Refrigeration Installation

[/business/processes/refrigeration/installation]

This category provides a simple screening method to allow users to estimate their greenhouse gas emissions from the installation of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment. This methodology follows that from the latest Defra data and advice and is originally based on the methodologies published in association with the IPCC National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Programme and EPA Climate Leaders initiative.

The calculation method is based on assumptions relating to the type of unit being used, so requires minimal understanding of the complexities of the system being used. The user should enter information on any units installed and charged (filled) on-site during the time period under consideration. Greenhouse gas emissions from units charged off-site, i.e. by the manufacturer, are not the user's responsibility.

Refrigerants differ in their specific physical (particularly thermal) properties and therefore exert a variable effect on atmospheric warming. As such, the absolute quantity of emissions for a given refrigerant type is converted into a standard measure of environmental impact - CO2e: the equivalent quantity of carbon dioxide (CO2) which would produce the same atmospheric warming effect. This conversion is made by multiplying the absolute emissions quantity by the 'global warming potential' (GWP) of the respective refrigerant - a value unique to the gas which represents its warming effect relative to CO2.


How to use this category

Selecting an emissions scenario

Firstly use the drill-down type to select the type of equipment under assessment. This is chosen from the following options.

  • domestic refrigeration
  • stand-alone commercial applications
  • medium and large commercial applications
  • transport refrigeration
  • industrial refrigeration (inc. food processing and cold storage)
  • chillers
  • residential and commercial a/c including heat pumps
  • mobile air conditioning

Specifying activity data

The user must then enter the equipmentChargeCapacity (see the Refrigeration category for more guide values), the numberOfUnits and the refrigerantType as profile item values. The refrigerantType profile item value calls the relevant global warming potential for that refrigerant from the GWP category. This must be selected from the following list.

  • CO2
  • HFC-23
  • HFC-32
  • HFC-41
  • HFC-125
  • HFC-134
  • HFC-134a
  • HFC-143
  • HFC-143a
  • HFC-152a
  • HFC-227ea
  • HFC-236fa
  • HFC-245fa
  • HFC-4310mee
  • CF4
  • C2F6
  • C3F8
  • C4F8
  • C4F10
  • C5F12
  • C6F14
  • R404a
  • R407c
  • R408a
  • R410a
  • R507
  • R508b
  • CFC-11
  • CFC-12
  • CFC-13
  • CFC-113
  • CFC-114
  • CFC-115
  • HCFC-22
  • HCFC-123
  • HCFC-124
  • HCFC-141b
  • HCFC-142b
  • HCFC-225ca
  • HCFC-225cb
  • R290
  • R600a
  • R406a
  • R409a
  • R502

Results and calculation

The quantities returned represent the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the quantities and refrigerant type specified. The following quantities are returned:

  • absoluteEmissions: absolute quantity of refrigerant emissions
  • CO2e: CO2e emissions (absolute emissions converted using the appropriate global warming potential)
If no refrigerantType is specified then only the absolute quantity of emissions can be calculated and the value for CO2e will be zero.

 UIDLabel
H6O8R1VRB8E4 chillers
GFELFM8Q44MW domestic refrigeration
JXU6LON5Z42Q industrial refrigeration (inc. food processing and cold storage)
HT7RUFCNUARP medium and large commercial applications
2CKLULE6I1TX mobile air conditioning
OET2L4DL6H0U residential and commercial a/c
WLR5JH6CZ50C residential and commercial a/c including heat pumps
P7OQPX51YFDV residential and commercial heat pumps
M7N0XAJQX5HU stand-alone commercial applications
8SX1M7X0BWVP transport refrigeration
Log in to perform calculations on this data
Name: Refrigeration_Installation
Full path: /business/processes/refrigeration/installation
Parent Category: Refrigeration
Provenance: DEFRA