Umweltbundesamt

Home > New refrigerant for cars: EU must not ignore fire risk

New refrigerant for cars: EU must not ignore fire risk

The photo shows that the fluorinated refrigerant 1234yf burned during the laboratory test.

Laboratory test of the ignition behaviour of the refrigerant 1234yf
Refrigerant 1234yf ignited in laboratory test: release of 46 g of 1234yf in 70 seconds with formation of hydrogen fluoride (HF) in concentrations above 90 ppmv
Source: Umweltbundesamt

European Commission research centre ignores scientific results on the fire risk from the new refrigerant R1234yf for mobile air conditioning systems

22.08.2014

Air conditioning systems for passenger cars in the EU must switch to a new refrigerant for the sake of climate protection. However, UBA is not the only one to believe that many car manufacturers are backing the wrong horse. The new refrigerant R1234yf can ignite during accidents and hydrofluoric acid may form. This is what tests commissioned by UBA and the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA), and others, have shown. Car occupants and rescue workers in particular may be potentially at risk. After having reviewed the KBA’s tests, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre nevertheless sees no serious risk and fully disregards results from other studies. UBA finds this incomprehensible.

Links

  • article at „Spiegel online“ (in German)
  • UBA thematic page „Mobile air conditioning systems“

Publications

  • European JRC report on R1234yf ignores fire incidents
Article:

Tags:
 R1234yf  air conditioning in vehicles  air conditioning system  refrigerant Top

The UBA’s motto, For our environment (“Für Mensch und Umwelt”), sums up our mission pretty well, we feel. In this video we give an insight into our work.

The UBA

Contact

Wörlitzer Platz 1
06844 Dessau-Roßlau
Germany
Please send us your enquiries exclusively via the contact form.

Due to the large number of enquiries, there may be delays in responding. We ask for your understanding.


Source URL (modified on 07.11.2014):https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/en/topics/new-refrigerant-for-cars-eu-must-not-ignore-fire