Society of Automotive Engineers Improved Mobile Air Conditioning Cooperative Research Program Improved HFC-134a Refrigerant Systems

Society of Automotive Engineers

Improved Mobile Air Conditioning Cooperative

Research Program

Improved HFC-134a Refrigerant Systems

August 18, 2005 IMAC CRP 2

Improved Mobile Air Conditioning (IMAC)

• Announced April 22, 2004• A comprehensive industry-government cooperative

research program to responsibly manage all aspects of lifetime vehicle air conditioner environmental performance– Develop and demonstrate improved vehicle air

conditioners using HFC-134a refrigerant– Add to customer value– Improve recovery and recycling of refrigerant during

service and vehicle end-of-life disposal• Participants include international automobile and air

conditioner system manufacturers, component and equipment suppliers, refrigerant manufacturers, MAC service providers and the Environmental Protection Agency


Current 27 Corporate Sponsors

• Arkema (Autofina) • Audi • Behr • BMW• DaimlerChrysler • Delphi • Denso • DuPont • Ford • Fujikoki • General Motors • Goodyear• Honeywell

• Ineous Fluor • Japan Fluor Mfg Assoc • Manuli• Modine• Nissan • Parker Hannifin • Sanden • Schrader-Bridgeport• Solvay • TI Automotive • Toyota• Trelleborg• Viking Plastics • Visteon


Project Goals

IMAC Core

Team 150% Leakage

Reduction

Team 330% Load Reduction

Team 230% Efficiency Improvement

Demonstration Vehicles2005/2006

Team 4Containment During

Service & Disposal


IMAC Program Objectives

• Reduce “direct” HFC-134a refrigerant emissions that leak from MACs

• Reduce “indirect emissions”, which are emissions related to the burning of fuel needed to power the air conditioner

• Reduce any other emissions during the manufacture, installation, operation, servicing and disposal of the system

• Provide a directly comparative engineering evaluation – Existing and improved technologies – Vehicle and system design – Servicing of systems


Project Organization

Tier One

Leakage Efficiency

•Overall Project Management•Financial Oversight•Funding strategy•Educate management

Members:•Tier 1 suppliers•Tier 2 suppliers•OEM’s•MACS and Members•EPA•Refrigerant Suppliers•Other

Members:•OEM’s•Tier 1 suppliers•NREL•EPA•University’s•Other

•Overall Technical Leadership•LCA & Cost Benefit Analysis•Sub-group Coordination

OEMCORE GROUP

OEM Advisors•GM•Ford•D-C

To advise in case of proprietary technologies

SAE

Industry

Members:•OEM’s•Tier 1 suppliers•NREL•University’s•Other

Members:•OEM’s•Tier 1 suppliers•EPA•MACS and members•Other

Vehicle Load Service

Tier Two


IMAC Project Teams

Reduction in refrigerant losses at service

Load Reduction Improved comfort

Improved Efficiency

Reduction in

Leakage

Goals:

16346Others:

71813Tier1’s:

2345OEM’s:

2581624Number of Team Members:

Service refrigerant

loss Reduction

Vehicle Thermal

Load Reduction

AC System Efficiency

Improvement

Refrigerant

Leakage Reduction

Team Name:

Team4Team3Team2Team1


Team 1 Refrigerant Leakage

Reduction

•Goal:– Reduce HFC-134a Mobile Air

Conditioning System refrigerant direct emissions by 50%


Team 1 Progress to Date

• Identified 4 current production vehicles to baseline for refrigerant leakage rate– Dodge Caravan (dual system)– Ford F150– Toyota Camry– GM W Car



• Evaluated mini-shed tests to establish refrigerant system direct emissions

• Evaluating assembly plant “noise factors” regarding assembly of system components free of contamination, damage, etc.


Team 1 2006 Plan

• DevelopSAE Standard for component and system mini-shed test

Develop SAE Standard for reclaim procedure to determine actual vehicle charge level

Evaluate new low emissions technologies per standard


Team 1 Description of Technologies

• Improved crimps• Improved fittings• Compressor shaft seal and body seals• Hose permeation• Material integrity-tubing• Reduced number of joints• TXV• Transducer/switches• Service valves/caps• Manufacturing/Assembly specifications• Leakage Test Procedure• Robust Manufacturing/Assembly Procedures


Team 2System Efficiency

•Goal:– Improve system COP by 30% over

the enhanced R134a system that was demonstrated in the SAE Phase 1 Alternative Refrigerant Cooperative Research Program (ARCRP)

– Demonstrate equivalent performance


Team 2 Deliverables

• Demonstrate COP improvement on a System Test Stand

• Demonstrate equal performance in a Vehicle Tunnel

• SAE J Standard for Measurement of System COP using the System Test Stand Approach

