Saving CO2 and following legal guidelines with Rittal

New regulations around F-gases

As of January 1, 2020, there will be a ban on the use of certain refrigerants. In addition, a number of new rules and regulations will come into effect for the maintenance and labeling of refrigeration and air conditioning systems. Operators of refrigeration systems with questions can turn to Rittal. Thanks to personalized advice and comprehensive service, the company makes its cooling solutions future-proof. And that means not only complying with the new F-gases regulation but also increasing energy efficiency.

Phasing out the use of fluorinated greenhouse gases is a particularly topical issue that is putting a lot of pressure on operators of refrigeration systems, including car manufacturers. Fluorinated greenhouse gases, or F-gases, are used as refrigerants, including in refrigeration units and air conditioning systems. In the future, emissions of these climate-damaging substances will have to be gradually reduced to limit their impact on global warming - either through targeted substitution or the use of alternative technologies.

Environmental protection: F-gases regulation

EU Regulation 517/2014 on F-gases, which came into force on Jan. 1, 2015, aims to reduce industrial emissions by as much as 70% by 2030, compared to 1990. More specifically, EU emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases must be reduced from 70 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) to 35 million tons of CO2e by 2030. Specifically, from Jan. 1, 2020, there will be a ban on the use of refrigerants with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) value of 2,500 or more and new and modified regulations on maintenance, servicing, leak tightness checks, certification, disposal and labeling of the relevant refrigeration systems.

Approved cooling units and chillers

The ban on the use of F-gases and products containing them raises many questions for refrigeration system operators. After all, which of their existing cooling units and chillers will they still be allowed to use after 2020? However, they can rest assured that Rittal has been designing all cooling solutions in accordance with F-gases regulations for many years and therefore do not need to take any further action.

The Rittal cooling units and chillers operate with a hermetically sealed cooling cycle and with approved refrigerants, allowing them to be used without problems even after 2020.

Rittal F-gas calculator offers clarity

With the entry into force of the F-gases regulation, operators of refrigeration systems with a defined amount of refrigerant are obliged to carry out regular leak tightness checks. Using the Rittal F-gas calculator, one can easily determine to what extent an existing system is affected by the consequences of the F-gases measure. This online tool calculates the GWP value and the corresponding CO2e based on the type and amount of refrigerant used. The CO2e determines the action the operator must take to comply with the measure.

Here's how the Rittal F-gas calculator works: https://www.rittal.com/de_de/f-gase/rechner.php?lang=en

Enter all the system parameters (as indicated on the nameplate), along with the type of refrigerant and the fill quantity per circuit. The result is the CO2e of the system. Also shown: the permissibility of refilling refrigerant in case of leakage and practical advice for the operation of the current system.

Personalized assistance

As a true service partner, Rittal offers the necessary advice for all users of cooling systems. From determining the actual condition of an installation and calculating its efficiency, to drawing up an action-oriented recommendation and determining possible savings, to setting up a new system with a maintenance contract and disposing of old devices. Rittal supports companies with personal consulting in order to overcome all possible obstacles surrounding the new guidelines and efficiency targets. In the process, customers can count on cost transparency, qualified maintenance technicians and warranty extensions. So contact Rittal Customer Service quickly at +32 (0)9 353 91 45 or mail to sales@rittal.be.