STUDY OF THE METHODOLOGY FOR ESTIMATING FUGITIVE EMISSIONS IN HYDROFLUOROCARBON REFRIGERANTS (HFC's)
author(s): SILVA, A. L & HERNANDEZ, R.P.B.
ABSTRACT: Refrigerants are substances used in the refrigeration of air conditioners of various equipment today. With each passing moment, new products are created with less ozone depletion potential and less global warming potential to reduce the effects on climate change. In this way, companies need to evaluate their equipment and carry out an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions to quantify the impact they cause and how to minimize them. In this work we used the estimation method of fugitive emissions developed by the “Australian Government Department of Environment and Heritage” in a simulated process line of 57 kg cylinders of R-134a. With the quantified data, it was observed that all equipment, no matter how small its emission rate is, end up emitting a percentage to the atmosphere, but compressors and pressure relief valves are the largest emitters. In the emission ratio of this equipment, it was possible to quantify the volume lost in operating cost also the impact caused in the atmosphere converted into equivalent Carbon Dioxide. Thus, inventories are extremely important to manage industrial processes of gaseous fluids and their fugitive process losses, in addition to considering other emissions generated as Scope I and II to improve industrial processes.
KEYWORDS: Emissions, Fugitive, Emission Factor, GHG; Estimate; Inventory; Refrigerant Fluid; HFCs.