Editorial

The value of developing the cold chain in hot countries is becoming increasingly obvious, particularly in India for several years now but also in Africa and other hot regions of the world. In this context, the IIR signed a partnership agreement with FAO in July 2011. The agreement foresees joint actions and certain actions have already been implemented (publications, regional workshops). The scope of postharvest losses in these countries, and the impact of these losses on food security, obliges us to take action. Among the various obstacles encountered, the cost and the reliability of the supply of electrical energy are often cited, and chilling is more energy-consuming in hot climates. This observation should promote the development of systems based on well-known principles but for which the economic benefits (reduction in the cost of energy/additional investment) are not sufficiently demonstrated. Thermal storage (of all types) is an example of an investment which merits greater attention in temperate as well as hot climates. Other technologies such as evaporative cooling also deserve further development. In remote regions with good solar exposure, absorption/adsorption cooling is attracting more and more interest. Maintenance issues are often cited among issues to be addressed. In certain cases, in particular in isolated sectors, this issue can be a greater problem than energy efficiency. The same applies to difficulties encountered when endeavoring to ensure temperature control within the required temperature range because of insufficient organization and human resources. All this indicates that strong and concerted action at the level of local public and professional stakeholders and other international organizations. Industrial stakeholders and researchers in temperate countries should also seek new technologies that pave the way to future applications and markets. The IIR has decided to ensure that cold chain is one of its priority work areas for the coming years, drawing in particular on its recent agreement with FAO and its links with hot IIR member countries.

focus
The IIR Congress: a great success!
The IIR Congress which took place in Prague, Czech Republic, in August 21-26, 2011, was a great success. 944 attendees from 52 countries attended. The most numerous came from Asia (China, Japan, South Korea) and Europe. All continents were represented. 593 papers and plenary presentations were presented, and reflected the geographical distribution of the participants. As always, the greatest number of papers was on refrigerating equipment and on thermodynamics and transfer processes, but we saw a great increase of papers on heat pumps, compared with previous congresses. The papers will soon be available via the IIRs Fridoc database. However, you will see in this issue of the Newsletter summaries of some papers providing an analysis which may interest most readers. Apart from the rich presentations, several events took place: - IIR statutory meetings: Management Committee, Science and Technology Council, General Conference. As is the case during every Congress, new IIR officers were nominated: Dr Piotr Domanski replaces Dr David Tanner as President of the Science and Technology Council; Mr Jacques Guilpart replaces Prof. Donald Cleland as Head of section C (Biology and Food technology); Mr Grald Cavalier replaces Mr Sietze van der Sluis as Head of Section D (Storage and Transport); Dr Maciej Chorowski replaces Dr Vaclav Chrz as President of Commission A2 (Liquefaction and Separation of Gases); Dr Yong Tae Kang replaces Dr Piotr Domanski as President of Commission B1 (Thermodynamics and Transfer processes); Prof. Michael Kauffeld replaces Prof. Clark Bullard as President of Commission B2 (Refrigerating Equipment); Prof. Marija Todorovic replaces Prof. John Baust as President of Commission C1 (Cryobiology, Cryomedicine), Dr Silvia Estrada Flores replaces Prof. Bart Nicolai as President of Commission C2 (Food Science
Radim Cermak presented the IIR flag to the organizers of the congress in Yokohama in 2015

and Engineering), Mr Richard Lawton replaces Mr Grald Cavalier as President of Commission D2 (Refrigerated Transport). - IIR prizes: The Medal of Merit was awarded to Eric Granryd and Stanislav Safrata. Predrag Hrnjak received the Gustav Lorentzen Medal. Andrew Cleland received the IIR Science and Technology Medal. The Young Researchers Awards were given to Ekaterina Navasardyan, Edward Hammond, Andrew East, Ke Tang, Maria Trka, Tatsuya Oku, Tatsunori Asaoka. - The IJR awards were given to: Best Paper Award, 2010/2011 : D. Gorenflo, E. Baumhgger, T. Windmann, G. Herres Very Highly Commended Paper Award, 2010/2011 : B. M. Fronk, S. Garimella Best Paper Award, 2009/2010 : R. Akasaka, K. Tanaka, Y. Higashi Very Highly Commended Paper Award, 2009/2010: A. Cavallini, E. Da Riva, D. Del Col Best Paper Award, 2008/2009 : B. Blunier, G. Cirrincione, Y. Herve, A. Miraoui Very Highly Commended Paper Award, 2008/2009 : M. A. Kedzierski, M. Gong - An exhibition also took place. On its booth, the IIR presented its new Web portal and revamped Fridoc database and various publications. - Technical tours and cultural events also took place. Everybody enjoyed the congress greatly, both for professional reasons (presentations, contacts) and private reasons (cultural events and a friendly atmosphere). The next congress will take place in Yokohama, Japan, in 2014. Before then, many conferences will take place: see the IIR agenda!

