| Refrigerants Pose Significant Global Warming Potential |
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| Environment - Environment |
| Written by Daniel Stouffer |
| Friday, 24 April 2009 07:41 |
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The global warming potential of chemicals is well documented. This is usually documented by referencing how much a chemical will impact global warming as compared to a similar amount of carbon dioxide. Refrigerants typically outrank carbon dioxide by a factor of 100 or even 1000 and stay in the atmosphere longer to our climate's detriment.
The global warming potential of chemicals is well documented. This is usually documented by referencing how much a chemical will impact global warming as compared to a similar amount of carbon dioxide. Refrigerants typically outrank carbon dioxide by a factor of 100 or even 1000 and stay in the atmosphere longer to our climate's detriment. Greenhouse gases are given a global warming potential value, which scientists use to determine how they will impact our atmosphere. Different values are allocated to the gases, mostly refrigerants, to determine their impact on the atmosphere over the space of 20, 100 or 500 years. the gases typically stay in the atmosphere longer than 20 years and many are around for up to a century. Controlling emissions and dangerous gases is essential to offset the considerable harm that will occur to the earth and its inhabitants otherwise. In determining the global warming potential of a substance, three factors are considered. They are the amount of absorption of infrared radiation, the atmospheric location of where absorption takes place, and how long the substance remains in the atmosphere. A substance with a high potential has a greater impact of causing adverse climate change. The lower the global warming potential of the substance the better for a healthy environment. All refrigerants in use today can contribute to global warming as greenhouse gases and this is why there are regulations in place to limit their use. These refrigerants will eventually be phased out and replaced with more palatable alternatives. The chemical the highest global warming potential is HCFCs, hydrochlorofluorocarbon. These chemicals have values ranging from 120 to 12,240, and are most often found in refrigeration and cooling systems. The values represent the potential to cause harm to our environment, with a higher figure the most troubling. The refrigerant R-113 Trichlorotrifluoroethane has one of the highest global warming potential values at 4800, while the refrigerant R-114 Dichlorotetrafluoroethane has one of the lowest values at 3.9. The alternative refrigerants being developed have no impact on global warming and are being used in the production of all types of new refrigeration and air conditioning systems. Because refrigerants used in commercial refrigeration and air-conditioning systems, as well as heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, have a high global warming potential, facilities with this equipment in use are required to follow guidelines set forth by the U.S. Clean Air Act and other international treaties to track their usage of refrigerant gases and submit reports regularly. New regulations, particularly concerning leaks, have caused a reduction in emissions from refrigerants with high global warming potential. Regulations covering leak reporting and guidelines for leak fixing have been implemented by the United States. Harmful refrigerant gases will be phased out by 2015. Facilities must comply with regulations to avoid significant penalties, but more importantly to help sustain the environment's future. About the Author: Daniel Stouffer has a lot information about the importance of global warming potential values and how refrigerant-tracker will aid you. |