Refrigerant Retrofits

By: Ken Welter

Manager of Refrigeration Engineering
Stop & Shop Supermarket Company

FMI Energy & Technical Services Conference

September 2006
ODS Phaseout
z Class I ODS (CFC’s)
Full phaseout effective Jan 1, 1996

z Class II ODS (HCFC’s)

- 2004 Consumption at 65% of 1989 cap
- 2010 Consumption at 35% of cap. No
production or importing of HCFC-22 except
for use in equipment manufactured before
Jan 1, 2010
- 2015 Consumption at 10% of cap
- 2020 No production and no importing of
HCFC-22
 Non-ODS Refrigerants
HFC: R-134A
HFC Blends: R-404A, R-507
HFC / HC Blends: R-417A, R-422A, R-422B,
R-422D

Benefit of HFC/HC Blends: Can use mineral oil

Retrofit Options
Class I & Class II ODS to HFC or HFC/HC Blends

z R-12, R-401A, R-401B, R-409A

Convert to R-134A

z R-502, R-402A, R-408A

Convert to R-404A, R-507

z R-22
Convert to R-404A, R-507,R-417A,
R-422A,R-422B, R-422D
Energy Comparison
R-22 vs. R-404A Medium Temp

Medium Temp (R-22 vs. R-404A)

(Rack load profile as a function of ambient temperature)
100.00
90.00
R-404A
80.00

70.00
Rack Power (kW)

60.00
R-22
50.00
40.00
30.00
20.00
10.00
0.00
2 7 12 17 22 27 32 37 42 47 52 57 62 67 72 77 82 87 92 97
Ambient Temp
 Comparison of Thermodynamic Properties
(20o SST, 110o SCT, 5o SH, 40o RGT)

Liq. Density Liq. Press. Suct. Press. Spec. Vol. Suct. Gas Latent Capacity
(# / Ft3) (PSIA) (PSIA) (Ft3 / #) (BTU / #)
0o Subcooling
R-22 69.69 241.0 57.7 .9845 63.94
R-404A 58.89 286.2 70.5 .6986 40.83
R-507 66.82 221.1 50.5 .8850 46.60
R-417A 59.10 294.0 73.5 .6061 39.90
R-422A 64.21 288.0 69.8 .6022 34.72
R-422B 66.35 235.0 54.0 .6886 44.20
R-422D 65.70 252.6 58.4 .7586 40.87
25o Subcooling
R-22 73.50 71.44
R-404A 64.10 50.01
R-507 70.61 55.25
R-417A 64.20 Same asas
Same 0o 0o
SCSC 49.15
R-422A 69.39 43.37
R-422B 70.33 52.70
R-422D 70.03 49.37
50o Subcooling
R-22 76.50 78.94
R-404A 68.00 59.18
R-507 74.32 63.90
R-417A 68.20 Same as 0o SC 58.40
R-422A 73.86 52.02
R-422B 73.85 61.20
R-422D 74.07 57.87
 Comparison of Refrigerant Flow Rates
(20o SST, 110o SCT, 5o SH, 40o RGT)
Suct. Gas Mass Liquid TXV Capacity
(CFM/Ton) (#/Hr/Ton) (In3/min/Ton) (Tons Rel. to R-22 @ 0o SC)
0o Subcooling
R-22 2.96 181 75 1.00
R-404A 3.34 287 140 0.63
R-507 3.75 254 110 0.67
R-417A 3.00 297 145 0.61
R-422A 3.11 310 139 0.61
R-422B 3.04 265 115 0.66
R-422D 3.56 282 123 0.64
25o Subcooling
R-22 2.66 162 64 1.14
R-404A 2.74 235 106 0.80
R-507 3.17 215 88 0.82
R-417A 2.44 242 108 0.79
R-422A 2.54 253 105 0.78
R-422B 2.56 223 91 0.81
R-422D 2.97 235 97 0.79
50o Subcooling
R-22 2.42 147 55 1.28
R-404A 2.32 199 84 0.97
R-507 2.74 186 72 0.97
R-417A 2.06 204 86 0.96
R-422A 2.15 214 84 0.95
R-422B 2.21 193 75 0.96
R-422D 2.55 201 78 0.95
The Great Equalizer

SUBCOOLING
Temperature Glide (oF)
@ 20o Evap @110o Cond
R-22 0o 0o
R-404A 1o 1o
R-507 0o 0o
R-417A 8o 5o
R-422A 3o 2o
R-422B 8o 5o
R-422D 7o 4o
Environmental Performance
ODP Direct GWP
R-22 0.055 1,500
R-404A 0 3,260
R-507 0 3,900
R-417A 0 1,950
R-422A 0 2,530
R-422B 0 2,080
R-422D 0 2,230
 Why Retrofit?

„ HCFC Phaseout (Beat the Clock)

„ Regulatory Relief (Beat the Heat)

 Projected R-22 Supply

Actual amount
reclaimed in
2003 – 2,000 MT

E.I DuPont de Nemours & Co. Used by permission

Start a Retrofit Program Now?
Small Chain
• Look at time to next remodel, service life of
equipment, availability of capital.

• Should be enough R-22 available well after 2020

phaseout to service small percentage of existing
installed base.

• Potential for better refrigerant or technology options in

the future?

Large Chain
• Yes!
 Large Chain Scenario
500 Stores / 1,500 HCFC systems

159 months until Jan 1,2020

Start now: 9 system retrofits / month

Start Jan 1, 2010: 12 system retrofits/month
Start Jan 1, 2015: 25 system retrofits/month
Internally Generated Refrigerant Supply

(A retrofit program will soon generate enough recovered refrigerant

to satisfy internal demand)

Refrigerant Recovery
(Example)

12000

10000
Recovery Rate
8000 (lbs/mo)
Lbs R-22

6000

Consumption
4000 (lbs/mo)

2000

0
1 15 29 43 57 71 85 99 113 127 141 155
Months
Regulatory Relief
z Refrigerant management practices
- No intentional venting of HFC’s

z Reporting requirements
- Not required for HFC’s

z Leak repairs / Record keeping

- Don’t differentiate. Maintain equally rigorous
practices regardless of refrigerant.
Prior to Conversion
z Leak check full system

z System survey
(TXV’s, ball valves, solenoid valves, compressors)

z Identify potential leakers (e.g. components w/ elastomeric

seals)

z Obtain all components to be replaced with conversion

z Oil flushes (depending on refrigerant type)

z Subcooler installation
Liquid Subcooler Installation
 System Conversion
z Recover existing refrigerant
1) Recover liquid
- Force head pressure up, vent receiver to suction manifold
to speed liquid recovery, recover liquid from receiver.

- Shut king valve, and recover additional liquid keeping

compressors running until back pressure down to 1 atm.
(Replace Schrader cores and valve seals at rack, condenser & reclaim coils at this time)

2) Recover vapor
- Use recovery machines to evacuate system to 30” vacuum

z Recharge with new refrigerant

z Adjust pressure control set points

Post-conversion
z Continue component replacement
(Schrader cores, TXV and/or power elements if required,
miscellaneous valve seals at all remote locations)

z Monitor for leaks

z Transfer recovered refrigerant

(Inventory for in-house use or return to supplier for
reclamation)

z Update records
 Conclusions
z Larger retailers should be gearing up for
aggressive retrofit programs
z Alternatives available that can use existing mineral
oil charge
z No true “Drop-In” (Some HFC/HC blends are close)
z Subcooling (“The Great Equalizer”)
z Environmental Impact (Small step forward)
z Not the end game