{"id":5726,"date":"2024-10-10T15:16:31","date_gmt":"2024-10-10T13:16:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.matelex.com\/refrigerant-leaks-how-to-detect-them-early\/"},"modified":"2024-10-20T00:08:28","modified_gmt":"2024-10-19T22:08:28","slug":"refrigerant-leaks-detection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.matelex.com\/en\/refrigerant-leaks-detection\/","title":{"rendered":"Refrigerant leaks: how to detect them early"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The European refrigeration sector is experiencing sustained growth, with the commissioning of 600 million m2<\/sup> of refrigerated warehouses and 5.6 billion air conditioners by 2050. At the same time, the European Commission has announced its intention to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030. To meet this major environmental challenge, doing everything possible to detect and seal refrigerant leaks in good time<\/strong> is becoming a regulatory obligation, but above all a social one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What leak detection methods are available and what do French and European regulations say on the subject? <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Refrigerant leaks: Regulatory update<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Since 1987, the Montreal Protocol has regulated ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol addressed greenhouse gases such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). In 2006, Europe introduced the first version of the F-Gas Regulation to regulate the sale and use of refrigerants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its second version, EU Regulation No. 517\/2014, came into force on 1 <\/sup>January 2015. It sets out best practices for limiting emissions from refrigerants. It also sets quotas for the quantity of fluids placed on the market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This regulation governs leak detection by requiring the installation of a detector to alert the operator in the event of refrigerant leaks, as well as regular leak checks, based on the tonnes of CO2 equivalent (T CO2 eq.) contained in the installations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2016, a French decree went further than the European regulation and defined the authorised detection methods: direct and indirect detection<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, a new version of this decree defines the indirect measurement method as<\/strong> mandatory <\/strong>for installations containing quantities of refrigerants greater than 500 T CO2 eq. <\/strong>, soit 128 kg de R-404A. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In March 2024, the new European regulation ‘F-Gas III’ comes into effect. Here are the major impacts: <\/p>\n\n\n\n