The demonstrative installation for the separation of refrigerant waste mixtures

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

The use of fluorinated substances harming the ozone layer has been severely regulated, under the Montreal Protocol, with some substances banned and replaced by HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) and PFCs (perfluorinated compounds). However, these alternative substances are also potent greenhouse gases and are restricted by the Kyoto Protocol. The emissions of HFC in the EU is increasing, despite a reduction in overall emissions of greenhouse gases. The EU Regulation 2024/573 on fluorinated greenhouse gases lays down rules on use, recovery, recycling, reclamation and destruction of fluorinated greenhouse gases. One way of reducing HFC emissions is separation and the conversion of used refrigerants into full-value refrigerants. This will avoid emissions related to the current process of burning waste refrigerants. Effective implementation of such measures requires awareness raising amongst producers, and acceptance by the public.

OBJECTIVES

The overall objective of the Refrigerants LIFE Cycle project was to limit the emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases into the atmosphere by the refrigeration and air-conditioning sector. It was assumed that at the end of the project, an HFC emission reduction of 74 000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent/year would be achieved.

Specific objectives of the project were:

1. the execution, testing and implementation of a demonstration installation for separation of waste refrigerant mixtures, to optimise the parameters and validate the technology for its market implementation;
2. the expansion of the refrigerant waste collection system, including the creation of a waste collection point in Czechia and the dissemination of the service within the refrigeration and air conditioning industry in Poland, resulting in the collection of approximately 100 tonnes per year at the end of the project;
3. an increased awareness of the environmental impacts of emitted refrigerants in the refrigerant and air-conditioning industry, leading to a 30% increase in the number of companies transferring refrigeration waste for processing, involving at least 450 companies.

 

RESULTS

The main result of the project was innovative installation for refrigerant waste mixture separation. The installation embraces two combined processes, namely, rectification and adsorption. Rectification separates the components of the mixture due to their boiling points and adsorption separates the components due to the chemical size of the particles. The combination of these two processes allows for the separation of 100% of the refrigerant mixtures. The installation enables the regeneration and reintroduction of used refrigerants to the market, and at the same time contributes to the reduction of the amount of waste refrigerants that were previously sent for incineration.

As a result of the project the refrigerant waste collection system has been expanded in Poland, Czechia and Slovakia.  To support this, 40 pressure tanks (900-950 liters), 4 258 cylinders (12 and 27 liters) and 25 refrigerant recovery units have been purchased. The beneficiaries have initiated collaborations and signed agreements for the supply of refrigerants with many companies from the air conditioning and refrigeration industry. These latter companies are mostly providing refrigeration and air conditioning services or refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment and their involvement was crucial. The existing "National Refrigerant Recovery and Reclamation Network" (3R Network), run by PROZON (the CB), has been thus further expanded. The number of contracts with Polish companies that declared to deliver waste refrigerants to the new installation increased from 340 at the start of the project to nearly 900 at the end. At the same time, 80 companies from Czech Republic and Slovakia joined the waste refrigerants’ collection.

As part of the project, intensive communication and dissemination activities were carried out. Their aim was to disseminate news on the project's achievements and the messages linked to recovery and regeneration of waste refrigerants. The project took part in numerous industry meetings and conferences, national and international fairs, meetings with stakeholders from the cooling and air conditioning sector. The project also organised and participated in many meetings with the general public, local authorities, polytechnic students, school students and residents of the commune where the installation was located. Several articles were written about the project in the trade press. Many promotional materials were produced, such as a short film about the project, roll-ups, leaflets, information boards and promotional gadgets. The project closing conference gathered almost 300 participants (stationary and online). Questionnaire surveys conducted at the end phase of the project have confirmed an increase in awareness and knowledge among the sector representatives about the proper handling of used refrigerants, including the need to collect them and their regeneration.

The implementation of the project has contributed to the following effects of environmental significance:

• a significant increase in the number of refrigerants transferred for management/reclamaction – from 65 tons/year in 2018 to over 123 tons/year in 2023;
• reduction of waste refrigerants transferred for incineration – a 40% reduction compared to the data from 2018;
• expansion of the domestic waste collection network to over 900 entities from 400 locations in Poland, which allowed for the collection of a total of 639 tons of waste refrigerants with an equivalent of over 1 841 ktCO₂;
• in Czech Republic and Slovakia, 80 companies have joined the refrigerants’ collection system, allowing to collect 31.6 tons of refrigerant mixtures (in addition 6 tons were collected in France and Estonia);
• reduction of net HFC emissions amounting to 98 768.8 teCO₂.
  

The project has supported the national and the EU climate and energy policy focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions (especially F-gases). It supported implementation of the European Green Deal aiming at the climate neutrality goal of 2050 as well as the EU Regulation 2021/1119 (‘European Climate Law’) and the Regulation 2024/573 on fluorinated greenhouse gases (former regulation 517/2014).

The project has also contributed to job creation, as the installation is operated by 8-9 employees, including residents of the local commune. Further development of the refrigerants’ collection system as well as transfer of this technology/installation to another EU country is expected to create more jobs.