United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Air and Energy Engineering
Research Laboratory
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
Research and Development
EPA/600/SR-92/171 December 1992
& EPA Project Summary
Mobile Air-Conditioning
Recycling Manual
Dale L. Harmon
The manual provides guidelines on
the recovery and recycle of the chlo-
rofluorocarbon, dichlorodifluorometh-
ane (CFC-12), from mobile air condi-
tioners. The manual is intended for wide
distribution internationally, especially
for use by developing countries and
the World Bank to assist such nations
in phasing out or avoiding the future
use of ozone-depleting CFCs. These
guidelines will aid these countries in
maintaining a supply of such chemi-
cals to service existing equipment that
depends on the use of these chemi-
cals. The manual provides information
on existing recovery/recycle technolo-
gies used for mobile air conditioning
and references other reliable, authori-
tative sources of information for more
detail. The steps that should be con-
sidered in developing and implement-
ing a national mobile air-conditioning
regrigerant recycle program are dis-
cussed.
This Project Summary was developed
by EPA's Air and Energy Engineering
Research Laboratory, Research Tri-
angle Park, NC, to announce key find-
ings of the research project that is fully
documented in a separate report of the
same title (see Project Report ordering
information at back).
Background
The Montreal Protocol on Substances
that Deplete the Ozone Layer restricts the
production of some ozone-depleting chemi-
cals. The chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), di-
chlorodifluorocarbon (commonly referred
to as CFC-12), is one of these chemicals.
The revised Montreal Protocol, signed in
June 1990, calls for 50% reduction in CFC-
12 production by 1995 and a complete
phaseout by the year 2000.
Introduction
In the 1987 world market of some 45.7
million cars, trucks, and buses, approxi-
mately 21.9 million (48%) were equipped
with air conditioning. Global use of CFC-
12 for new vehicles is approximately
29,900 metric tons annually. The amount
of CFC-12 currently required for servicing
air-conditioned vehicles is estimated to be
3 times that required for new vehicles, or
some 89,700 metric tons. Based upon
Chemical Manufacturers Association data
for 1987 CFC-12 production (424,726 met-
ric tons), mobile air conditioning (MAC)
currently accounts for approximately 28%
of the global use of CFC-12.
The release of CFCs to the atmosphere
can be reduced by the recovery and re-
use of the refrigerant from automobile air
conditioners when they are serviced. In
1988, very little information was available
concerning the contamination level in op-
erating automobile air conditioners and
the ability of the available recovery/recycle
equipment to clean the CFC to a level
satisfactory for reuse. The U. S. automo-
bile industry was not willing to allow recy-
cling without voiding the warranty on air
conditioners unless it was proven that the
level of contaminants in recycled refriger-
ant would not increase failure of automo-
bile air conditioners. In response to the
need for a MAC recycle program, an in-
dustry/Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) ad hoc committee was organized
to develop recommendations for standards
for recycling CFC-12 for automobile air
Printed on Recycled Paper
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conditioners. The ad hoc committee re-
quested EPA's Air and Energy Engineer-
ing Research Laboratory (AEERL) to con-
duct a Held study that would determine
contaminant levels and could be used to
define the acceptable level of purity for
recycled refrigerant.
Based on the results of the AEERL
study, the ad hoc committee proposed a
standard of purity for recycled refrigerant
which was accepted by the automobile
industry. The Society of Automotive Engi-
neers (SAE) issued the standard in three
parts: SAE standard J1991, "Standard of
Purity for use in Mobile Air Conditioning
Systems," SAE standard J1990, "Extrac-
tion and Recycle Equipment for Mobile
Automotive Air Conditioning Systems," and
SAE standard J1989, "Recommended Ser-
vtea Procedure for Containment"of R-12."
Underwriters Laboratories is in the pro-
cess of certifying that recycle equipment
sold by various manufacturers can achieve
the standard of purity established by the
SAE J standards.
The U. S. Clean Air Act Amendments of
1990 (CAAA) build on the work done by
the ad hoc committee that developed the
voluntary recycle purity and equipment
standards. The most important elements
of the voluntary standards have been ac-
cepted and made mandatory in the CAAA.
Specific deadlines are established. The
CAAA mandates that, effective January 1,
1992, no person repairing or servicing
motor vehicle air conditioners may do so
without approved refrigerant recycle equip-
ment. Approved refrigerant recycle equip-
ment is defined as equipment certified by
the EPA Administrator (or an independent
standards testing organization approved
by the Administrator) to meet the stan-
dards established by the Administrator.
The standards are required to be, at a
"minimum~at^least""is~strrngenras SAE'
standard J1990.
The Manual
The manual summarizes results of the
AEERL MAC study and outlines steps that
need to be considered by any nation in
developing and implementing a national
MAC recycle program.
The manual is divided into five sec-
tions:
Background: A brief summary of the
magnitude of the problem and the status
of current recycle technology is presented.
Approach: The approach used in the
U.S. to develop MAC recycle standards is
presented.
Specific Options: A brief summary of
the features of the recycle equipment cer-
tified by Underwriters Laboratory to meet
the SAE J standards is presented.
Steps in Implementation: A brief discus-
sion of the steps that should be consid-
ered in developing a national recycle pro-
gram is presented. _____
Appendices: TtWAppenoTces contain a
list of the members of the industry/EPA
ad hoc committee that developed the rec-
ommended MAC recycle standard, a list
of the SAE committee members that de-
veloped the SAE J standards, and pub-
lished reports and papers related to MAC
recycling.
Dale L Harmon is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
The complete report, entitled "Mobile Air-Conditioning Recycling Manual," (Order
No. PB92-235688/AS; Cost: $27.00; subject to change) will be available only
from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
Center for Environmental Research Information
Cincinnati, OH 45268
Official Business
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EPA/600/SR-92/171
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