Didier Coulomb Director of the IIR

Lintrt de dvelopper la chane du froid dans les pays chauds en dveloppement apparat de plus en plus vident, en particulier en Inde - depuis plusieurs annes dj mais aussi en Afrique et dans dautres rgions chaudes de la plante. LIIF a sign en juillet 2011 un accord en ce sens avec la FAO, qui prvoit des actions communes dont certaines sont engages prsent (publications, sminaires rgionaux). Lampleur des pertes aprs rcoltes dans ces pays,

avec toutes ses consquences en matire de scurit alimentaire, nous oblige agir. Parmi les diffrents obstacles rencontrs, le cot et la rgularit de lapprovisionnement en nergie lectrique sont souvent cits, alors mme que la rfrigration est plus nergivore lorsquil fait chaud. Ce constat devrait inciter dvelopper des dispositifs dont les principes sont bien connus mais dont lintrt conomique (rduction du cot nergtique / surcot dinvestissement) nest pas assez mis en vidence. Le stockage de froid (sous toutes ses formes) est un exemple dinvestissement qui devrait tre examin plus attentivement, y compris dailleurs en climat tempr. Dautres techniques, telles que le refroidissement vaporatif mriterait aussi dtre dvelopp. Dans les rgions isoles bnficiant dun bon ensoleillement, le froid absorption ou adsorption suscite de plus en plus dintrt. Les difficults de la maintenance sont souvent cites galement. Dans certains cas, en

particulier dans les secteurs isols, cet aspect peut mme primer sur lefficacit nergtique. Il en est de mme des difficults contrler le respect des tempratures prescrites, faute dorganisation adquate et de ressources humaines suffisantes. Tout cela plaide pour une action forte et concerte avec tous les acteurs publics et professionnels locaux, comme avec les autres organisations internationales. Les industriels et les chercheurs des pays temprs devraient aussi y rechercher des nouvelles techniques, porteuses de nouveaux marchs. LIIF a dcid den faire un de ses axes de travail privilgis dans les annes venir, en sappuyant notamment sur ce nouvel accord avec la FAO et sur ses relais dans les pays chauds membres de lIIF.

Didier Coulomb Directeur de lIIF

news
Events
The IIR will participate in the next UN Conferences on the stratospheric ozone layer (MOP23) to be held in Bali, Indonesia, on November 21-25, 2011 and on climate change (COP17) to be held in Durban, South Africa, on November 28December 9, 2011. The future of HFCs will be discussed because of new amended proposals to phase down HFCs (see HFC news below). A UNEP-ASHRAE Conference for Middle East countries took place in Abu-Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on September 19-20, 2011, in order to discuss the replacement of HCFCs in refrigeration equipment. The Director of the IIR attended and presented a paper. The Annual meeting of Transfrigoroute International took place in Valencia, Spain, on September 29-30, 2011. Didier Coulomb was invited and presented the state of the art of international discussions on fluorinated gases. The annual Ple Cristal conference in Dinan, France, was held on October 6-7, 2011. The Director presented discussions on F-gases at European and international levels. The President of the Executive Committee, Joe Paul, presented a paper on heat pumps.

News from IIR members

The IIR welcomes the following new members: Benefactor member Danfoss Commercial Compressors, France Corporate members Balticare Ltd, UK Greenfield Energy Ltd, UK Howden Compressors, UK Private members Hannu Ahlstedt, Finland; Carlos Barrantes, Colombia; Mohamed Dayi, Morocco; David Luna, Brazil; Willian F. Mohs, USA; Carlos Eduardo Leme Nobrega, Brazil; Paulo Vodianitskaia, Brazil Junior members Georg Fosel, Denmark; Haitao Hu, China; Ferdousur Khan, Australia; Lars Finn Larsen, Denmark; Bjrn Margeirsson, Iceland; Yann Pecqueux, Norway; Wei Wu, China. STEF-TFE opens largest cold store in Madrid SDF Iberica, a subsidiary of STEF-TFE, has opened a 15 100 m fresh and frozen food facility in Torrejon near Madrid at a cost of 23 million . The new facility provides 116 000 m3 of temperature-controlled storage. The site has an energy-storage system based on eutectic nodules, providing 25% of the refrigeration energy needed. SDF expects to make savings of at least 15%. The facility also features low-GWP refrigerants and LED lighting. www.logisticsmanager.com/liChannelID/13/ Articles/16790/STEF-TFE+opens+largest+col d+store+in+Madrid.html

tion of its various segments. The classes covered are biopharmaceuticals, vaccines and clinical trial materials. www.researchandmarkets.com/ research/3fd62a/global_healthcare www. reuters.com Global LNG market to tighten in next few years According to Shell, the nuclear power capacity reductions following the Fukushima accident will result in a tightening of the global gas market over the next two to three years. Following the major nuclear accident at Japan's Fukushima facility in March, Germany switched off around 7 gigawatt (GW) of nuclear power capacity and has decided to totally phase out nuclear generation by 2022, and other major economies are also reviewing their nuclear power policies. For Japan, Asia's second biggest economy after China, the nuclear accident means it has begun to increase its imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to compensate for the lost nuclear generation. "There is already some tightening in the gas market, and we will see a tightening of the LNG market in 2013 or 2014 based on increased demand in Asia and Europe," Graeme Sweeney, Shell's Executive Vice President, Future Fuels & CO2, has forecast. www.reuters.com www.globallnginfo.com/ futher%20and%20fundamental.htm

