Two Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) standards that address refrigerant emissions from mobile air-conditioning systems are now available. The standards are: • SAE J2727 HFC-134a, Mobile Air Conditioning System Refrigerant
Emission Chart, aids in estimating the annual refrigerant emissions
rate (grams per year) from new production A/C systems equipped with
specified component technologies. It provides emission values for
current component technologies, and can be expanded as new
technologies come into use. This document provides the information to
develop an Excel file template "System Emissions Chart" for system
emission analysis. SAE J2727 was originally developed in 2004 and first published in
2005. The new update uses the original component refrigerant emission
rating values and provides clearer definitions of sealing technologies
and how to apply them to the J2727 System Emissions Chart, as well as
an improved spreadsheet format. • A new companion document, SAE J2763 Test Procedure for Determining
Refrigerant Emissions from Mobile Air Conditioning Systems, estimates
system emissions (taking into account production assembly variation).
SAE J2763 may be used to quantify emissions from properly assembled
systems in a chamber (mini-shed) under a static temperature profile
and under the California Air Resources Board's Title 13 ambient
profile (CARB Profile). "As an ongoing industry effort, vehicle makers and air-conditioning system and component suppliers are continually improving the containment of refrigerant in mobile air conditioning systems," says Ward Atkinson, chairman, SAE International Interior Climate Control Standards Committee. Currently SAE J2727 is acknowledged by regulatory agencies including the U.S. EPA, State of California and Minnesota. For more information, visit www.sae.org. |