1
EN 378 In a long term aim to ban the use of CFC’s and HCFC’s gas in refrigerant use, the EC Regulation 2000 called for a phase out. With this came the requirement for a prevention of leakage in refrigerants from systems, citing that “all precautionary measures practicable must be tak- en in order to prevent and minimise leakage.” So how does this affect you? F-Gas regulations insist that an- ything with a greater fluid charge than 300kg must have a fixed leak detection system installed. Another regulation in place is the EN378; it’s a safety standard which is directly applicable to all countries in the EC. The revised version of the EN378 has been in effect since 2008 and consists of four parts (taking into consideration the regulations regarding leak detection in occupied spaces); 1. Basic requirements, classification and selection criteria 2. Design, construction, testing, marking and documentation 3. Installation site and personal protection 4. Operation, maintenance, repair and recovery EN378 requires that any charge of refrigerants greater than 25kg and ammonia greater than 50kg requires gas detection equipment to be installed. However, gas detection may be required for smaller charges if practical levels are reached. The EN378 calls for a requirement of alarms, if a leak is detected the EN378 states that there must be a visible / audible alarm inside and outside of the room so that appropriate actions can be taken, with a detector point in each room. EN378 requires that when no personnel are present the refrigerant detector should automatically control emergency ventilation. The RMS8000 from a1-cbiss has up to 3 alarm relay outputs which can be configured to work with beacons / klaxons or connection to BMS. The low cost and ease of use that the RMS8000 make it an ideal solutuion for leak detection in plantrooms or coldrooms. Whether it’s activating a fan or sending an alert straight through to the emergency service, the RMS8000 will ensure absolute compliance with EN378. In accordance with the EN378 the institute of refrigeration compiled a list of good practices for the installation of a leak detection system. There is an emphasis on the importance of the location of the system; it must be located with consideration to access for service and maintenance purposes. The RMS8000 system is typically installed close to the front end controls for connection to the IP network or serial communication connections. For further information call Karl Roberts on 0151 666 8300 or email [email protected] “Refrigerating systems and heat pumps – safety and environmental requirements.” e: [email protected] t: 0151 666 8300 f: 0151 666 8329