Conference update
The 42nd International Congress on Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration will be held in Belgrade, Serbia, on November 30-December 2, 2011. Register now! www. kgh-kongres.org The 10 IIR-Gustav Lorentzen Conference on Natural Working Fluids (GL2012) will be h eld in Delft, the Netherlands on June 25-27, 2012. Abstracts are due now and full papers are to be submitted by December 24, 2011. Check out the plenary speakers and download the pre-programme: www.gl2012.nl info@gl2012.nl The 10 th International Conference on Phase-Change Materials and Slurries for Refrigeration and Air Conditioning will take place in Kobe, Japan, on July 29-August 1, 2012. Abstracts are due December 31, 2011 and full papers are to be sent by April 30, 2012. www2.kobeu.ac.jp/~komoda/pcms/index.html heroc@ kobe-u.ac.jp 12th Cryogenics 2012 will be held in Dresden, Germany, on September 11-14, 2012. Check out the themes and send an abstract by January 31, 2012: www.icaris.cz/conf/ Cryogenics2012 Romana@icaris.cz The 3rd IIR Workshop on Refrigerant Charge Reduction in Refrigerating Systems - RCR 2012 will be held in Valencia, Spain on October 25-26, 2012. Deadlines: abstracts due March 5, 2012 and full papers on May 21, 2012. www. imst.upv.es/iir-rcr2012 iir.rcr2012@gmail. com Cryogen Expo 2011 is to take place in Moscow on November 8-10, 2011. It will feature an unprecedented number of exhibitors: www.cryogen-expo.com
th

Obituary
Professor Albert Lacaze, who died on August 5, 2011, was appointed honorary member of the IIR at the Vienna Congress in 1987, after having chaired the former Commission A1/2 from 1983 until 1987. He was Vice-President of this commission from 1980 to 1983 and was already one of its members before 1980. The IIR conveys its sympathy to Prof. Lacazes family.

Image courtesy of LNG World Shipping

In the news
Markets and figures
Research and Markets has published a report entitled "Global Healthcare Cold Chain Logistics Market Report & Forecast (2011-2016). The report emphasizes that strong growth in the sales of temperaturesensitive healthcare products is driving demand for cold chain logistic services. The market is currently experiencing explosive growth. The authors consider that the healthcare cold chain logistic services market will expand from its current figure of USD 6.1 billion to nearly USD 9.5 billion by 2016. This new report provides analysis of 3 aspects of this soaring market: i) quantification of the global market for temperature-sensitive healthcare products into three major classes and evaluation of the current and future opportunities in each of these classes; ii) an in-depth insight into the global healthcare cold chain distribution process and logistic requirements for various temperature-sensitive healthcare products; and iii) the quantification of the global healthcare cold chain logistic services market and a comprehensive evalua-

Global ATW heat-pump market figures In 2010, global air-to-water (ATW) heatpump market demand increased by 24% since the previous year to 1 238 500 units despite a 13% decline in European sales (from 526 263 to 456 144 units sold, still well over the 2007 figure of 396 556 units) and a 10% decline in the USA since 2009. The increase was partly due to the vitality of the Chinese market in 2010 with sales of 450 000 units, which represented enviable growth, following 150-200% annual growth rates since 2002. In addition to the Chinese domestic market, 20% of total Chinese ATW sales come from export markets. There are even claims that the Chinese ATW (not unlike its VRF market) has grown to more than double that of Europe, and in 2011 growth of 60% is still expected. JARN, August 25, 2011 Netherlands: refrigeration accounts for 18% of total electricity consumption in the industrial sector A study(1) by KWA Business Consultants on the annual energy consumption of refrigeration plants in various industrial and non-industrial sectors in The Netherlands was presented during ICR2011. The industrial sector (including the food and drug industry) has an electrical energy consumption of 200 PJ primary energy in total. Refrigeration consumes 35 PJ, which is an 18% share. Within the industrial sector, bulk chemical industry (9.0 PJ), refining (3.6 PJ), refrigerated warehouses (2.0 PJ), oil and gas production (1.9 PJ) and

dairy (1.8 PJ) are the subsectors with the highest electricity consumption related to refrigeration. The non-industrial sectors have an electrical energy consumption of 96 PJ in total, of which refrigeration uses 21 PJ, i.e. a 22% share. Supermarkets are one of the subsectors within the non-industrial sector with the highest electricity consumption related to refrigeration (6.7 PJ), along with data centres (2.6 PJ), hotels and restaurants (2.8 PJ), air-conditioned offices (2.5 PJ), hospitals (2.1 PJ) and above all, household refrigerators, with an annual consumption related to refrigeration of 34 PJ primary energy.
(1) The energy consumption of refrigeration installations and refrigerant charges in Dutch industrial sectors, Pennartz et al.

air-conditioning sector will account for around 21% and the mobile air-conditioning sector for about 13%. Developing countries will account for 75% of total emissions of F-gases. www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10. 1080/20430779.2011.579352
(1) High increase of global F-gas emissions until 2050, Gschrey et al. (2) The large contribution of projected HFC emissions to future climate forcing, Velders et al.

and can be used for new installations and to retrofit existing R404A, R407A and R22 installations. www.racplus.com/news/asda-succesfullytests-honeywells-r407f-refrigerant/861745 6.article R32, a short-term candidate to replace R22 in China? HFC-32 attracted attention during ICR2011 in Prague: it was the subject of 12 papers. It is the main component of HFC-410A with which it shares similar thermodynamic properties, but at a lower price and with a lower GWP (675). According to Xu et al (1), it could be an acceptable working fluid to replace HFCs in heat pumps. In China, it is listed as one of the main alternatives to R22 in the HCFC phase-out management plan, especially for room air conditioners, despite its compressor discharge temperature that is too high in air conditioners, especially in heat-pump working mode. However, its slight flammability (A2L class-ASHRAE) limits its application in many cases. Other Asian countries are turning to R32 as officials from Indonesian Ministries of Environment and of Economy, Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI); Daikin and Panasonic reached an agreement to introduce high-efficiency HFC-32 air conditioners on the Indonesian market.
(1) Experimental research on quasi-two stage compression heat pump using HFC-32, Xu et al.

