MAY 2024 ASHRAE ATLANTA CHAPTER MEETING

Refrigerant Transition Update – Impact of

Refrigerant Choice on the Design Sustainability 

Tuesday, May 14th, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

Technical Program Description

The orderly transition from CFCs to HCFCs and HFCs achieved a balance between the societal environmental demands for reduced ozone depletion while continuing to improve the standard of living in developing countries while balancing the need for safe (nonflammable) and efficient HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) refrigerants.

The next refrigerant transition underway is driven by additional societal environmental demands to reduce the global warming impacts of HFCs. The challenge continues to find refrigerants that are safe, efficient that balance environmental (SEE) impacts.

Today designers are being asked to consider new lower direct GWP unsaturated (olefins) hydrofluorocarbons (HFOs) refrigerants, some of which have lower flammability (2L’s) under certain conditions.

After viewing the presentation, attendees will be able understand the following;

• Drivers behind the new regulations and legislation for HVAC refrigerants
• Actions being taken regionally via the U.S. EPA, Climate Alliance States, California and Canada
• Understand A2L Flammability
• Discuss the HVAC refrigerants choices
• Describe the safety requirements for A2L refrigerants in ASHRAE® Standard 15
• Draw implications for action

Speaker

Steve Kujak

Director of Next Generation Refrigerants Research - Trane Technologies

Over the past 30+ years, he has been involved in technology development of new refrigerants, lubricants and HVACR system designs. Steve has been an author or co-author on 60+ publications related to refrigerants and has 40+ patents related to HVAC products.

Steve is a distinguish service member of ASHRAE and is involved with global refrigerant safety and use standards used by the HVACR industry.

• Past chair of ASHRAE Standard 34 Designation & Safety Classification of Refrigerants
• Chair of the Refrigeration Committee Technology Committee for Comfort, Process, and the Cold Chain (REF-CPCC).
• Member of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) - RTOC (Refrigeration, Air-Conditioning and Heat Pumps Technical Options Committee)

Steve lives with his wife Annette on the Mississippi River in Brownsville, Minnesota where they both enjoy the beauty the drift-less region provides. Steve holds Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.