F gases regulation

(EU) 517/2014

White Paper IE 9 “Are cooling units and chillers from Rittal

no longer deployable post 2020?” This or
similar questions are repeatedly asked by
Date: May, 2019 panel, switchgear or machine builders.
As background information, the inception
Authors: Ralf Schneider, of the regulation (EU) No. 517/2014 con-
Ann-Christin Kring cerning fluorinated greenhouse gases
(F gases regulation) since January 1,
2015, results in banned use for cooling
and air-conditioning plants as well as
new regulations for their maintenance
and servicing.
This white paper explains which areas are
affected by the new regulation, which use
bans apply and how it affects the use of
Rittal climate-control solutions.
 F gases regulation (EU) 517/2014 2
Contents

Contents

1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2 Content of the F gases regulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

3 Limitation of the total quantity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

4 Use bans for F gases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

5 Regular inspections and leakage checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

6 Service and efficiency checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

7 FAQs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

8 Table of figures, tables and references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

 F gases regulation (EU) 517/2014 3
Introduction

1 Introduction

“Are cooling units and chillers from Rittal no longer deployable post 2020?” This or similar
questions are repeatedly asked by customers of worldwide panel, switchgear and machine
building sector. As background information, the inception of the regulation (EU) No. 517/
2014 concerning fluorinated greenhouse gases (F gases regulation) since January 1, 2015,
includes banned uses for cooling and air-conditioning plants as well as new regulations for
their maintenance and servicing.

The F gases regulation is fundamentally a contribution to reducing industrial emissions to

70 percent by 2030 compared with 1990. Specifically, the emissions of fluorinated green-
house gases (F gases) in the EU should be reduced by 70 million tons of CO2 equivalent
to 35 million tons of CO2 equivalent by year 2030. Whereby, three regulation principles
should contribute to the emission reduction [UBA]:

– Introduction of a successive restriction (phase-down) of the quantities of partially-fluorinat-

ed hydrocarbons (HFC) available on the market by 2030 to a fifth of today’s sales quantities
– Issue use and marketing bans, provided technically feasible, climate-friendly alternatives
are available
– Retention and augmentation of the regulations for leakage inspections, certification,
disposal and marking

Important in this regard is the statement made by the EU Commission concerning alterna-
tives to F gases [EUC]. Because of the different thermodynamic and safety properties of the
alternatives, there is no “one size fits all” solution. Whether a specific alternative is suitable
must be considered individually for each category of products and equipment.
 F gases regulation (EU) 517/2014 4
Content of the F gases regulation

Consequently, in some cases, the ambient temperature at the deployment location of the
product and of the equipment must be considered.

In the search for alternatives to HFCs (partially-fluorinated hydrocarbons) and HCFCs (hydro-
chlorofluorocarbons) for specific applications, the total greenhouse emissions associated
with the use are of concern. Consequently, suitable climate-friendly alternatives must exhibit
a high energy efficiency so that the reduction of the direct emissions from the alternatives
HFCs and HCFCs is not offset by higher indirect emissions caused by the energy consump-
tion.

This white paper explains which areas are affected by the new regulation, which use bans
apply and how it affects the use of Rittal climate control solutions.

2 Content of the F gases regulation

The F gases regulation (EU) 517/2014 in force since January 1, 2015 replaced regulation (EC)
842/2006. Its objective is to reduce the emissions of F gases and so their effect on global
warming.

The new F gases regulation includes additional action compared with the regulation from
2006. It strengthens the action of the earlier regulation, and introduces a number of new
wider activities for reducing F gases and their emissions.