HFC news
Increasing pressure on HFCs Policy-makers worldwide are increasing pressure to reduce HFC use. . On the occasion of the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer on September 16, 2011, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Parties to the Montreal Protocol are now considering further amendments, including proposals to bring HFCs, under the Protocol in a manner that would complement existing efforts under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol. HFCs do not deplete the ozone layer but are highly potent greenhouse gases, and their consumption has been increasing rapidly as they are being used to replace HCFCs. I urge Parties and industries to seize the opportunity provided by the HCFC phase-out to leapfrog HFCs wherever possible. www. un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=39 573&Cr=ozone&Cr1=# . The European Parliament approved on September 14, 2011 a resolution stressing that the F-gas Regulation has fallen far short of expectations. MEPs also said that the Commission should propose changes to existing rules to speed up the reduction in emissions of HFCs and the phasing out of HCFCs. www.europarl.europa.eu/en/ pressroom/content/20110914IPR26626/html/ Beyond-CO2-MEPs-demand-stricter-ruleson-greenhouse-gases The HFC issue will be at the heart of discussions during MOP23 in Bali and COP17 in Durban (see above), since the two proposed amendments to the Montreal Protocol designed to include HFCs through a phase-down of production and consumption by the USA, Canada and Mexico and by the Federated States of Micronesia will be discussed again. New projections regarding F-gas emissions A study recently published by Gschrey et al.(1) predicts that global emissions of Kyoto Protocol fluorinated gases (HFCs + SF6 + PFCs) will amount to 4 GT CO2 eq. in 2050 if no mitigation measures are taken, with HFC emissions only representing 3.65 GT CO2. This represents 5.9% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in 2050 (67.7 GT CO2), with HFCs amounting to 5.4%. This figure is about half as high as HFC emissions projected by Velders et al.(2) in 2009. According to this study, most F-gas emissions in 2050 will be generated by commercial refrigeration (41%). The stationary

F-gas: new legislative measures next year The European Commission published on September 26, 2011 a report on the application, effects and adequacy of the F-gas Regulation. In its conclusion, the Commission points out that If all its current provisions are fully applied in all Member States, the Regulation, together with the MAC Directive, would make it possible to avoid almost half of projected emissions by 2050, stabilising EU-27 emissions at todays levels of 110 million tonnes of CO2 eq. However, in the context of the overall EU objective to cut emissions by 8095% by 2050, the stabilization of F-gas emissions at todays levels is not adequate and the analysis shows that already available or emerging low-GWP technologies are technically feasible and can be cost-effective in many application areas. This report identifies options for additional cost-effective reductions of F-gases in the EU. The Commission has also launched a public consultation of stakeholders on these options. Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action, said It is clear there is considerable scope for cost-effective reductions in F-gas emissions and following the public consultation, I intend to propose new legislative measures next year." The IIR is participating in this consultation. http://ec.europa.eu/clima/ news/articles/news_2011092602_en.htm Unreported HFC-23 emissions A report published in Geophysical Research Letters says that Western Europe's emissions of HFC-23 are around twice as high as the officially reported level within the framework of the Kyoto Protocol. In particular, Italy is found to be emitting 10-20 times more HFC-23 than it reports. HFC-23 is a by-product in the manufacture of HCFC-22 with a very high GWP (14 800) and long lifespan (270 years). Destroying HFC-23 is not currently mandated by the F-gas Regulation. The report is based on analyses by Empa the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology which use a special gas chromatograph mass spectrometer enabling the emission levels of more than 50 halogenated greenhouse gases to be precisely evaluated, making it possible to identify the emission sources regionally. www.empa.ch/plugin/template/ empa/3/110820/---/l=2 Asda succesfully tests R407F refrigerant Asda has published test results following a trial of Honeywells Genetron Performax LT refrigerant (R407F) at its Hunts Cross store. According to Asda, so far, the refrigerant has consumed an average of 6.7% less energy than R407A, and 13.4% less energy than R404A. Honeywell claims that this blend of R32, R125 and R134a refrigerants (GWP=1824) can also reduce CO2 emissions compared with an R404A system

JARN, June 25 and August 25, 2011

HCFC news
HCFC phase-out at risk from illegal trade The phase-out of HCFCs under the Montreal Protocol could be undermined by black market trade unless enforcement agencies are prepared, according to the report Risk Assessment of Illegal Trade in HCFCs , jointly produced by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Given the booming production of, and demand for, HCFCs in developing countries, combined with on-going demand and limited supply due to the restrictions in place in developed countries, the market conditions appear to be in place for a possible repeat of the wide scale smuggling seen during the CFC phase-out, said EIA report co-author Julian Newman. The situation in Europe illustrates how illegal trade can arise as a result of a phase-out. As of January 2010, demand for HCFCs within the EU must be met by using either reclaimed or recycled chemicals; however, demand for HCFCs for refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment servicing remains higher than legal supplies can satisfy. In Europe, theres a risk that such demand could undermine the ban on importation and use of virgin HCFCs which came into force at the beginning of 2010; with the cost of HCFC-22 in the EU ranging from 18-30 per kilo and the chemical available from developing countries at about 2 per kilo, excluding shipping, the incentive for smugglers to step in to meet the demand is clear. Theres little doubt that the emergence of a global black market in illegal HCFCs is a very real and significant threat. added J. Newman. Whats different this time around is that we have the prior experience gained in combating CFC smuggling.

