On April 5, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Justice announced a Clean Air Act settlement with Tyson Foods Inc. and several of its affiliates to address threats of accidental chemical releases after anhydrous ammonia was released during incidents at facilities in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska.
At some point, a refrigerant brought back for reclamation simply can’t be brought back to ARI-700 purity standards. There are a couple of approaches, including, destruction, which has a long track record, and, another option, conversion, offers a much fresher approach.
Ongoing discussions are currently underway, examining ways to incorporate HFCs into the protocol in order to phase down their use due to relatively high global warming potential (GWP).
The reality is that in 2012, and thus far in 2013, few technicians and contractors are bringing R-22 back for reclamation despite an abundance of capacity at many reclamation facilities.
While the reclamation process may not be meeting industry expectations, numerous manufacturers are offering equipment and devices that make the process easier than ever before.
Designed for air conditioners, the R-410A recharge kit’s disposable, 1.8-pound R-410A cylinder is composed of a reusable gauge, ¼-SAE outlet, and shutoff valve/adapter 5⁄16 inch.
This article focuses on the retrofitting of HFC refrigerants into systems designed for use with HCFC-22. There are now a wide range of HFC retrofit refrigerants for a wide range of R-22 applications from air conditioning through refrigeration.
With supplies of some refrigerants dwindling, costs rising, and recordkeeping and venting regulations in place, the need for careful refrigerant management is needed more than ever. That being the case, more and more manufacturers are coming out with products to address the need.
The Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy, an industry coalition, said in November 2012 the United States government successfully concluded 11 criminal and civil cases related to HCFC-22 refrigerant smuggling over the last two years.