European F-Gas regulations stipulate a step-wise decrease in HFC use of 79% by 2030, ahead of the Kigali Amendment goal for 2047. The overall aim is to reduce and contain refrigerant emissions by adopting responsible refrigeration. As such, it is a criminal offense to release F-gases into the atmosphere, with the responsibility for the legislation falls on the owners and operators to:
- Prevent leakage
- Ensure that leak checks are carried out
- Repair any leaks as soon as possible
- Arrange proper refrigerant recovery
- Maintain record of any refrigerant losses, additions and servicing
The requirement for leak detection, inspection and leak check frequency depends on the total CO2 equivalent (tCO2e) charge of the equipment. This can be calculated from a quantity of F-Gas by multiplying the mass of the gas (in tons), by the GWP of the gas. The mass of the F-Gas is usually expressed in kilograms (kg) on product labels. To convert the mass to tons, divide by 1,000. As the following table shows, stationary equipment that has over 5 tCO2e requires regular inspection and calibration. Inspections can cut in half if using a calibrated refrigerant leak detection system (ALDS). Bearing in mind, ALDS is mandatory for refrigeration systems over 500 tCO2e. For instance, inspection time for a system with 400 tCO2e is every 6 months. However, with an ALDS, inspection frequency is every 12 months.
Size of Equipment | Leak Detection Requirement | Leak Detection System (ALDS) Inspection / Calibration Frequency | Equipment Leak Check Frequency (without ALDS) | Equipment Leak Check Frequency (with ALDS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–5 tCO2e | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| 5–50 tCO2e | Optional | 12-months | 12-months | 24-months |
| 50–500 tCO2e | Optional | 12-months | 6-months | 12-months |
| 500+ tCO2e | Required | 12-months | N/A | 6-months |
Bacharach provide a number of low-level refrigerant monitoring solutions for F-Gas compliance. The Multi-Zone and Single-Zone fixed refrigerant monitors, the PGM-IR portable refrigerant monitor along with the cloud based Parasense Refrigerant Tracking and Compliance software.
