Effective and sustainable training of RAC technicians Victoria Falls, 21st March 2016

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1 Effective and sustainable training of RAC technicians Victoria Falls, 21st March 2016 Marco Buoni VicePresident, AREA Air Conditioning & Refrigeration European contractors Association ( Secretary General Italian Association of Refrigeration Technician, ATF ( Director Centro Studi Galileo (

2 Main points of discussion New emerging technologies and alternatives Motivation for RAC technicians to join the training. Regulatory and institutional framework; linkages with certification system Roles of Agencies involved: NOU/Industries/Association/Vocational Training Approaches for regional cooperation to achieve effective training

3 Emissions of refrigerants present and future in EU -28% -44% Business as Usual Without F-Gas Regulation & MAC With F-Gas Regulation 842/06 & MAC automotive directive Similar or even tougher trends in other regions

4 Applications Refrigerant Industrial Refrigeration HFO 1234ze (?)* All kind of Industrial Ref. Cascade systems Secondary fluids Commercial Refrigeration Cabinets Bottle coolers Supermarkets Domestic Refrigeration freezers Air Conditioning Heat Pumps Hot Water Large Chillers Small Monobloc Air Conditioning Automotive Some Applications of low GWP alternative refrigerants Ammonia Carbon Dioxide + Ammonia Carbon Dioxide HFO 1234ze* Hydrocarbons Hydrocarbons Carbon Dioxide Hydrocarbons R32 Carbon Dioxide Trans-critical Ammonia Hydrocarbons HFO 1234yf no refrigerant represents the ideal solution in all cases and for every equipment each cooling application has to be looked at in its own merits and a professional choice must be made taking into account many more factors than simply GWP From AREA guidance on LOW GWP refrigerants *more applications for HFOs and HFO blends will probably be developed with full commercialisation of the refrigerants

5 Pros / Cons refrigerants Every refrigerant has his own application

6 Contractors training with low GWP refrigerants: mind the gap! The use of HFCs is legislatively decreased and consequently the use of natural refrigerants is pushed, there will be a gap between training offer and training needs resulting in a shortage of trained contractors The revision of the F-Gas Regulation include measures in favour of a decreased use of HFCs in RACHP equipment. Such measures would, in turn, result in an increased use of alternatives, namely low GWP (global warming potential) refrigerants, and in particular the so-called natural refrigerants (CO2, hydrocarbons and ammonia). Mindful of the key role played by contractors in the safe, efficient and reliable functioning of equipment working with natural refrigerants, AREA sought an overview of the availability and level of training in the EU. Solution could be starting from the F-Gas certification of personnel adding modules for natural refrigerants

7 Recommendations of AREA: Minimum Requirements for the specific refrigerant HC NH 3 CO 2 HFO COMPETENCE OF SERVICE TECHNICIANS Assessment: P Practical T Thoretical HC NH 3 CO 2 HFO BASIC THERMODYNAMICS AND PHYSICS T T T T Properties : temperature, pressure, density, thermal capacity.. Differences between Low GWP refrigerants and HFCs GOOD PRACTICE P P P P Identify typical application State and identify the commonly used refrigerants designation HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS P P P P Safe system shutdown and isolation Extinguish a fire, First aid care treatment REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS T T T T Knowledge of International and National Regulations standards Storage of the refrigerant.

8 Main points of discussion New emerging technologies and alternatives Motivation for RAC technicians to join the training. Regulatory and institutional framework; linkages with certification system Roles of Agencies involved: NOU/Industries/Association/Vocational Training Approaches for regional cooperation to achieve effective training

9 Why creating Training, Assessment, Certification Training and Certification is an important tool and the only way to reach the competence necessary to handle refrigerants and the systems Legislation-driven: Environment 1. Reducing Refrigerant Emissions, GHG, ODS 2. Increasing energy efficiency (reducing CO2) Safety Customer-driven: Wholesalers, distributors, big customers require environmentally friendly and energy efficient products Protects the interests of customer through providing services according to applicable standards Certification of the personnel and of the companies who handle air conditioning, refrigeration and heat pumps equipment should be necessary To buy refrigerant To install, repair, dismantling

10 Why creating Training, Assessment, Certification (2) Training and Certification will also play an important role for the sustainability of the associations, as it could be an important income stream both through the training and the certifications organized by the association. The associations role in certification could be also: to work alongside the government to set the rules, certification schemes and regulations a third party policing the correct implementation of the regulation certification body who guarantees the high standard of the certification certification body who issues the certification, renewing periodically the body who keeps the list, register and the records of certified technicians and companies

11 Why creating Training, Assessment, Certification (3) It is recommended that only Competent and Certified Technicians holding a certificate will be allowed to: install, maintain, repair, recover, dismantle RAC systems containing refrigerants buy the refrigerant as a proved Certificate holder NB. Informal Sector buys Refrigerant only if holding the certification. This will stop the development of an informal sector and in particular preventing the bad behavior (accidents, emissions) which is most common in this sector.

