Cubic Refrigerant Leak Detection Solutions in HVAC&R and Heat Pump Industries in Europe

As the global climate change problem becomes increasingly serious, reducing greenhouse gas emissions has become a common goal of governments and many enterprises. In Europe, The European Union launched F-gas regulation that aims to phase down high-GWP (Global Warming Potential) refrigerants, driving the HVAC&R industry and Heat Pump industry toward sustainable alternatives. Low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants have gradually become the mainstream choice in the market because of the less environmental impact. However, the widespread adoption of low GWP refrigerants has also brought new technical challenges and safety issues, especially the potential of refrigerant gas leakage in equipment such as heat pumps, which may lead to the risk of explosion or fires.

To mitigate the risks, it is very essential to apply effective refrigerant leak detection solutions in HVAC&R and heat pump applications. Currently, gas sensing solution for leak detection is one of the most effective methods. In order to better select the appropriate refrigerant leak detection solution, this paper discusses the development trend and policy requirements of the European refrigerant replacement market, focusing on the replacement process of low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants and their application in the HVAC&R and Heat Pump market. It further compares the mainstream refrigerant leak detection technologies including non-dispersive infrared technology (NDIR), ultrasonic technology, thermal conductivity technology and photoacoustic spectroscopy technology (PAS), and demonstrates the advantages and application prospects of technology applied in A2L & A3 refrigerant leak detection to help stakeholders in the industry to achieve better refrigerant safety management.

1. Policy Requirements For Refrigerant Replacement In Europe

Europe has always been at the forefront of the world in terms of environmental protection and climate change response, and refrigerant replacement is no exception. In recent years, the EU and its member states have successively introduced a series of strict regulations and policies to promote the elimination of high-GWP refrigerants and the popularization of low-GWP refrigerants. For example, the EU F-Gas Regulation (517/2014) clearly stipulates a timetable for the gradual reduction of the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), requiring the applications of HFCs to be reduced to 21% of the 2015 level by 2030. In addition, each country has also formulated corresponding implementation rules and incentive policies based on its own situation, such as Germany's "Climate Protection Plan 2030" and Italy's "National Energy and Climate Integrated Plan".

According to the EU F-Gas Regulation, the following products and equipment have been added to the market prohibition list.

• From 2025, refrigerators and freezers for commercial use that contain F-gases with a GWP of 150 or more.

• From 2026, domestic refrigerators and freezers and self-contained refrigeration equipment, except chillers.

• From 2027 through to 2030, stationary chillers of various types.

• From 2027 through to 2033, self-contained and split air-conditioning equipment and heat pumps of various types.

The implementation of these regulations has greatly promoted the application of low-GWP refrigerants.

2. Replacement Trend Of Low GWP Refrigerants In HVAC&R And Heat Pump Markets

Driven by policies and market demand, European countries are accelerating the transition to low GWP refrigerants to cope with climate change and strict requirements of environmental regulations. The replacement trend of low GWP refrigerants is becoming increasingly obvious in the European market, not only in the field of heat pumps, but also in the entire HVAC&R market.

1) Replacement Of Low GWP Refrigerants In The HVAC&R Market

In the field of HVAC&R, the replacement of low GWP refrigerants has become the core direction of industry development. The implementation of the EU F-Gas regulations has imposed strict restrictions on the use of high GWP refrigerants, promoting the popularization of low GWP refrigerants such as R32, R290 (propane), R1234yf and R1234ze. For example:

Commercial air conditioning: High GWP refrigerants such as R410A are gradually being replaced by R32, and the GWP value of R32 is only 675, which is much lower than the 2088 of R410A.

Commercial refrigeration: In supermarket refrigerators and cold chain systems, high GWP refrigerants such as R404A (GWP value 3922) have been replaced by low GWP alternatives such as R448A and R449A.

Household air conditioners and refrigerators: R290 has become a popular choice in household equipment due to its extremely low GWP value (only 3) and excellent energy efficiency performance.

According to the timetable of the EU F-Gas regulation, the HVAC&R industry must complete the replacement of high GWP refrigerants by 2025. For example, from 2025, refrigerants with a GWP value higher than 150 will be banned in household refrigerators and freezers. The policy has promoted the widespread use of natural refrigerants including R290 in household equipment.

2) Low GWP Refrigerant Replacement In The Heat Pump Market

As an efficient and energy-saving heating and cooling equipment, heat pumps have been widely used in Europe in recent years. The heat pump markets in countries such as Germany, Spain, Italy and Sweden are particularly active, among which Germany has become the leader in the European heat pump market with its advanced technology and strict environmental standards. Spain and Italy have promoted the popularization of air source heat pumps with their warm climate and government support for renewable energy. Sweden has made significant progress in the field of ground source heat pumps due to its cold climate conditions and abundant geothermal resources.

