At some point in this decade, the U.S. commercial vehicle industry will make the switch from hydrofluorcarbons (HFCs) to hydrofluoroolefin (HFOs) as the refrigerant gas in A/C systems. OEMs dealerships and garages will need to be prepared.
The HFO known as R1234yf scores a 4 on the Global Warming Potential index versus the commonly used R-134a’s score of 1,430. The GWP measures how much heat a certain gas holds in the atmosphere relative to carbon dioxide. The rating considers cradle-to-grave lifespan, so the amount of energy it takes to mine and process are also considered.
Through a 2015 SNAP ruling, the EPA already mandated that light vehicles with model year 2021 and higher cease using R-134a, which stays in the atmosphere for more than 200 years, versus HFOs dissipating after an 11-day stint.
“R-134a hangs around in the environment and kind of creates thermal insulating blanket,” explained Thomas Parker, INFICON’s North American sales manager who predicted the change will occur in at least the next 10 years. “The move for heavy-duty trucks and work trucks might be two to four years away.”
INFICON manufacturers leak detectors for factories and garages, so Parker has followed the change closely.
HFOs are far better for the environment, but currently could cost 10 times more and are highly flammable.
“R-1234 does require people to have safety training and be aware that is a hazardous material so they will be impacted more training more tools needed,” Parker said.
He noted that maintenance technicians will have to be aware of the new reclamation process for the refrigerant, because “you can't just vent it to the atmosphere.” Furthermore, HFOs cannot combine in the same tank as HFCs, so workers will have to be very aware of what they’re dealing with during the changeover.
Parker recommended shops don’t fall back on the Dawn detergent bubble test or dye test to detect leaks.
“These visual inspection technologies like dye or bubbles, can actually clog the pathway of causing the dealer more frustration,” Parker said. This is because the dealer will run the leak test and find nothing wrong due to the blockage, but once the film deteriorates a week later, the customer is left with a leaky system. And because of the price of R1234yf, that adds to the sting of having to take the truck off the road for another service call.
The good news is that due to supply and demand, “as the market changes 134 A is going to become more expensive and 1234,” Parker said.
In 2012, Daimler renounced R-1234yf citing safety concerns, but heel-turned in 2015.
The flammability factor is not so severe that a customer smoking a cigarette would ignite an explosion, Parker said “once lawyers figure out that something could happen, that's negligence and liability, and you have to guard against that.”
Parker recommended using an electric leak detector along with training as the best defense.
While there has been a “softening of some environmental initiatives” during the Trump presidency, Parker, who sits on several SAE committees discussing the topic, said the trend toward HFOs has continued.
He also mentioned the government and industry have established a good line of communication on the subject.
“The EPA does a good job of letting the SAE committee know what's going on and they also do a good job of taking feedback on what is possible from a technology point-of-view,” Parker said.