12 Certification is the best practical method to verify the competence of personnel handling refrigerants and to ensure the correct installation, maintenance, repair and dismantling of a refrigeration, airconditioning and heat pump systems.

13 FREE Blended learning for alternative refrigerants in new equipment safety, efficiency, reliability and containment e-library REAL e-learning Alternatives classroom practice Co-financed by We are proud to have among our stakeholders the European Commission DG Clima & UNEP Ozone Action

14 Main points of discussion New emerging technologies and alternatives Motivation for RAC technicians to join the training. Regulatory and institutional framework; linkages with certification system Roles of Agencies involved: NOU/Industries/Association/Vocational Training Approaches for regional cooperation to achieve effective training

15 Training to Strength National Connecting contractors Training RAC associations Information magazine - newsletter Connecting with the industry Speak with One voice (important driver at the moment) fast moving sector in technology and in legislation: F-gas regulations, RES directive, Refrigerants future Training and Informations Keep the association ALIVE!

16 Magazine Industria&Formazione For RACHP technician!also online! International Experts Issued last year also with United Nations and International Institute of Refrigeration

17 AREA can help with Standards, Legislations and Projects we already implemented in EU (cronological order) EN13313 Refrigerating systems and heat pumps. Competence of personnel Leonardo da Vinci EU project CE 303 (new version) Real Alternatives EU project This European Standard defines the activities related to refrigerating circuits and the associated competence profiles and establishes procedures for assessing the competence of persons who carry out these activities. These standards, legislations, projects are All linked together (and with EN378)

18 Who needs to be certified? (1 - Personnel) Natural persons (personnel) carrying out certain tasks on certain types of equipment must be certified or qualified. Equipment Stationary refrigeration, air conditioning, heat pump and fire protection equipment Refrigerated trucks (above 3.5 t) and trailers Air conditioning equipment in road vehicles Tasks a) Installation, servicing, maintenance b) Repair c) Decommissioning d) Leakage checking e) Recovery

19 (b) proof that the necessary tools and procedures are available to the personnel engaged in activities for which certification is required. Who needs to be certified? (2 - Companies) *some countries worldwide offer the certification of companies. It is likely that developing countries could use a different method to ensure the compliance of the requirements described below, for example provided that the single service installer, as self-employed person, provides the compliance Companies carrying out certain tasks on certain types of equipment for other parties must be certified. Equipment Stationary refrigeration, air conditioning, heat pump and fire protection equipment Tasks Installation, servicing, maintenance Repair Decommissioning Companies should fulfils the following requirements (a) employment of personnel certified in accordance with Article 5, for the activities requiring certification, in a sufficient number to cover the expected volume of activities;

20 Who needs to be certified? (2 - Companies) (2) Equipment and tools Equipment and tools of the certified personnel to be supplied by his employer Manifold Vacuum Gauge or Vacuum Meter Temperature meter Portable leak detector Refrigerant weight Scale Vacuum pump Recovery set Nitrogen pressure regulator Recycling cylinder RC x x x x x x x x x Figure 4 Recovery cylinder, how to label it Figure 7 Leak detector Figure 5 Vacuum pump Figure 8 Scale Figure 9 Vacuum Gauge Figure 6 Refrigerant recovery machine Figure 10 Pressure Manifold Figure 11 Temperature Meter

21 Technology and knowledge Training, Assessment (1) In the past 3 years several projects has been started on transfer of Technology and knowledge, training and certification Rwanda (African Anglophone Countries) around 15 technicians certified Benin (African Francophone and Lusophone Countries) around 20 technicians has ben certified Eritrea around 20 technicians Tunisia Saudi Arabia 2 sessions Montenegro (Around 10 technicians certified) Ukraine, Belarus, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan Others..

22 Technology and knowledge Training, Assessment (2) Training and certification for Ghana on natural refrigerants: Hydrocarbons HC a delegation of technicians from Ghana received theoretical and practical training on the safe handling and design of equipment with hydrocarbon refrigerants at the headquarters of the Centro Studi Galileo, Casale Monferrato, Italy. The training is in line with the country s efforts to phase out HCFCs and establish a safe hydrocarbon and natural refrigerant use culture

23 Technology and knowledge Training, Assessment (3) The Gambia (LVC) Expected Outcome: Technical and financial support on replacement refrigerants, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and operational costs, is ensured. Aim: To pilot a technology transfer mechanism through the establishment and operation of the technical support mechanism, while introducing innovative technologies to this sector. The technology focus will be on energy efficiency improvements; reduction of ODS leaks and reduction of contaminated refrigerants; and introduction of two types of demonstration systems one using hydrocarbon refrigerant for retrofits and a second full-scale CO 2 industrial or commercial unit with cascade to be piloted in a training environment. Similar project in Tunisia

24 THANK YOU! Marco Buoni VicePresident, AREA Air Conditioning & Refrigeration European contractors Association ( Secretary General Italian Association of Refrigeration Technician, ATF (