Online version: PDF - DTIE
Online version: PDF - DTIE
Online version: PDF - DTIE
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UNIT 4: ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS<br />
115<br />
• When ‘recycling’, a refrigerant may be removed from one system to<br />
another at the end of the service life of the first;<br />
• Retrofitting involves replacing the refrigerant but not the equipment;<br />
• Low- or zero-ODS refrigerants should be used to replace older<br />
equipment. Low- or zero-ODS models offer the added benefit of higher<br />
energy efficiency.<br />
There are various specifications to consider in recycling and retrofitting refrigerants.<br />
They concern the refrigerant, the type of equipment, and the low- or zero-ODS<br />
substitute chemicals available. The advice of refrigerant specialists should be<br />
obtained.<br />
ODS Management in Air-Conditioning<br />
Feasible options are containment, retrofitting and replacement.<br />
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• Containment means regular equipment maintenance to prevent<br />
refrigerant leaks and optimise efficiency;<br />
• Retrofitting involves replacing the original CFC-11 or CFC-12<br />
refrigerants with more environmentally-suitable alternatives such as<br />
HCFC-123 or HFC-134a;<br />
• Older equipment can be replaced with new equipment using low- or<br />
zero-ODS refrigerants.<br />
ODS Management in Dry Cleaning<br />
The best option in the case of ODS-containing dry-cleaning equipment is regular<br />
maintenance to avoid leaks, and working with suppliers to facilitate solvent<br />
recycling and recovery. When replacing equipment, suppliers should be consulted<br />
on zero-ODS alternatives.<br />
Good Practice Tip<br />
If dry-cleaning quantities are small, an economically and environmentally<br />
feasible solution could be to sub-contract to a dry-cleaning specialist working<br />
with zero-ODS solvents.<br />
ODS Management in Fire-Extinguishers<br />
As long as the halons in a fire extinguisher remain contained in the extinguisher<br />
and are not discharged, they do not contribute to the depletion of the ozone<br />
layer. Equipment should therefore be checked for leaks. Once the contents have<br />
been discharged or the extinguishers become redundant, they should be replaced<br />
with zero-ODS alternatives, which include dry carbon dioxide powder and foam<br />
appliances.<br />
Halons in redundant equipment can be recycled at halon banks. National ozone<br />
units can provide information on halon recycling in each country. When replacing<br />
extinguishers it is important to consider optimising fire-extinguishing capacity.<br />
Employee and guest safety should never be compromised.