IEA HPT Annex 64: Safety measures for flammable refrigerants

Project objectives

The overall objective of the IEA HPT Annex 64 project is to contribute to a broad and safe use of flammable refrigerants in heat pump and refrigeration systems up to 50 kW for space heating and hot water production in Austria. Specifically, existing barriers in the use of flammable refrigerants are to be reduced by developing new knowledge regarding the associated risks as well as technical solution options for safe use and disseminating this knowledge to relevant target groups.

Contents

The planned national project activities include:

1. identification and clear presentation of the legal framework with regard to installation, operation and maintenance of the various types of systems operated with flammable refrigerants;
2. survey and documentation of the state of the art with regard to leakage scenarios and requirements for their detection, as well as collection and evaluation of damage cases in terms of causes and frequencies;
3. survey and evaluation of methods for the early detection of leaks, including evaluations of the sensor technology required for this purpose;
4. survey and documentation of state of the art measures for the reduction of refrigerant charge according to literature as well as clear presentation of results and findings from experimental R&D projects on the reduction of refrigerant charge in heat pump and refrigeration systems;
5. development of a risk assessment methodology as a decision support tool for practitioners; and
6. various dissemination and communication measures for broad dissemination of know-how gained in the national project as well as the results and findings from the international annex project, especially among refrigeration technicians and manufacturers or distributors of heat pump and refrigeration systems.

Expected results

The planned national results include:

1. summary reports on the legal situation and various technical options for reducing the risks of using flammable refrigerants in different types of heat pump and refrigeration systems;
2. a study with findings on frequency and causes of refrigerant leaks in national heat pump and refrigeration systems; and
3. a guideline to assist manufacturers, designers and installers of heat pump and refrigeration systems in assessing the risks associated with the installation, operation and maintenance of systems using flammable refrigerants, thereby reducing the risks associated with their use.

Austria, Germany, South Korea, Sweden (Operating Agent)

Project leader:

Bernd Windholz
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH
Giefinggasse 2, 1210 Wien
Email: Bernd.Windholz@ait.ac.at
Web: www.ait.ac.at

Project partners:

Prof. René Rieberer
TU Graz, Institut für Wärmetechnik
Inffeldgasse 25/B, 8010 Graz
E-Mail: rene.rieberer@tugraz.at
Web: www.tugraz.at

Harald Erös
ÖGKT Österreichische Gesellschaft der Kältetechnik
Althanstraße 1-3/1/30, 1090 Wien
E-Mail: harald.eroes@oegkt.at
Web: www.oegkt.at

Siegfried Thurner
WPA Wärmepumpe Austria
Bockgasse 2a, 4020 Linz
E-Mail: thurner@waermepumpe-austria.at
Web: www.waermepumpe-austria.at