Towards a fresh approach to standards

The present IEC standard used for hermetically sealed applications, (IEC60335-2-89), limits to 150 grams the charge of any flammable refrigerant, which makes the full application of the Kigali Amendment for transitioning to low-GWP refrigerants more difficult, writes Embraco’s Marek Zgliczynski in the summer edition of Accelerate Europe.

Last year’s Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol saw the global community take another important step towards reducing CO₂ emissions from human activity in order to preserve our planet for future generations. The global phase-down of HFCs in the refrigeration sector is making an important contribution to international mitigation efforts.

Recent regulations in different parts of the world (EU F-Gas Regulation, US SNAP rules and CARB actions, etc.) impose bans on high-GWP refrigerants in the next few years in several refrigeration and air conditioning segments, including different categories of light commercial refrigeration.

Today, light commercial refrigeration appliances follow IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) safety standards. IEC product standards are the reference for regional and national legislation (e.g. EN and UL standards, EPA rules, etc.).

The present IEC standard used for hermetically sealed applications, (IEC60335-2-89), limits to 150 grams the charge of any flammable refrigerant, which makes the full application of the Kigali Amendment for transitioning to low-GWP refrigerants more difficult – notwithstanding the fact that by using multiple independent circuits, the problem of charge limits in bigger cabinets can be solved using the existing standard.

In the IEC SC61C/WG4 working group, the industry is trying to define specific additional measures needed to allow higher charge levels without increasing risks above the existing standard.

Activity led by Werner Schwaiger, from Austrian National Committee, started in 2015. Recently, during a meeting held in Turin at the end of April this year, the working group addressed comments received on the last draft of the amendment to IEC standard 60335-2-89.

The main factor used to minimise the creation of a flammable mixture around the appliance is the airflow. Its effectiveness must be certified using a special leak test. The leak test was developed with the help of specialised laboratories in Great Britain and in Germany. Additionally, outcomes of an AHRI project to assess the severity of negative events due to flammable refrigerants (both A3 and A2Ls), currently in progress in the US, will be taken into consideration.

As a result, a new Draft for Comments (DC) document that considers the 500g limit for propane charges and which will also allow the use of slightly flammable A2L safety class refrigerant alternatives, will be circulated in May. If positively commented upon and if a consensus is reached, the document will be submitted to the SC61C committee to go to the first official vote as a Committee Draft (CDV) during the Plenary Meeting of the SC61C in October in Vladivostok.

During 2018, in the event of positive CDV and FDIS votes (a majority of 66.7% of P-members is required), the final standard amendment should be published.

It is important to note that the majority of experts participating in WG4 working group activity are from leading US companies. Therefore there is a good chance that UL and the EPA will also adopt the approved IEC standard into American legislation quite soon. The European version of the IEC standard will be voted in parallel and other regions, like China, Japan, etc., should follow as well.

Marek Zgliczynski
Chair of IEC SC61C
Embraco Commercial Refrigeration R&D

To read this guest column in the summer edition of Accelerate Europe, please click here.