NIBE is a partner in the LIFE FRONT project, which aims to help remove barriers to the use of flammable refrigerants. The project is collecting detailed leak data from the field, including failed component, leak cause, hole size, and flowrate, to build a database. This database will provide statistical insights into leak causes and flowrates. It will also help with risk assessment and mitigation measures for flammable refrigerants. The LIFE FRONT project conclusions recommend replacing flammable charge limits with charge limits based on testing. It also defines an efficient test method that could be included in standards to assess safety measures for using over 150g of flammable refrigerant indo

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DATABASE ADDED VALUE FOR THE
INDUSTRY
Laure Meljac, regional manager international affairs, NIBE

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Focus on three core businesses
B U S I N E S S A R E A
NIBE ELEMENT
B U S I N E S S A R E A
NIBE STOVES
B U S I N E S S A R E A
NIBE CLIMATE SOLUTIONS

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LONG EXPERIENCE IN FLAMMABLE REFRIGERANT
NIBE IS ONE OF LIFE FRONT PROJECT PARTNER
HELP REMOVING BARRIERS
TO THE USE OF FLAMMABLE
REFRIGERANTS

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HFC
Flammable
CO2 emissions
Safety
RACH: LEAKAGE RATE NEEDED

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HFC CO2 emissions
Safety
Available information on leakage rate and leak causes ?
Theoretical assumptions and simulations - Lab researches – broad
estimations coming from field data
Lack of input from industry for confidential reasons
Limited available public information based on field experience
RACH: LEAKAGE RATE NEEDED
Flammable

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Own internal experience of each company coming from:
• After sales and quality departments:
Þ Major failures of refrigerant circuit – worst cases
Þ Limited input on leak fixed on the field
• Technical departments:
Þ Leak causes
AVAILABLE INFORMATION FOR THE INDUSTRY
Information about leakage rates and main causes is missing

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Detailed collection of samples from the field, including:
• Failed component
• Leak cause
• Leak hole size
• Leak flowrate
LIFE FRONT PROJECT DATABASE

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ADDED VALUE OF THE DATABASE FOR THE INDUSTRY
Added value of the leak database
• Statistical approach of leak causes and leak flowrates
• Information on leak flowrate in relation to leak cause
Detailed collection of leak from the field, including:
• Failed component
• Leak cause
• Leak hole size
• Leak flowrate
LIFE FRONT PROJECT DATABASE

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Benefit of the database for the industry for usage of flammable refrigerants:
• Risk assessment
• Adapted mitigation measures / leak cause
• Adapted testing method to evaluate design efficiency in mitigating risk related to A3
Þ Adapted design and evaluation of design for a safe usage of flammable refrigerant
BENEFIT FOR FLAMMABLE REFRIGERANT
The database and the LIFE FRONT project as a all can provide valuable
inputs to change the product safety standards and increase the allowable
charge of flammable refrigerant in RACH

12. THANK YOU!

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MAIN OUTPUTS FROM THE LIFE
FRONT PROJECT
Laure Meljac, regional manager international affairs, NIBE

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2 questions to be answered:
• Which criteria to be fulfilled for a product to be deemed safe?
Þ Concentration of R290 not getting > 50%LFL
• What are the correct basic assumptions of leak flowrates to be taken for the test?
Þ Based on database and partner experience
Experimental work under LIFE FRONT project
Target:
• Show that adapted mitigation measures can be implemented to ensure safe usage of
>150g of R290 indoor
• Defined an appropriate testing method to assess product safety

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LIFE FRONT project conclusions and recommendations
Recommendations:
• To encourage innovation: flammable charge size limit set as of today shall be
replaced by charge size limit based on test results performed on heat pump
• Detailed test method is defined that could be included in the standards
Conclusions:
• Adapted mitigation measures can be implemented at heat pump level to ensure safe
usage of more than 150g of flammable where heat pump is installed indoor
• Efficient test method has been developed to assess the efficiency of the implemented
safety measures

16. THANK YOU!