In recent years, the European heat pump market has shown a strong growth trend. According to the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA), there are now around 20 million connected heating heat pumps (both air-to-air and 'hydronic' or water-based) and hot water heat pumps in Europe. They heat approximately 16% of Europe's residential and commercial buildings. The growth is mainly due to the policy support of various governments for renewable energy and energy-saving technologies, as well as the increase in consumer demand for environmentally friendly and energy-saving products. For example, the German government provides high subsidies for heat pump installations through the "Federal Building Energy Savings Incentive Program" (BEG), which greatly promotes the expansion of the heat pump market. At the same time, the EU's "Green Deal" and "Fit for 55" plans also set a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030, further accelerating the popularization of heat pump technology.

In the field of heat pumps, the application of low GWP refrigerants not only meets environmental protection requirements, but also improves the energy efficiency and performance of equipment. For example, R290 (propane), as a natural refrigerant, has an extremely low GWP value (only 3) and excellent thermodynamic properties, and is widely used in household heat pumps and commercial heat pump systems. However, the flammability of R290 also brings new safety hazards, especially in the case of leakage, which may cause fire or explosion. Therefore, ensuring the safe use of low GWP refrigerants in heat pumps has become the focus of industry attention.

3) Challenges Of Low GWP Refrigerant Replacement

Although low-GWP refrigerants have significant advantages in environmental protection and energy efficiency, safety issues in their use cannot be ignored. In particular, flammable refrigerants such as R290 may cause serious safety accidents once they leak. Moreover, refrigerant leaks not only threaten personal safety, but also have a negative impact on the environment. Even for low-GWP refrigerants, large-scale leaks will increase greenhouse gas emissions, which goes against the original intention of using low-GWP refrigerants. Therefore, the development of efficient and reliable refrigerant leak detection technology has become the key to ensuring the safe use of low-GWP refrigerants. By monitoring refrigerant leakage in real time, potential safety hazards can be discovered and dealt with in a timely manner, reducing the risk of accidents. 

3. Refrigerant Gas Leakage Detection Technologies

At present, the mainstream refrigerant leakage detection technologies on the market mainly include non-dispersive infrared technology (NDIR), ultrasonic technology, thermal conductivity technology and photoacoustic spectroscopy technology (PAS). These technologies have their own advantages and disadvantages and are suitable for different application scenarios.

Photoacoustic spectroscopy technology detects leaks by detecting the sound wave signals generated by refrigerant molecules after absorbing light energy of a specific wavelength. PAS has high selectivity of target gases, but it is highly sensitive to environmental interference, requiring strong noise reduction and pressure compensation. NDIR technology uses the absorption characteristics of refrigerant molecules in specific infrared bands for detection. It has the advantages of fast response speed, good stability and moderate cost, and is widely used in industrial and commercial fields. Ultrasonic technology detects leaks by detecting high-frequency sound waves generated when refrigerant leaks. It is suitable for detection in large areas and high-altitude areas, but is easily disturbed by environmental noise. Thermal conductivity technology detects based on the difference in thermal conductivity between refrigerant and air. Although the cost is low, the sensitivity and selectivity are relatively poor. However, both ultrasonic technology and thermal conductivity are hardly to achieve the measurement of A3 refrigerant gas propane (R290). Ultrasonic technology is applied to identify gases based on the difference in sound velocity between different media, and thermal conductivity identifies gases based on different thermal conductivity coefficients. The sound velocity and thermal conductivity coefficient of propane and air are very close, limiting the measurement of propane based two technologies.

Comprehensive comparison, NDIR technology has obvious advantages in measurement accuracy, high selectivity, stability and anti-interference, and is particularly suitable for leak detection of flammable refrigerants such as R290. NDIR sensors can monitor the refrigerant concentration in real time, issue alarms in time, and effectively prevent the occurrence of safety accidents.

Specifically, NDIR technology shows significant advantages in R290 leak detection. First, NDIR sensors are highly sensitive and selective to R290 and can accurately detect low-concentration leaks. Secondly, NDIR technology has a fast response speed and can issue an alarm in time at the early stage of the leak, buying precious time for emergency measures. In addition, NDIR equipment has good stability, long service life, and low maintenance cost, making it suitable for large-scale promotion and application.

In practical applications, NDIR sensing technology has been widely deployed in the refrigerant detection market for decades. From early applications for R744 (CO₂) detection to current adoption for R290 (propane) detection, NDIR technology has been proven to be a reliable and accepted sensing technology and has been adopted by numerous international famous brands in the HVAC&R Industry. Compared to the emerging technology, which is still in the early stages of industrial adoption and lacks widespread market validation, NDIR technology is the preferred choice, featuring a high level of maturity, stability, reliability, and market-proven performance in the field of refrigerant gas detection.

4.  Cubic Complete Refrigerant Gas Sensing Solutions

Specializing in NDIR technology for over 20 years, Cubic, a leading manufacturer of gas sensors and gas analyzers, has accumulated extensive experience of NDIR technology application. Cubic has specially developed comprehensive NDIR refrigerant leak detection sensing solutions from sensors, detectors and analyzers, aiming at the detection of A2L and A3 refrigerant gas leakage, including R32, R454A, R454B, R454C, R290, which meets a broader range of application requirement for HVAC&R and Heat Pump industries.