www.eia-international.org/hcfc-phase-outat-risk-from-illegal-trade www.eia-international.org/wp-content/ uploads/HCFC-illegal-trade-report-webversion.pdf

Loophole in the US HCFC-22 phase-out plan Five of the leading US air-conditioning manufacturers - Carrier, Daikin/McQuay, Trane, Johnson Controls and Lennox wrote on August 15, 2011 to the EPA calling for an amendment to the Final Rule published at the end of 2009 which "bans the sale or distribution of air-conditioning and refrigeration appliances containing HCFC-22, HCFC-142b, or blends containing one or both of these controlled substances as the refrigerant". "While the Appliance Rule bans the sale and distribution of appliances that are precharged with HCFC22 at the time they are manufactured or imported into the US, EPA did not apply the same prohibition to appliance components that are uncharged," say the companies. "Instead, the Appliance Rule allows major components of an air conditioner or refrigeration unit to be shipped "dry" or with a holding charge containing an inert gas and then charged with refrigerants on-site. This situation creates a gaping loophole in the Appliance Rule and allows the continued widespread use of HCFC-22." According to industry estimates, the R22 units are being offered to homeowners and businesses with failed units as a low cost option to replacement. As a result, R22 units still account for 10-20% of all sales in the US. www.acr-news.com/news/news.asp?id=25 67&title=Loophole+hits+US+R22+phaseout+plans www.eenews.net/assets/2011/08/17/document_gw_01.pdf

manufacture approximately 100 000 units of room air conditioners per year. The product is claimed to comply with international safety standards and exceeds the minimum efficiency requirements for air conditioners within many countries and regions, including China, India, Australia, Europe and Brazil. www.hydrocarbons21.com

MAC news
CO2 AC systems in German buses During the 12 th K a r l s r u h e r Fahrzeugklima Symposium in September 2011, new approaches in mobile air-conditioning systems (MAC) in buses were presented and an overview of a number of CO2 MAC buses in Germany was given. Out of a total of 26 buses equipped with CO2 mobile air-conditioning systems (MAC) in Germany, 22 buses are still in operation today. The currently oldest bus belongs to Saar-Pfalz-Bus and has been using a CO2 MAC system since 2004. The good experiences have encouraged the regional transport company to acquire in total 5 buses with CO2 MAC in 2011, while the public transport company of Berlin (BVG) integrated 7 buses with CO2 MAC into their fleet in 2010. In 2010, the regional transport company of Kurhessen (RKH) introduced in Kassel for the first time a bus equipped with a reversible CO2 MAC, which not only cools but also heats the bus. The average COP of the system, calculated from the ratio of cooling/heating performance to motor output, was 3.54 (3.1 in A/C mode, 3.8 in heat-pump mode). www.r744.com R1234yf tested for bus AC Tests co-funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and run bus AC system company Hispacold suggest that HFO-1234yf is a near drop-in replacement refrigerant for HFC-134a in the tested Hispacolds 12S roof top bus air-conditioning units. Performance results were not detailed but Hispacold reported a 99.77% reduction in direct emissions. www.racplus.com/news R1234yf car AC launched Delphi Automotive will introduce an airconditioning system featuring one of the industrys first uses of R1234yf. The system will be installed in a European vehicle and was unveiled at Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA). Delphi is supplying the compressor and condenser for the vehicle. To enable compatibility with R1234yf, Delphi is using a new compressor lubricant that improves performance and system durability and can also be used with R134a. www.greencarcongress.com

the 400 kg of refrigerant that was used in a direct exchange cooling system. Icepak Coolstores gas detection and ventilation systems were inadequate for the type of refrigerant used (95% propane) which is heavier than air. The plants refrigeration system was reportedly prone to leaks, needed constant maintenance and experienced ongoing problems. Meetings which took place with industry bodies such as IRHACE during the inquest focused on the adequacy of the existing regulatory regime and training opportunities and could lead to the introduction of a new licensing scheme for refrigeration and air-conditioning contractors. www.acr-news.com www.hydrocarbons21. com Soaring rare earth prices: impact on inverter ACs Roughly 100 g of rare earth elements are used in a 1.1 kW inverter compressor, and recycling of these elements is proving difficult. In China, soaring rare earth prices are expected to raise the cost of inverter compressors by 30% (roughly USD 15). China currently produces over 90% of the worlds rare earth elements. However, Australia, Brazil, Canada and the USA are endeavoring to raise their production. JARN, August 25, 2011 Find out how efficient your cold store is! Perhaps you know how much energy your cold store uses each year, but have you ever wondered how your cold store ranks against other similar cold stores? Maybe you are throwing away money and wasting energy when your cold store could be more efficient? Now you can check how efficient your cold store is against hundreds of other stores across Europe thanks to the free ICE-E Energy Adviser! By entering your energy consumption data and information about your cold store, you can see how your cold store ranks against similar-sized stores with similar functions. The survey is totally confidential: no data will be divulged. Sign up for the ICE-E benchmarking survey: http://coldstoresurvey. teknologisk.dk The ICE-E EU project aims to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from the European food cold storage sector through application of energy-efficient equipment choices in compliance with the EUs energy and environmental policies.

