Energy and global warming impacts of CFC alternative technologies for foam building insulations

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:7102052

Fischer, S K; Fairchild, P D; Hughes, P J

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCS) have been used as blowing agents in foam insulation, as the working fluids in cooling and refrigeration equipment, and as solvents in general and precision cleaning applications since their introduction in the 1930s. The number of applications and volumes of CFCs used grew at a tremendous pace during the 1960s and 1970s, but in the mid-1980s it was confirmed that these extremely useful chemicals contribute to the destruction of stratospheric zone and that they are the primary cause of the CFCs have also been found to be second only to carbon dioxide as a factor causing increased greenhouse warming. These chemicals are being phased out of use rapidly to protect the ozone layer and it is very important that the replacements for CFCs do not result in a net increase in global warming by introducing less efficient processes that lead to higher energy use and increased carbon dioxide emissions. A study was conducted to identify those alternative chemicals and technologies that could replace CFCs in energy related applications before the year 2000, and to assess the total potential impact of those alternatives on global warming. The analysis for this project included an estimate of the direct effects from the release of blowing agents, refrigerants, and solvents into the atmosphere and the indirect effects of carbon dioxide emissions resulting from energy use for commercial and residential building insulation, household and commercial refrigeration, building and automobile air conditioning, and general metal and electronics solvent cleaning. This paper focuses on those aspects of the study relevant to building insulation. In general the hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) and hydrochlorofluorocarbon alternatives for CFCs lead to large and sometimes dramatic reductions in total equivalent warming impact, lifetime equivalent C0{sub 2} emissions (TEWI). Most of the reductions result from decreased direct effects without significant changes in energy use.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 7102052
• Report Number(s): CONF-921203-1; ON: DE92019477
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320107* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Building Systems-- (1987-)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
BUILDINGS
CHLOROFLUOROCARBONS
CLIMATIC CHANGE
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FLUIDS
FOAMS
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
ISOCYANATES
LAYERS
MATERIAL SUBSTITUTION
MATERIALS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
OZONE LAYER
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLASTICS
POLYAMIDES
POLYMERS
POLYURETHANES
REFRIGERANTS
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SOLVENTS
SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
THERMAL INSULATION
WORKING FLUIDS