The new regulation affects the following areas:

– Leakages: new interval for the inspection, requirement for detection systems and
recording
– Recovery: increased attention of the member states for ensuring disposal
– Use bans: restrictions for various applications that use F gases
– Maintenance and servicing: new rules post 2020 for products with GWP
(Global Warming Potential) > 2500
– Certification: delivery of refrigerants to certified customers
– Marking: further additional details for marking plant and pressure vessels
– Phase-down period: reduction linked with production and import quotas
– Reporting: revised process for reporting to the EU
 F gases regulation (EU) 517/2014 5
Limitation of the total quantity

3 Limitation of the total quantity

The actual core concept behind the new F gases regulation is not the bans, but rather the
on-going limitation and so reduction of the F gas quantities (phase-down) by issuing quotas
to manufacturers and importers. Whereby, this is a drastic, previously never experienced,
step meaning that industry and users must convert to refrigerants with a lower GWP value.

To implement the phase-down, the European Commission limits the HFC (= F gases) quan-
tities that may be marketed in the EU. This means that the European Commission specifies
for all enterprises that manufacture or import HFCs how much they may market in the EU.

These quantities, also called quotas, are expressed as a CO2 equivalent and do not apply to
specific refrigerant types; enterprises are not permitted to exceed their granted quotas.

The (relative) global warming potential (GWP) specifies the extent to which a specified
quantity of a greenhouse gas contributes to the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide serves
as comparison value. The value describes the average warming effect over a specific interval.
100 years are often considered. The CO2 equivalent quantity is the product formed from the
absolute quantity of the HFC and the associated GWP of the HFC.

Refrigerant quantity [kg] corresponds to

IPCC 4th AR
tons of CO2

5 10
F gas GWP100 kg kg
R 134a 1,430 3.5 7
R 404A 3,922 1.3 2.6
R 407C 1,774 2.8 5.6
R 410A 2,088 2.4 4.8
R 422D 2,730 1.8 3.6
R 507A 3,985 1.3 2.6

Table 1: GWP / refrigerant quantity overview

 F gases regulation (EU) 517/2014 6
Limitation of the total quantity

Calculation:
The refrigerant R134a used by Rittal has a GWP of 1,430. The refrigerant filling quantity of an
enclosure cooling unit with 500 g then corresponds to a CO2 equivalent of 0.72 t (500 g filling
quantity x 1430 GWP = 0.72 t CO2e).

The objective is to reduce the consumption of F gases. As of 2015, the production quantities,
expressed as CO2 equivalent, should be reduced by 79% by 2030.

Specified output quantity

100%

90%
93
Quantity, calculated in t CO2 equivalent

80% The specified output quantity is reduced successively

but not to zero (phase-down)
70%
63
60%

50%
45
40%

30%
31
20% 24
21
10%

0%
2015 2020 2025 2030
Year

Figure 1: Phase-down graphic (source: German Environment Agency [UBA])

F-gas calculator provides clarity

Operators can easily determine the extent to which an existing system is affected by the
consequences of the F gases regulation by using the Rittal F-gas calculator: This online tool
calculates the corresponding carbon dioxide equivalent based on the GWP value and the
amount of refrigerant being used. The carbon dioxide equivalent determines the action the
operator will have to take in order to comply with the regulation. Here’s how the Rittal F-gas
calculator works: All system parameters (as shown on the rating plate), as well as the type of
refrigerant and the filling quantity per circuit are entered at http://www.rittal.com/f-gas.
The result is the carbon dioxide equivalent of the system. The admissibility of refrigerant
replenishment, as well as practical advice for the operation of the current system are also
shown.
 F gases regulation (EU) 517/2014 7
Use bans for F gases

4 Use bans for F gases

Use bans have been issued for many refrigeration and air-conditioning applications for which
more environment-friendly alternatives exist, such as refrigerators in households or in
commercial properties (supermarkets), air-conditioners as well as foams and aerosols:

Use bans in new plants [in addition to the existing restrictions from the Valid as of
F gases regulation 842/2006]