Natural refrigerant news

Tesco opens its first CO2 refrigeration store in China Early August 2011, Tesco opened its 97th store in China, yet this is the first to feature a CO2 refrigeration system. The 8635m supermarket includes a fresh area of 2000 m and is located in the Cloud Nine Shopping Mall in the Minhang district of Shanghai. The store is the first in China to adopt a CO 2 refrigeration system. According to Tesco, the Shanghai store uses 25% less energy than standard store designs. Designed, installed and commissioned by Shanghai Fute Refrigeration & Electrical Engineering Co, Ltd., the system is a cascade CO2/R404A one, with a low-temperature system capacity of about 60 kW at -33C, and a medium-temperature system capacity of about 260 kW at -9C. The exhaust heat from the refrigeration system is recovered and reused to meet the stores hot water needs. The use of low outdoor temperatures in winter and in transitional periods will generate considerable energy savings. www.r744.com Chinese manufacturer starts production of propane room ACs Chinese air conditioner manufacturer Gree Electric Appliances Inc announced in July 2011 the official opening of a production line for room air conditioners running with propane (R290). The company will

Briefs
New Zealand: lessons learnt from cold store explosion A recent coronial inquest into the explosion in April 2008 of a cold store in Tamahere, New Zealand, following a hydrocarbon refrigerant leak, has revealed a number of deficiencies. The incident, which caused the death of a fireman, was due to a pipe rupture provoking the leakage of some of

The European Commission develops plan designed to slash food waste The European Commission (EC) intends to slash the 89 m tonnes (179 kg per person) of food currently wasted annually by consumers and the industry. Roughly 42% of total food waste is generated by consumers, 39% by food manufacturers, 5% by retailers and 14% by the catering sector. Waste slashing will be based upon optimization of food packaging through biobased, biodegradable, active and intelligent packaging will play key roles. www.foodproductiondaily.com Chilled foods are not so wasteful The UK Chilled Foods Association (CFA) has

responded to criticism that the manufacture and sale of chilled prepared foods is incredibly wasteful compared with frozen and ambient foods. CFA emphasizes that just-in-time ingredient sourcing manufacture and distribution enables wastage in chilled food production to be tightly controlled. Moreover, Climate Change Agreement data demonstrate that the chilled food sector in the UK has reduced its carbon intensity by 22% since 1999. CFA data indicate that wastage of chilled foods has been reduced by 40% over the past 3 years. www.foodmanufacture.co.uk Ammonia21.com community to be launched soon Ammonia21.com, launched 3 years ago, is about to launch its community, a gateway to the first global online natural refrigerants community. It will enable users to interact with peers around the world, find new business and project partners or set up meetings at upcoming events. www. ammonia21.com The European Cold Storage and Logistics Association (ECSLA) has appointed a new Secretary General: Frank O. Baumeister took over this role on September 1, 2011. www.ecsla.be

Out of the ordinary

Panasonic and Accenture join forces to create a smart city in Fujisawa, Japan Panasonic, Accenture and seven other companies are to develop a smart city, Fujisawa Sustainable Smart Town intended to be a model for an environmentally-minded urban area. Fujisawa is located roughly 60 km from Tokyo and has 400 000 residents. Fujisawa SST will gain its intelligence via infrastructure and services from IT to energy from the 9 companies. It will support 1000 households and is to open in March 2014. The focus will be on energy efficiency using measures such as solar power generation and battery storage systems, and the aim is to replicate success elsewhere in Japan and overseas. The reason for the USD 742-million project is Asias booming population growth. Panasonic considers that the development of new cities will occur swiftly on a huge scale, and believes that the rolling out of a full-scale smart city is a good business move. The companies are measuring success by a targeted 70% reduction in CO2 emissions (compared with 1990 levels), and citizens acceptance. www.smartplanet.com/blog/smart-takes/ panasonic-accenture-partner-on-smartcity-in-fujisawa-japan/16692

IEA, out of the targeted global annual CO2 emissions reductions 50% by 2050 compared to 2005 levels , CCS from power generation and industry is estimated as being about 19% of the mitigation potential. Neks et al.(2) gave an overview of current and possible application of refrigeration technologies within CCS and challenges encountered. Refrigeration technologies may play an important role in the major challenge of CCS which is to significantly reduce the related parasitic power consumption and costs. A wide range of CO2 capture technologies is currently being developed for short-, mid- and long-term deployment: chemical solvents, physical solvents, solid sorbents, membranes and low-temperature/cryogenic separation. The main CO2 capture routes within power production can be divided into post-combustion, pre-combustion and oxy-combustion. Capture from industrial point sources may often be compared to the boundary conditions of post-combustion capture. Post-combustion capture from power production is associated with capture from flue gases containing relatively low concentrations of CO2 at pressures close to atmospheric. The most commonly evaluated low-temperature technique for atmospheric flue gas is freezing out the CO2 from the flue gas at atmospheric pressure, often denoted anti-sublimation. Pre-combustion capture is related to capture of the CO2 before combustion. H2 from a shifted synthesis gas is used as fuel in a gas turbine. The syngas is produced by gasification of coal or reforming of natural gas. Gasification and oxygen blown reformers require oxygen from an air separation unit (ASU) as input. The conventional technology for air separation utilizes cryogenic separation. Separation of CO2 from the shifted synthesis gas is the other process step where refrigeration technologies may be utilized. In oxy-combustion, fuel is burnt with oxygen instead of air. In this way, high CO2 concentrations in the flue gas can be obtained. After condensing out the water content in the flue gas, CO2 is captured from the remaining flue gas mixture, mainly CO2 and non-condensable gases, before pressurization for transport in a compression and purification unit (CPU). The oxygen used in the fuel combustion is produced in an ASU. Low-temperature technologies are viable options for the ASU and for the CO2 purification of the CPU. Neks et al. conclude that by adaption of improvement possibilities given by increased component efficiencies and better integration and gains made possible due to plant scale-up, it should be possible to retain and possibly improve the strong position of refrigeration technologies. Several important RD&D tasks are still to be done in order to realize CCS in a costefficient way.
(1) Potential for low-temperature concepts in different CCS applications, Berstad et al. (2) Overview of current and possible applications for refrigeration technologies within CCS, Neks et al.

