Global warming impacts of CFC alternative technologies: Combining fluorocarbon and CO[sub 2] effects
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are on their way out, due to their role in stratospheric ozone depletion and the related international Montreal Protocol agreement and various national phaseout timetables. As the research, engineering development, and manufacturing investment decisions have ensued to prepare for this transition away from CFCs, the climate change issue has emerged and there has recently been increased attention on the direct global warming potential (GWP) of the fluorocarbon alternatives as greenhouse gases. However, there has been less focus on the indirect global warming effect arising from end-use energy changes and associated CO[sub 2] emissions. A study was undertaken to address these combined global warming effects. A concept of Total Equivalent Warming Impact (TEWI) was developed for combining the direct and indirect effects and was used for evaluating CFC-replacement options available in the required CFC transition time frame. Analyses of industry technology surveys indicate that CFC-user industries have made substantial progress toward near-equal energy efficiency with many HCFC/HFC alternatives. The findings also bring into question the relative importance of the direct effect in many applications and stress energy efficiency when searching for suitable CFC alternatives. For chillers, household refrigerators, and unitary air-conditioning or heat pump equipment, changes in efficiency of only 2--5% would have a greater effect on future TEWI than completely eliminating the direct effect.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 6896090
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9210198-1; ON: DE93002347
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: International Energy Agency (IEA) Heat Pump Center workshop, Merligen (Switzerland), 12-13 Oct 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
CARBON DIOXIDE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
CORRELATIONS
APPLIANCES
CHLOROFLUOROCARBONS
CLIMATES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
REFRIGERANTS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CLIMATIC CHANGE
EFFICIENCY
EQUIPMENT
EVALUATION
FLUIDS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
WORKING FLUIDS
540110*
320303 - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Industrial & Agricultural Processes- Equipment & Processes
540120 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)