The increasing availability in Europe of optimised R290 compressors for heat pumps is reviving interest in the technology. During the UNIDO ATMOsphere Technology Summit, hydrocarbons21.com interviewed Mr. Daniel Colbourne, Consultant at Re-phridge, about the historical development of hydrocarbon (HC) heat pumps and the current state of play in Europe.

hydrocarbons21.com: In the 1990s there were several hydrocarbon-based heat pump products for domestic application in the EU market, which subsequently disappeared. What in your view might have caused this?

Daniel Colbourne: There were many hydrocarbon (HC) heat pump products on the European market; Austria, Switzerland, Scandinavia and Germany, mainly from small and medium sized producers. But the EU Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) was introduced which basically states that the components and piping in the refrigeration system must be designed, tested and approved for that particular refrigerant (or refrigerant “group”). The PED requirements for flammable refrigerants are one level above those for the non-flammable, low toxicity fluid “group”, which includes refrigerants like R22.

Previously many companies were taking R22 compressors and adapting them for use with R290. So when the PED came into force it essentially meant that they could no longer utilise those R22 compressors; i.e., they could only use R290 compressors for R290. At the time there were no manufacturers producing the right type of R290 compressors and, since in order to certify compressors for R290, additional approval processes are necessary (which in some cases are costly), the size of the market was evidently not sufficient for manufacturers to justify it. For example, the person that is welding the compressors has got to have a higher level of certification, which implies additional investments for the compressor manufacturers.

Article continues: http://www.hydrocarbons21.com/articles/renewed_interest_in_hc_heat_pumps_in_europe_exclusive_interview_with_d_colbourne