Kosoy (1) suggests a microfluidic refrigeration platform approach, as a combinable set of refrigerant handling steps together with a suitable micro-fabrication technology which could be selected by identifying imperative requirements of specific applications e.g. portability, low power consumption, high coefficients of performance, etc. Examples of such devices can be found in microelectronics, nuclear technology, aerospace, bioengineering, etc. Elbel et al.(2) focused on miniature vapourcompression technology and its achievable cooling-output-to-system-mass ratio. However, their paper also gave a comparison of a variety of cooling approaches that could be used in autonomous (and mostly man-mounted) systems for cooling vests. These included the evaporative type, the most commonly encountered, mainly for reasons of simplicity and low cost. The approach chosen in the study was a direct-expansion system which requires a completely different evaporator design from those using vapour-compression technology to chill a secondary fluid such as water or glycol, circulated through loops inside the cooling vests. In this case, the pressurized primary refrigerant circulates directly through the cooling loops, thanks to tubing materials which combine suitable pressure resistance with a certain degree of flexibility so as not to hinder the users movements. With a system cooling output per unit mass ratio of 26 W kg-1 (including power source) at 35C ambient temperature, it is claimed to be one of the most compact and light weight systems ever reported in the open literature.
(1) Microfluidic refrigeration platforms: strengths and limitations, B.V. Kosoy (2) Development and analysis of miniature vapour compression cooling technology, S. Elbel et al.

Technology
ICR2011 highlights
During the IIR Congress in Prague, a complete session was devoted to carbon capture and storage (CCS). Berstad et al.(1) stressed that according to

Micro-refrigeration development was one of the important themes of ICR2011. It has been underway for a few decades, and is strongly associated with a progress in such technologies as autonomous power supply, integrated micro transportation and enhanced heat transfer techniques and the 21st century brought new possibilities thanks to micro-electric and mechanical systems (MEMS) technology.

Improving insulation thanks to vacuum Vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) are currently being launched in many insulation applications: aeronautics, marine, building, domestic/commercial refrigeration and insulated containers for the transport of heat-sensitive products such as vaccines, blood and medicines. Conventional insulation materials rely on gas captured in very small closed cavities using a minimum amount of material (or very high porosity above 90%). The main contributor to heat transfer is the captured gas, generally air, which has a thermal conductivity of 0.025 W/m.K. Therefore the most efficient solution for reducing heat transfer is to remove the gas through a vacuum or by applying low pressure, as in the case of a Thermos flask. A VIP has a porous core material (fibrous filler, fibreglass, open polymer foams, pellets, pyrogenated silica which has the advantage of a certain amount of nanoscopic pores increasing the durability, etc.) wrapped in a water-tight film. VIPs are made by sealing the core material in a barrier film under vacuum. The film is generally a polymer-aluminium-polymer multi-layer material which must prevent penetration of air components in the material, specifically nitrogen and oxygen and above all water vapour. In order to achieve and maintain low thermal conductivity, the core material, the quality of the barrier film and the vacuum level are the main parameters. Containers should also be well designed so as to avoid thermal bridges. VIPs can increase the thermal performance of insulated containers (up to 240 hours) and/or

Agenda
IIR conferences
June 25-27 Delft Netherlands 10th IIR-Gustav Lorentzen Conference on Natural Working Fluids (GL2012) Gerard Vos: info@gl2012.nl www.gl2012.nl 10th IIR International Conference on Phase-Change Materials and Slurries for refrigeration and Air Conditioning Hiroshi Suzuki: heroc@kobe-u.ac.jp www2.kobe-u.ac.jp/~komoda/pcms/index.html 12th Cryogenics 2012 Romana Kocova, Romana@icaris.cz www.icaris.cz/conf/Cryogenics2012 3rd IIR Workshop on Refrigerant Charge Reduction in Refrigerating Systems - RCR 2012 iir.rcr2012@gmail.com www.imst.upv.es/iir-rcr2012 ICR2015 24th International Congress of Refrigeration Icr2015@ics-inc.co.jp IIR Conference Commissions B1, B2, D1, E1, E2 IIR Conference Commissions B1, B2, D1