1) Cubic NDIR A2L&A3 Refrigerant Gas Sensors

Cubic NDIR A2L&A3 refrigerant gas sensors provide high-precision measurements even at low concentrations, particularly valuable for detecting A3 refrigerant gas including propane, enabling early leak detection for safety and reliability. Cubic NDIR refrigerant gas sensors adopt special hardware structure design and are equipped with unique mathematical algorithm to accurately capture every leak to ensure the efficient and safe application. Cubic mature NDIR technology guarantees the stable operation of sensor for more than 15 years. It only takes few seconds to detect potential leakage risks. Moreover, Cubic NDIR refrigerant gas sensors ensure stable performance and demonstrate exceptional adaptability to demanding environments, including condensation and extreme cold.

To fulfill more efficient integration with refrigerant systems, Cubic has developed NDIR refrigerant gas sensors equipped with advanced mitigation functions. A key feature is the configurable single or dual relay output, which forms the foundation of a reliable Refrigerant Detection System (RDS) solution.  Moreover, with more options of12-24V DC/AC power supply, Modbus and RS485 output, Cubic NDIR refrigerant gas sensors offer a scalable and adaptable solution for refrigerant safety management.

To provide customers with reliable assurance, Cubic refrigerant gas leak sensor development follows the requirements of UL60335-2-40 and UL60335-2-89 during the design and development process. Currently, Cubic NDIR A2L and A3 refrigerant gas sensor have already received official UL certification, making Cubic the first gas sensor company in the Asia-Pacific region to acquire the achievement. The success of acquiring UL certification highlights Cubic's excellent commitment to product quality and safety, to meet increasingly stringent refrigerant regulatory requirement.

2) Cubic OEM NDIR A2L&A3 Refrigerant Gas Detector

Cubic offers OEM lightweight, user-friendly portable refrigerant leak detector, ideal for the field of after-sales market and maintenance. Leveraging mature NDIR technology, the detector is customizable to detect a wide range of refrigerant gases, including HFCs, HFOs, and blends like R32, R290, R410A, R134a, R454A, R454B, R454C, R1234ze, and R1234yf. It features fast response times, ppm-level detection limits, strong anti-interference capabilities, and an extended lifespan. Moreover, Cubic offers end-to-end capabilities across the entire refrigerant leak detector development cycle for after-sales and maintenance scenarios, encompassing sensor solutions, hardware design, software development, mold development, prototype testing, and industrial device manufacturing.

3) Cubic NDIR A2L & A2 Refrigerant Gas Analyzers

Cubic refrigerant gas analyzers can be widely used in multiple scenarios of refrigerant analysis, including the production process of HVAC equipment, verification tests in laboratories, and compliance testing by third-party testing agencies. Based on NDIR technology, Cubic refrigerant gas analyzers have excellent measurement accuracy and long-term stability, and adopt advanced multi-point calibration mechanism to ensure measurement linearity and accuracy within the full range. It is suitable for single-component or multi-component detection of various refrigerant gases including R32, R290, R454A/B/C, R1234yf, etc., and it is also designed in compliance with UL and IEC ANNEX LL and ANNEX MM test standards.

For the HVAC equipment manufacturing process, Cubic refrigerant gas analyzer can be applied as a standard reference equipment in the production lines of HVAC equipment, such as air conditioners and heat pumps, for refrigerant gas control and process calibration. For companies with independent R&D capabilities, Cubic refrigerant gas analyzer can be applied in their own laboratories for sensor performance verification, leakage simulation testing, system air tightness testing, with in-depth analysis of the composition, concentration and change trend of refrigerant gas. In addition, Cubic refrigerant gas analyzer is also suitable for third-party testing agencies or scientific research institutes to build professional refrigerant testing capabilities. It can be deployed as an important equipment for building a certification test system, serving scenarios such as refrigerant sensor performance verification and system leakage compliance testing.

Currently, Cubic has established mass production lines in Asia and Europe, with refrigerant gas sensor production capacity over 3 million units, and plans to establish a new factory in North America. These production facilities will enable Cubic to efficiently serve customers all around the world, ensuring prompt production and delivery. With global landscape, Cubic is able to offer flexible sensing solutions, quickly respond to market demands, and provide high-quality service, better meeting the evolving needs of different markets and further enhancing customer satisfaction.

Through the series of refrigerant leak detection product portfolios from refrigerant leak gas sensors to gas detectors and gas analyzers, Cubic is committed to providing a complete set of solutions to help companies efficiently cope with refrigerant management challenges. Cubic refrigerant products not only meet the requirements of the official standards, but also have high adaptability and scalability to meet the needs of different industries and application scenarios. In the future, to contribute significantly to global gas safety monitoring and the pursuit of dual-carbon objectives, Cubic will remain resolute in its mission by spearheading innovative gas sensing technologies and will strive to create a safer, more sustainable future towards heightened environmental stewardship and industrial responsibility.

For more detailed product information, please visit the website at: https://en.gassensor.com.cn/RefrigerantGasLeakageMonitoringSensor/list.html  or contact us via sales@gassensor.com.cn