Refrigerant leaks in HVACR equipment – particularly commercial refrigeration systems -- are a significant problem. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) GreenChill program, the typical supermarket has an annual leak rate of about 25 percent, which equates to about 1,000 lbs. of leaked refrigerant every year. That’s just for one store.
At a recent AHRI webinar, Rajan Rajendran, vice president, systems innovation center and sustainability at Emerson, noted that globally, more than half of the new refrigerant GWP that is produced goes straight into charging leaking equipment. That’s a shocking statistic.