ACtion Magazine - March/April 2012 - (Page 46)

Last Watch Elvis Hoffpauir Perspective on Refrigerant Selection Advertiser Index 1-800-Radiator & A/C................................2 ACDelco ..................................................31 Air Parts, Inc. ..........................................18 Arizona Mobile Air ..................................21 Behr-Hella ...............................................11 Bergstrom ...............................................45 BVA Oils, Inc. ..........................................34 C2 Camera ..............................................10 CSF ..........................................................39 Dealer Automotive Services ..................12 Delphi ......................................................17 DENSO ....................................................13 Ford Dealer Parts ...................................37 Ford Motorcraft ........................................9 Four Seasons .........................................48 Global Parts Distributors.......................20 HeaterTreater ..........................................14 Johnson Manufacturing Company .......38 MACS Worldwide ...................................35 Omega .......................................................5 Ranshu .............................................center Robert Bosch..........................................33 RTI Technologies ..................................15 Santech ...................................................42 SPX Robinair ..........................................19 T/CCI/Que ................................................43 Tracer ........................................................8 Trans/Air Mfg. .........................................41 TSI Inc./SuperCool ...................................3 TYC Genera.............................................47 Universal Air Conditioner ........................7 The following was authored by Ward Atkinson and Bill Hill, co-chairs of SAE International’s Interior Climate Control Standards Committee s interest has increased in using lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants, the industry has spent considerable time and effort in establishing engineering requirements that meet this demand and provide safety for the consumer After several years of extensive SAE Cooperative Research engineering evaluations and testing, vehicle OEMs have decided that future mobile A/C systems will use a mildly flammable, low GWP refrigerant R-1234yf (HFO-1234yf). These efforts involved extensive investigation into the flammability of this refrigerant and a comprehensive assessment of the risk involved in using this refrigerant. These efforts are the results of cooperation of the SAE International Interior Climate Control Standards Committee members, including international vehicle manufacturers, system component and equipment suppliers. It should be brought into perspective that natural hydrocarbon refrigerant used in a direct expansion MAC system have certain consumer safety and potential liability issues that must be considered. The information in the chart below compares flammability of several chemicals. Of specific note is that R-152a and hydrocarbons are in the higher flammable group. Both SAE Standards and the U.S. EPA use requirements mandate that R-152a cannot be used in a direct expansion MAC system and can only be applied in a secondary loop MAC system. SAE engineering standards have been established when evaluating the use of any refrigerant in a MAC system covering the safety issue for both the consumer and the service technician regarding toxicity and flammability. To provide MAC system design guidance there are many SAE International Standards. These listed below are some of the basic SAE standards required when considering any refrigerant for MAC systems. •J2772 Measurement of passenger compartment refrigerant concentrations under system refrigerant leakage conditions •J2773 Standard for refrigerant risk analysis for mobile air conditioning systems •J2842 R-1234yf and R-744 design criteria and certification for OEM mobile air conditioning evaporator and service replacements In addition to these standards, there are others that are specific to the refrigerants for leak detection and service. Should a hydrocarbon refrigerant be used in MAC systems, all of these standards are needed to protect the consumer and the service technician. No one has approached the SAE Interior Climate Control Standards Committee to develop standards covering the use of hydrocarbon refrigerants in MAC systems. ❆ Elvis Hoffpauir, Editor -in-Chief You can reach Elvis at elvis@macsw.org 46 ACTION • March / April 2012 A To request information from our advertisers visit www.macsw.org and click on the ACTION Reader Reply button. Connect with MACS and the digital edition of ACtion™ http://www.macsw.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ACtion Magazine - March/April 2012

ACtion Magazine - March/April 2012
Contents
Outlook
InBin
Expansive Valve
Under the Southern Cross
Leonard's Law
Cooling Corner
Virtual View
News & Updates
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words!
MACS Convention Technical Sessions
Association News
Classified
Quick Check
New Products & Services
Last Watch

ACtion Magazine - March/April 2012