Household refrigerators and deep-freezers that contain HFCs with a

01/01/2015
GWP of at least 150
Fire extinguishers that contain R 23 (exception: critical applications) 01/01/2016
Refrigerated counters and freezer cabinets in the commercial area (hermetically
01/01/2020
sealed) that contain HFCs with a GWP of at least 2500
Stationary cooling plants with F gases with a GWP > 2500, except for plants with
01/01/2020
temperatures below –50°C.
Portable room air-conditioners (hermetically sealed) that contain HFCs with a
01/01/2020
GWP of at least 150
XPS foams that contain HFCs with a GWP of at least 150 01/01/2020
Technical aerosols that contain HFCs with a GWP of at least 150, except for medical
01/01/2020
applications or requirements that affect national safety
Refrigerated counters and freezer cabinets in the commercial area (hermetically
01/01/2022
sealed) that contain HFCs with a GWP of 150
New refrigeration centres for commercial purposes with a capacity above 40 kW,
except for the main cycle of cascade systems whose refrigerant must have a 01/01/2022
GWP value below 1500
Other foams that contain HFCs with a GWP of at least 150 01/01/2023
Split systems with less than 3 kg refrigerant filling and HFCs with a
01/01/2025
GWP of at least 750

Table 2: Use bans

Rittal enclosure cooling units and chillers are not affected by these use bans
because they have a hermetically sealed refrigerant cycle (no split climate-control
systems).

In addition, the R134a, R410a and R407c refrigerants used in Rittal products have
a GWP less than 2500.
 F gases regulation (EU) 517/2014 8
Regular inspections and leakage checks

5 Regular inspections and leakage checks

Figure 2: Everything in sight: An employee from the Rittal Manufacturer’s Service checks the current
efficiency values of the Rittal Blue e+ cooling units at Voith Turbo in Heidenheim.

Operators of enclosure cooling devices must make regular professional maintenance a high
priority. This is because only reliable enclosure climate control protects the investment in the
system and ensures that electronic components are protected from overheating while pro-
cesses can run smoothly and safely. Emissions are prevented through the routine inspection
and maintenance of existing systems with F gases, as well as the recovery of the gases at
the end of the system's service life.

Any accidental release of fluorinated gases (leakage) must be prevented and kept to a
minimum by the operator of the F gases systems by taking precautions and performing every
technically and economically feasible measure. Should a leak be detected, the operator must
ensure that it is repaired promptly.

As also in the regulation from 2006, the number of leakage inspections depends on the
refrigerant filling of the equipment (per refrigerant cycle). However, the new regulation in
effect since 01/01/2017 uses the CO2 equivalent as basis rather than the weight in kilogram
as previously.
 F gases regulation (EU) 517/2014 9
Regular inspections and leakage checks

Number of leakage inspections

CO2 equivalent per
refrigerant cycle Without leakage With leakage
detection system detection system

From 5 to 50 tons Every 12 months Every 24 months

From 50 to 500 tons Every 6 months Every 12 months
Above 500 tons Every 3 months Every 6 months

Table 3: Leakage inspections

Equipment classified as hermetically sealed with a quantity less than 10 tons CO2 equivalent
is not subject to a leakage inspection. This is the case for all Rittal enclosure cooling units.
Filling quantities, GWP values and CO2 equivalent details are shown on the associated rating
plates and can also be obtained from the product descriptions on the Rittal website.

Rittal provides appropriate services for plants with a CO2 equivalent filling quantity > 10 tons.
Leakage inspections may be performed only by certified, qualified personnel. The Rittal
service personnel is certified in accordance with the F gas regulation no. 267/2014 and so
authorised to perform the required inspections.

The regular leak tests can also be combined with inspections and maintenance work. Main-
tenance of this nature is carried out according to product-specific checklists. It includes,
among other things, the visual inspection and assessment of the general condition of the
system, basic cleaning, the measurement and documentation of the system parameters, in-
specting the fans, air routing and setting parameters, as well as logging any maintenance
work and evaluating the state of the installation.