IIR-co-sponsored conferences

2011
Belgrade - Serbia - November 30-December 2 42nd International Congress on Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Branko Todorovic: todorob@eunet.rs www.kgh-kongres.org Commissions B1, B2, D1, E1, E2

July 29 August 1

Kobe Japan

2012
West Lafayette - USA - July 16-19 14th International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference at Purdue 2nd International High-Performance & Green Buildings Conference at Purdue 21st International Compressor Engineering Conference at Purdue herlcong@purdue.edu https://engineeringpurdue.edu/Herick/Events Commissions B1, B2, E1, E2 Opatija - Croatia - September 18-20 EuroSun 2012 hsse@riteh.hr Commissions B1, B2, E1, E2

2012

September Dresden 11-14 Germany October 25-26 Valencia Spain

IIR Conference Commissions A1, A2, C1 IIR Conference Commissions B1, B2with D1, D2, E1, E2 IIR Congress All commissions

2015

August 31 Yokohama Sept. 6 Japan

reduce their thickness. VIP refrigerated containers allow for controlledtemperature shipping lasting 7-10 days as their performance is 3 times better than conventional polyurethane (up to 96 hours) and consequently 4.5 times higher then that of polystyrene (48 hours). According to Kacimi and Labranque (1), their success requires improvements in efficiency and lower costs, for instance simply thanks to a protective layer with a resistant material. The re-use of the insulated boxes will also make them profitable and justify their high price.
(1) Vacuum insulated panels (VIP) in insulated packaging, Kacimi et al.

Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) has developed a small, high-efficiency centrifugal chiller that uses water as refrigerant. www.ejarn.com Watch a video showing cryoablation of a liver tumour at Fuda Hospital, China: www. youtube.com/watch?v=dyaDC XL7isk&feature=related Another video shows how cryosurgery relieves chronic foot pain: www.youtube. com/watch?v=9fqalM4EjVE

2013
Houston - United States - April 16-19 LNG 17 kprentice@lng17.org rclarke@etf.com.au www.lng17.org Commission A2

RegulationsStandardization
Briefs
Australia to set up a carbon price for HFCs On September 13, 2011, the Australian Government introduced to the Parliament a set of Bills that aim to cut emissions of greenhouse gases by 159 million tonnes CO2 eq. a year. Included are bills that will introduce a carbon charge on imports of synthetic greenhouse gases including HFCs and equipment containing such gases. The applicable carbon charge has been fixed at AUD 23 (about 16.9) per tonne CO2 eq. from July 1, 2012 and will rise by 2.5% each year until July 1, 2015. The price mechanism will then become an emissions trading scheme, in which the price will be determined by the market. This would mean a charge of about 22 per kg of HFC-134a by July 2012. The level of the Australian carbon charge is somewhat higher than the HFC tax level in Denmark ( 17.5/kg of HFC-134a in 2011) but lower than the tax level in Norway ( 39/kg of HFC-134a) or the proposed tax in Sweden that if introduced would result in a tax of about 35/kg of HFC-134a. www.ammonia21.com www.acrnews.com/ news The Government of Argentina recently published the No. 98/2011 regulation specifying stricter energy efficiency standards for all freezers, refrigerators and other refrigeration appliances imported to or sold in Argentina. Under this regulation, all

freezers or refrigerators covered must meet the level C energy efficiency requirements or higher; the lowest efficiency standard was D in the past. This new regulation entered into force on September 1, 2011. www.ejarn.com/news.asp?ID=16278 New Chinese CO2 heat pump standard On June 1, 2011 a new Chinese CO2 heat pump standard was formally implemented. Standard GB/T26181-2010 is for hermetic motor-compressors for household and similar-use heat pump water heaters using CO2 refrigerant, and is expected to accelerate the launching of new products on the Chinese market. The new standard defines requirements for compressor cooling capacity, the COP and noise levels, and is based on the characteristics of products envisaged for the Chinese market. The standard has been developed in anticipation of the launching of CO2 heat pump water heaters on the Chinese market in 2012. www.R744.com

Briefs
Edible carrot films display food packaging potential Barrier properties exhibited by carrotbased edible films demonstrate potential for their use as packaging for a variety of food types, according to recent research from China. The study performed at Jilin University aimed to produce composite edible film with carrot puree and to examine how levels of other components i.e. carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), corn starch and gelatin affected its mechanical and barrier properties. The research led by Xinwei Wang was based on carrots because of their nutritional value and the fact that few vegetable-based products had been developed. Carrots contain water, protein cellulosic substances and pectic and adding these components could lead to the formation of a cost-effective and biodegradable film. Obtaining films with good oxygen permeability (OP) and desirable film mechanical properties would be an indication of the possible use of carrot as an alternative source of packaging. Carrot films may have a potential to be commercial because they can be used as food or food packaging, they added. The study was published in the journal Food and Bioproducts Processing. www.foodproductiondaily.com

International Institute of Refrigeration Institut International du Froid 177, bd Malesherbes - 75017 Paris, France Tel.: 33 (0)1 42 27 32 35 - Fax: 33 (0)1 47 63 17 98 E-mail: iif-iir@iifiir.org Web site: www.iifiir.org The Newsletter of the IIR is a quarterly publication of the IIR Managing Editor: Didier Coulomb Editor: Jean-Luc Dupont Editorial assistants: Susan Phalippou Mitchell, Gerard Vidal, Cornelia Keizer, Thomas Michineau Graphic Design: EdiConseil