 36.6,48.3 and 14.6 R-401A, 13 various (10000) various R-402A sf6 17 23900 46300 3200 RFC 1.5 7000 10500 2600 (C3F8) Total 763 1555740 Notes: R404A is a mixture ofHFC-125, HFC-143a and HFC-134a (44%, 52%, 4%) R401A: HCFC-22, HCFC-152a and HCFC124 (53%, 13%, 34%) R402A: HCFC22, HFC-125 and propane (38%, 60%, 2%) GWP (Global Warming Potential) for HFC- 143a is 3800 and GWPfor HFC-125 is 2800. Incomparison the definition of GWP = 1 for CO2 Figures showing the amount of consumption appear from a survey perfor- • med in1995 by the Danish EPA on ozone layer depleting substances and potent green house gases: Environmental Project No. 342, the Danish EPA, 1997). This report is written by Jan Holmegaard Hansen, COWI. The figures have been adjusted to new GWP-figures from IPCC (the International Panel of Climate Change), 1995. 2.6% of CO2 emission As appears from the table, if the entire amount of these substances is relea­ sed to the atmosphere, it will cause an increased emission of green house gases, corresponding to approximately 1.55 tonnes, which is nearly 2.6% of the CO2 emission in Denmark (approximately 60 million tonnes). It should 9 be emphasized that the figure represents the consumption of raw materials and for that reason the potential emission of these substances.