• SAE J Standard for Annualized Climate Calculation of System Power Loss

• Relative Cost / Benefit Analysis:– Cost will be relative on a 1-10 scale– Benefit will be COP improvement over the

enhanced R134a ARCRP system


Team 2 2005 Plans

• System Stand:– Improved sub-cooling control (condenser)– Improved superheat control (evaporator)– Improved compressor efficiency– Internal (suction/liquid) heat exchangers

• Vehicle:– Sub-cooling and superheat algorithm

development– A/C performance demonstration


Team 2 2006 Plans

• System Stand:– Next generation condensers (pending availability)– Next generation evaporators (pending availability)– Alternative compressor designs (pending

availability)– “Best of the Best” combination

• Vehicle:– Continue system development– A/C performance demonstration

• Develop J Standards• Develop Cost/Benefit Matrix


Team 2Progress to Date

• Condenser sub-cooling control study shows potential for 20-30% improved COP at low loads (achieving control in a vehicle system is an open issue)

• Evaporator superheat control study shows potential for 20% improved COP at low loads

• Improved efficiency compressor study shows potential for 15% improved COP (climate weighted)

• Achieving the 30% improvement goal is promising but the individual effects may not be additive


Team 3Vehicle Load

Reduction

•Goal:– Demonstrate vehicle level

technologies that reduce the cooling load by 30%



• Tested the impact of various technologies on soak temperatures– Power ventilation device– Solar reflective glazing– Lightweight insulation– Sunscreen for windshield

• Plan to test additional technologies– Lightweight seats– Solar reflective paints

• Developing a computer model at the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) to estimate a technology’s impact on time to comfort and power consumption


NREL vehicle Model

CAD

ThermalComfortVehicle

GlazingSolar

Radiation

Cabin Thermal/Fluid

AirConditioning

FuelEconomy &Emissions Cooling Capacity

&A/C Power

OccupantThermal Comfort

Front-EndFront-EndAir FlowAir FlowAccumulator /Accumulator /

DryerDryer

Electric-DrivenElectric-DrivenCompressorCompressor

CondenserCondenser

Expansion DeviceExpansion Device(Orifice Tube)(Orifice Tube)

EvaporatorEvaporator

Evaporator Air FlowEvaporator Air Flow(Outside Air or Recirc.)(Outside Air or Recirc.)

MOTORMOTOR

AlternatorAlternatorGeneratorGenerator

TTambamb

QevapQevap

QsolarQsolar

TTairair

TTmassmass

WcompWcomp

CondCond


Team 3 Deliverables

Procedure for evaluation of technology Develop a ranking of approximate

cost/benefits for various technologies• Evaluation of technologies in laboratory

and fieldDemonstration vehicle for 2006 Phoenix

MeetingCommunication and education materials


Team 4 Reduction in

Refrigerant Loss During Servicing

• Goals:– Evaluate and Recommend Improvements for

Service Tools, Equipment (New or Revised Standards) and Service Procedures

– Identify, Quantify and Propose Remedies for Refrigerant Losses at Service, Vehicle End of Life

– Quantify and Address Losses from One-Way Refrigerant Containers

– Produce Educational Materials and Conduct Outreach to Reduce Refrigerant Emissions


Team Four – ServiceProgress & Plans

1. Leak detection tools, procedures

– Writing standards for next generation of tools

– Detection at 4 grams per joint/year(Current standard 14 grams)

– Probe distance 3/8” (now ¼”)– ‘Real world’ testing for standard



2. Service equipment, procedures

– Testing has shown that current recovery equipment/procedures leaves refrigerant in system

– Developing standard for next generation of equipment

– Different recovery procedures needed for different types of systems



3. Flexible coupled hose assemblies

– Conduct lab testing to evaluate field coupled assemblies for leakage

– Develop a cost-effective means of field evaluation of assemblies



4. Analytical tool to evaluateservice procedures

– SAE Service Technology Group Activity• Focus on leak detection; diagnosis

5. Refrigerant mass balance– Data collection to identify and

quantify the sources of all lifetime R-134a emissions



6. Vehicle end of life– Partnership with Automotive

Recyclers Association – Raise awareness in this sector– Develop strategies to improve

vehicle EOL refrigerant recovery


Actual/Forecast Funding vs. Original Plans • Original 2004 announcement: “over $3 million

in cash and in-kind contributions”• Program on track to surpass initial funding plan

$ 000’s EPAFunds

IndustryFunds

In-Kind Industry

Total

CY 2004 60 60

CY 2005 370 560 900+ 1,830

CY 2006 370? 560? 900+ 1,830

Total 740 1,180 1,800 $3,720


Status After One Year

• All 4 teams are operational and making progress

• Industry participation is high• The program is on track to

meet scope, funding and technical targets

Documents

Society of Automotive Engineers Improved Mobile Air Conditioning Cooperative Research Program Improved HFC-134a Refrigerant Systems