R290: Why make the switch?

Benson Airconditioning is active in seeking refrigerants which suit domestic and light/commericial application and are naturally occurring, have zero/low ozone depletion potential, have low global warming potential and which optimize the efficiency of the air conditioning system.

We have been working with Hychill Pty Ltd, an Australian company specialising in refrigerants, to utilise their range of natural organic refrigerants - which have very low global warming potential - within Benson Airconditioning systems.

Benson Calculations

We calculated the GWP of the refrigerant losses for both R410a and R290 over a 10 year duration.

Our calculations are based on the total amount of airconditioning units imported into Australia between April 2006 and March 2007 (550,000 units). This is based on figures quoted in "HVAC&R Nation" (August 2007; Issue 003), a publication of the Australian Institute of Refrigeration Air Conditioning and Heating.

Refrigerant losses are calculated at 2% per year. This is based on a study on Life Cycle Climate Performance (LCCP) carried out by the CEEE Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maryland, which allows 2% anually for refrigerant charge loss.

GWP of R410a Refrigerant Losses

Assumed average gas charge of R410a is 1.5kgs (2.5kw = 600 grams and 14.5kw = 3.8kg).

R410a has a Global Warming Potential of 1,890 (per KG co² equivalent), AS 1677.

Therefore: 550,000 airconditioning units x 0.03kg (refrigerant lost) = 16,500 kg of refrigerant lost annually.

	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4	Year 5	Year 6	Year 7	Year 8	Year 9	Year 10
2007	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000
2008		31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000
2009			31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000
2010				31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000
2011					31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000
2012						31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000
2013							31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000
2014								31,185,000	31,185,000	31,185,000
2015									31,185,000	31,185,000
2016										31,185,000
Total Loss Per Year	31,185,000	62,370,000	93,555,000	124,740,000	155,925,000	187,110,000	218,295,000	249,480,000	280,665,000	311,850,000
Total Loss for 10 Years
1,715,175,000

GWP of R290 Refrigerant Losses

Assumed average gas charge of R290 is 0.8kgs (2.5kw = 400 grams and 17kw = 1.4kg)

	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4	Year 5	Year 6	Year 7	Year 8	Year 9	Year 10
2007	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400
2008		26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400
2009			26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400
2010				26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400
2011					26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400
2012						26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400
2013							26,400	26,400	26,400	26,400
2014								26,400	26,400	26,400
2015									26,400	26,400
2016										26,400
Total Loss Per Year	26,400	52,800	79,200	105,600	132,000	158,400	184,800	211,200	237,600	264,000
Total Loss for 10 Years
1,452,000