1) The document discusses improving energy efficiency in light commercial refrigeration systems through case studies comparing traditional HFC refrigerants to hydrocarbons. 2) Case studies of vertical freezers and refrigerators found that models using propane (R290) had lower energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and operating costs compared to traditional HFC refrigerants like R404A and R507A. 3) Total equivalent warming impact, which considers both direct and indirect environmental effects, was also lower for the hydrocarbon models indicating they have less impact on the environment.

1. ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT
IN LIGHT COMMERCIAL
REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS
CASE STUDIES
Marek Zgliczynski

2. As a consequence of Global Warming concerns, the
European Community has already decided to take actions
to phase out high GWP refrigerants, due to their
contribution to green-house effect.
F – Gases Regulation to be voted on June 19, 2013

3. F – Gases Regulation to be voted on June 19, 2013
F – GASES EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE
Annex III – Table 1
Placing on the market prohibitions referred to in Article 9 (1)
Products and equipment
Date of prohibition
(Commission proposal)
3 Use of fire protection systems and fire extinguishers that contains HFC23 1 January 2015
10
Domestic refrigerators and freezers that contain HFC with GWP higher than 150 or
more
1 January 2015
11 part 1
Refrigerators and freezers for storage, display or distribution of products in retail and
food service ("commercial use") - hermetically sealed systems that contains HFC with
GWP o 2500 or more
1 January 2017
11 part 2
Refrigerators and freezers for storage, display or distribution of products in retail and
food service ("commercial use") - hermetically sealed systems that contains HFC with
GWP of 150 or more
1 January 2020
12
Movable room air-conditioning appliances (hermetically sealed equipment which is movable
between rooms by the end user) contains HFC with GWP of 150 or more
1 January 2020
R134a
R404A
R507
R134a, R407F,
R407C, R410A,
etc
Domestic refrigerators and freezers that contain HFC
Date of prohibition
(Amendment)
Refrigerators and freezers for storage , display or distribution of
products in retail and food service ("commercial use")-hermetically
sealed systems that contains HFCs with GWP of 2150 or more
1 January
2015
Refrigerators and freezers for storage , display or distribution of
products in retail and food service ("commercial use")-hermetically
sealed systems that contains HFCs
1 January
2018

4. EMBRACO EUROPE SALES
PER REFRIGERANT
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
1991 1996 2000 2004 2009 2012
Light Commercial Compressors Sales by
Refrigerant
CFC & HCFC
HFC
HC

5. EMBRACO PRODUCT PORTFOLIO
FOR PROPANE
R290 _ 50 Hz _ LBP
EMT1117U NEK2121U NT2160U
EMT1121U NEK1121U NT2170U
EMT1125U NEK2125U NT2180U
EMT1130U NEK2134U NT2210U
EMT2117U NEK2150U
EMT2121U NEK1150U
EMT2130U NEK2160U
EMTE2134U VNEK207U
VNEK213U
R290 _ 50 Hz _ MBP
EMT6144U NEK6152U NT6217U
EMT6152U NEK6165U NT6220U
EMT6165U NEK6181U NT6222U
EMTE6181U NEK6210U NT6224U
NEK6213U
NEK6214U
NEK6217U
NEK6124U

6. REFRIGERATION SYSTEM
CASE STUDIES
Vertical freezer with solid door
Internal volume: 500 lt
Vertical freezer with glass door
Internal volume: 400 lt

7. MODEL Displ. Refrigerant RPM
Capacity (W) at 55 °C EN12900
-30°C -25°C -20°C -15°C -10°C
NEK2150GK 12,12 cm³ R404A/R507A 2850 326 419 529 657 807
NT2178GK 17,4 cm3 R404A/R507A 2850 399 516 651 806 983
NT2170U 20,4 cm3 R290 2850 476 620 788 9815 1196
VNEK213U 13,54 cm³ R290
2000 262 318 403 508 628
3000 298 378 477 693 728
3000 365 468 591 735 898
3600 430 558 706 873 1059
COMPRESSORS PERFORMANCES

8. VARIABLE CAPACITY COMPRESSOR
CONTROL OPTIONS
Thermostat VCC inverter
Temperature
control
Compressor
driver
Speed control
Inverter decides the best
compressor speed

9. VARIABLE CAPACITY COMPRESSOR
CONTROL OPTIONS
Electronic
Thermostat
VCC inverter
Temperature
control
Compressor
driver
Speed control
Thermostat decides the
compressor speed

10. HFC HC
Compressor NEK2150GK VNEK213U
Compressor type Recipro VCC Recipro
Refrigerant R507A R290
Refrigerant charge 420g 110g
Condensing temperature 42,6°C 36,9°C
Evaporating temperature -24,3°C -25,7°C
Voltage 230V/50Hz 230V/50Hz
Power (before turn off of the compressor) 606,2W 384,7W
Thermostat setting -18°C -18°C
Energy consumption per 24 hours 13,829 kWh 8,641 kWh
energy saving
CASE STUDY RESULTS

11. HFC HC
Compressor NT2178GK NT2170U
Compressor type Recipro Recipro
Refrigerant R404A R290
Refrigerant charge 400g 136g
Voltage 230V/50Hz 230V/50Hz
Thermostat setting -17°C -17°C
Energy consumption per 24 hours 14,400 kWh 8,219 kWh(*)
(*)Consumption with high efficiency fan motors and led lightning
energy saving
CASE STUDY RESULTS

12. REFRIGERATION SYSTEM
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
TEWI Total Equivalent Warming Impact, is considered as
a good parameter to evaluate the impact on the environment
caused by a refrigerating system.
Direct effect:
L – Leakage rate (kg/year)
n – Life time (years)
m – Refrigerant charge (kg)
– Recycling factor (%)
Indirect effect:
E – Energy consumption (kWh/year)
– Emission from energy generation
(kgCO2/kWh)
TEWI = GWP*L*n + GWP*m*(1- ) + n*E* [kg CO2]

13. Refrigerant GWP L n m α E β TEWI
Glass Door– NT2178GK R404A 3280 0 10 0,400 0 5258 0,339 19122
Glass Door – NT2170U R290 3 0 10 0,138 0 3000 0,339 10170
Solid Door – NEK2150GK R507A 3300 0 10 0,420 0 5047 0,339 18497
Solid Door – VNEK213U R290 3 0 10 0,110 0 3154 0,339 10692
REFRIGERATION SYSTEM
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
CO2 emission reduction

14. Refrigerant
Energy
consumption
(KWh/year)
Price range
Euro/kWh
Costs of
energy in
one year
Euro
Annual saving
Euro
Glass Door – NT2178GK R404A 5256 0,1 – 0,3 526 - 1577 Ref
Glass Door – NT2170U R290 3000 0,1 – 0,3 300 - 900 226 - 677
Solid Door – NEK2150U R507A 5047 0,1 – 0,3 505 – 1514 Ref
Solid Door – VNEK213U R290 3154 0,1 – 0,3 315 - 946 189 - 568
OPERATIONAL COST
FOR END USER
Higher cost of variable capacity drive
is quickly compensed by

17. ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT
IN LIGHT COMMERCIAL
REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS
CASE STUDIES
Marek Zgliczynski