Besides this, Rittal also offers every service in the context of a service contract. Recurring
maintenance operations help uphold the value of the equipment installed and make costs
plannable. The customer benefits from cost transparency, the availability of spare parts,
24/7 accessibility, warranty extensions and qualified service technicians who can arrive on
site very quickly indeed.

The direct line to the Rittal Service Staff:

i +49 (0)2772 505 1717
or email to [email protected]

Further information can be found at:

i http://www.rittal.com/service-maintenance
 F gases regulation (EU) 517/2014 10
Service and efficiency checks

6 Service and efficiency checks

The condition of cooling devices without regular maintenance varies from factory to factory
and depends greatly on the environmental conditions. Where high levels of pollution are pre-
sent, machine availability declines due to the significantly reduced useful cooling capacity of
the enclosure cooling units and the increased amount of energy being consumed. The Rittal
After Sales Service provides plant operators with practical and reliable on-site support in reg-
ularly inspecting equipment and in order to comply with statutory regulations. Besides the
evaluation of the actual state of the system and the acquisition of all the operating parame-
ters, the customer also receives an efficiency analysis with a concrete calculation of the
energy consumption and potential savings to serve as a basis for decision-making. In many
cases, it is worth replacing old devices with the latest technologies that will ensure compli-
ance with regulatory and efficiency requirements in every case.

Besides all this, plant operators can benefit from applying for subsidies when replacing old
equipment with more efficient technologies. Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment
is promoting and initiating climate protection projects throughout Germany via its National
Climate Initiative (NKI). One contribution to help achieve the climate protection goals is to
increase the energy efficiency, reduce the need for refrigeration and to cut fluorinated green-
house gas emissions in the refrigeration and climate control technology sector. When it
comes to efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction, funding is being provided to support
system operators. Just which devices and which activities are being specifically funded will
be determined and checked individually; the amount of funding per appliance is calculated
based on the cooling output, the type of refrigeration system, how it is used, the reduction
in energy consumption and the savings in carbon dioxide output. A company that specialises
in making applications for funding supports plant operators at all the necessary stages and
checks whether the same investment measure can be cumulated with other funding pro-
grammes.

Best pratice Voith

The Voith technology group in Heidenheim, Germany took advantage of the Rittal service
and efficiency check and has discovered a remarkable savings potential: At the Voith plant,
staff of the Rittal Manufacturer’s Service looked at every machine tool and its enclosure
climate control system; a total of 50 different machines had enclosure climate control fea-
tures. The result of the Rittal service was a large-scale documentation of the condition of the
enclosure climate control for each machine examined and to make a recommendation as to
whether it would be rational to replace the cooling unit and which unit was suitable and how
much energy could be saved if it were replaced. In this specific case, it was recommended
to replace the cooling units on a total of 21 machine tools with units from the new “Blue e”
or “Blue e+” series; at least 70 percent of the energy consumed to date can now be saved.
The changeover to more energy-efficient cooling appliances paid off after just over two years.
11 F gases regulation (EU) 517/2014
Service and efficiency checks

Figure 3: Retrofitted with savings: After the conversion to the new Blue e+ chiller generation, more
than 70 percent or 25,000 euros per year in energy costs were saved.

Best practice Ford

Service partner Rittal has also been able to demonstrate considerable efficiency improve-
ments at the Ford automotive works in Cologne: More than €552,000 in energy costs and
276 tonnes of carbon dioxide is now being saved over a service life of ten years after replac-
ing 150 cooling units with Rittal Blue e and Blue e+ units. After deducting the investment
sum, the payback period was a mere 2.42 years. This provided decisive arguments for Ford
to let Rittal carry out analyses at its plants in both the UK and the USA. Ford then installed
the more energy-efficient Rittal Blue e+ chillers there as well, not least as a means of coun-
tering the cost pressure in the automotive industry.

