The PURR Report was produced by a BRA Action Group and supported by BRA members. The report is available, free of charge, from the BRA section of the FETA website: www.feta.co.uk/associations/bra/publications
The British Refrigeration Association (BRA) has published a new guide entitled Putting into Use Replacement Refrigerants (PURR).
Produced by BRA experts with the support of external consultants, the guide responds to the challenges to industry as a result of the new F-Gas Regulation. It looks at coping with the changes to the availability of common refrigerants and the need to use new refrigerants.
BRA President, Mike Lawrence, said: “Our aim is to help people find an appropriate response to the F-Gas regulation that has come from the EU. The PURR Report highlights the very real challenges that clients in sectors such as retail refrigeration will face as a result of F-Gas.”
The PURR Report highlights the fact that from the start of 2015 a ‘cap and phase down’ was introduced, which seeks to reduce the amount of HFC refrigerants placed on the market. The cap and phase down does not ban the sale of any particular HFC, instead it will limit the total supply of all HFCs across the EU based on the total tonnes CO2 equivalent.
Under the EU F-Gas regulation there will also be a ban from 2020 on new equipment using refrigerants with a global warming potential (GWP) of more than 2500. There will also be a ban on using such refrigerants for servicing existing systems from the same date.
As a result of these changes there is a real risk of refrigerant supply shortages and that virgin R404A availability may become limited, so existing R404A systems will have to be replaced, or have a change of refrigerant. However, there are so many of these systems in use now that many will have to rely on reclaimed or recycled refrigerant for servicing.
Mike Lawrence said: “There can be no doubt that the F-Gas regulation will have an impact on the market for certain refrigerants. For example, companies using R404A in their systems must ensure that the refrigerant is reclaimed and kept for future servicing. This is a very different approach to the one that we have been used to.”
The PURR Report offers valuable insights into the impact of the F-Gas regulation on refrigerants, which are intended to give readers a firm foundation for developing a strategic response for their businesses.
“Spending money on dealing with F-Gas regulation will not be welcomed by the financial directors of most businesses that are affected,” said Mr Lawrence. “However, the PURR Report gives a clear indication of possible approaches to dealing with phase down, and the BRA hopes that this will support good practice.”
The PURR Report was produced by a BRA Action Group and supported by BRA members. The report is available, free of charge, from the BRA section of the FETA 
website: www.feta.co.uk/associations/bra/publications