ADVICE & OPINION
LEAK CAUSE
FMJ AIMS TO SUPPORT TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IN THE FM MARKET
Despite its huge Eenefi ts, refrigerant gas used in H9AC does come with inherent risNs.
Shaun (vers, Managing Director of Stonegate ,nstruments, discusses possiEle leaN
causes, what to looN out for and the clear Eenefi ts associated with the latest technology
Refrigerant gas is one of the most
overlooked parts of any air
conditioning system. If your system
is not cooling your room as well as
it used to or if your evaporator coils
are suddenly covered in ice, it’s most
likely because your unit is leaking gas.
Air conditioning units now use R32
coolants, since R22 ones were banned
in the UK. Despite R32’s high e iciency
in HVAC systems and its low GWP
(Global Warming Potential) they are
still composed of chlorofluorocarbons
that pose several dangers to human
life. Therefore, e ort must be made to
understand the dangers, the possible
causes, remedies and technology to
support the safe use of these systems.
UNDERSTANDING THE DANGERS
The loss of refrigerant gas can cause your
system to cool ine iciently and struggle
to produce adequate air conditioning,
not to mention the irreversible damage
to your machine’s compressor and to the
health of your employees.
As coolant leaks from your system it
rapidly evaporates into a lethal gas which
can cause asphyxiation. More commonly,
it can cause di iculty breathing,
headaches, nausea and vomiting, skin
and eye irritation, and coughing. If
exposure to the gas is prolonged it can
lead to other life-threatening medical
conditions.
During a leak your system is working
harder to compensate which in turn
increases electricity consumption and
your monthly energy bills. According to
several studies, a leaking air conditioning
unit consumes almost 20 per cent more
electricity than a fully functioning one.
To put that into context, it has been
suggested that a small continuous
leak, le‹ unrepaired for three months,
could use an extra 10kW in electricity –
equivalent to approximately £1,400 in
16 JULY 2021
energy bills – once the leak becomes
critical.
LEGALISATION AND COMPLIANCY
In early 2020 the European Commission
brought in fluorinated gas (F-gas)
regulations as part of a policy to combat
climate change. The plan is to phase
down the CO– equivalent emissions from
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by 79 per
cent (relative to 2015) by 2030. As the UK
has now le‹ the EU, the UK government
has specified that businesses will have
to apply for a new GB HFC quota while
they follow the same CO– phase down
as was specified by the European
Commission. As HVAC and refrigeration
manufacturers commit to developing
environmentally compliant products
without compromising on performance
they are also seeking to address health
and safety concerns.
These regulations place a greater
focus on carrying out regular gas
leak checks on systems. Operators of
stationary equipment, heat pumps and
air conditioners that contain F-gases in
quantities of 5 tonnes CO– equivalent,
or more, must ensure that equipment
is routinely monitored. For apparatus
without gas leak detection installed, the
period between mandatory gas leak
checks obviously lessens.
RECOGNISING THE SOURCE
Continually using an air conditioning
system, even a‹ er a leak has developed,
can put excessive pressure on the
compressor and other components.
The compressor can break and cost
significantly more to replace than the
cost of identifying the leak earlier on and
repairing it.
Probably one of the most common
leak causes is corrosion. It is a factor that
has plagued the HVAC industry for many
years due to the exposure to fluorides
and chloride in water supplies and
cleaning chemicals. Another common
cause is poorly connected control
valves or connectors that have not
been cleaned properly before joining.
Similarly, poorly soldered fittings can
easily lead to a refrigerant gas leak.
It is also worth noting that
mechanical damage can be a cause.
The refrigerant lines in your system
move the gas between the evaporator
and condenser. As you may expect,
refrigerant lines passing through the
exterior of the unit are particularly
susceptible to damage, resulting in a
leak.
WORKING WITH TECHNOLOGY
Nothing can replace the accuracy
and e iciency of using technology to
identify a gas leak, however there are a
few simple things to look out for if you
suspect a leak.
If you suspect your unit is not working
properly check for the pungent smell of
the gas. The leak may not be in the same
room as the main unit so you would
have to check the whole system. Also
checking all pipes for stains and listening
for a ‘humming’ sound coming from your
thermostat pipe are other basic checks
that can be done.
These checks are time consuming and
fraught with human error. The person
checking may not check all the pipes,
they may have impaired hearing or
sense of smell resulting in it not getting
detected, the leak getting worse and
having drastic results.
For facilities managers, self-contained
single fixed gas sensors, which are more
suited to target R32 gases associated
mostly with HVAC units, are quickly
becoming commonplace. The clear
benefits of detection sensor technology
are why some leading detection systems
on the market have a proven return-oninvestment
of just two years, and that
is without taking into consideration
the cost of repairs to an existing faulty
system. As well as leak detectors,
sophisticated refrigerant sensor
equipment is available with signalling
alarms, LED lights that indicate the
presence and status of each sensor and
also audio/visual alarms to alert sta .
As awareness of the dangers of
leaks and benefits of market leading
technology circulates further among
facilities managers, and as businesses
become more accountable in regards
to health and safety, utilising the latest
detection and alert technology is
paramount.
FAST FACTS