Link to technical articles about Voith and Ford:

i https://betop.friedhelm-loh-group.com/
 F gases regulation (EU) 517/2014 12
FAQs

7 FAQs

1.) Are cooling units with compressors no longer permitted post 2020?
No. Rittal enclosure cooling units and chillers are not affected by these use bans
because they have a hermetically sealed refrigerant cycle and the deployed
refrigerants have a GWP value less than 2500.

2.) Are cooling units with a GWP = / > 150 no longer permitted post 2022?
No. The regulation affects only commercial refrigerated counters and freezer cabinets
(hermetically sealed). Enclosure cooling units are not affected.

3.) What is banned?

Refer to the table in Chapter 4, “Use bans for F gases”.

4.) From when (date) what applies and how?

Refer to the table in Chapter 4, “Use bans for F gases”.

5.) Which cooling units are affected? Filling quantity in kg?

See Question 1. Equipment classified as hermetically sealed with a quantity more than
10 tons CO2 equivalent is subject to a leakage inspection. Only Rittal chillers with
power rating above 30 kW must inspected. Rittal offers appropriate services for this
purpose (see item 4).

6.) Does Rittal have a detailed “roadmap” for what needs to be adapted to
conform to the EU regulation post 2022?
Rittal products are not affected by the use ban. Notwithstanding this, Rittal remains in
contact with the component and refrigerant manufacturers. The mid-term objective is
to provide feasible alternatives for energy-efficient and environment-friendly cooling
solutions.

7.) Are the refrigerants R134 and R410a still permitted post 2020 or 2022?
Yes. Refer to the table in Chapter 4, “Use bans for F gases”.

8.) How does the quota system function?

Quotas are expressed as CO2 equivalent. This means, the larger the global warming
potential (GWP) of a refrigerant, the greater the quantity of CO2 equivalent and so the
larger the required quota. The quotas are calculated once a year. The European Com-
mission has also created a special reserve for enterprises that in the past did not market
any HFC quantities in the EU. This should ensure that such enterprises can also apply
for quotas. The European Commission then deploys an assignment mechanism as ba-
sis for calculating the quota for each enterprise.
13 F gases regulation (EU) 517/2014
Table of figures, tables and references

9.) Do the refrigerants used in Rittal products originate from a quota?

Yes. All refrigerants used in Rittal enclosure cooling units and chillers are obtained
from manufacturers with an appropriate quota. This is the case for all Rittal factories
worldwide.

10.) Has Rittal issued a declaration of conformity required for the introduction of
cooling units with HFCs in the EU?
Yes. The declaration of conformity can be downloaded from the Rittal homepage for
the associated products.
Download: http://www.rittal.de/eu-conformity

8 Table of figures, tables and references

Table of figures
Figure 1: Phase-down graphic (source: German Environment Agency [UBA]). . . . . . . 6
Figure 2: Everything in sight: An employee from the Rittal Manufacturer’s Service
checks the current efficiency values of the Rittal Blue e+ cooling units at
Voith Turbo in Heidenheim. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Figure 3: Retrofitted with savings: After the conversion to the new Blue e+ chiller
generation, more than 70 percent or 25,000 euros per year in energy
costs were saved. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Tables
Table 1: GWP / refrigerant quantity overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Table 2: Use bans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Table 3: Leakage inspections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Table of references
[UBA] German Environment Agency: www.umweltbundesamt.de . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3, 6
[EUC] EU Commission objective:
http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/f-gas/alternatives/index_en.htm . . . . . . . . . 3
Rittal: www.rittal.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
EPEE: https://www.epeeglobal.org/refrigerants/
◾ Enclosures
◾ Power Distribution
◾ Climate Control
◾ IT Infrastructure
◾ Software & Services

You can find the contact details of all

Rittal companies throughout the world here.
05.2019

www.rittal.com/contact

RITTAL GmbH & Co. KG

Postfach 1662 · D-35726 Herborn
Phone +49(0)2772 505-0 · Fax +49(0)2772 505-2319
E-mail: [email protected] · www.rittal.com