2 Ozone, Refrigerants, and Environmental Impact Free Online FlashCards

What harmful solar radiation does the stratospheric ozone layer absorb?

The stratospheric ozone layer absorbs much of the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet-B radiation.

What can increased UV-B exposure from ozone depletion harm?

Lower ozone levels allow more UV-B to reach Earth, increasing risks such as skin cancer and cataracts and harming plants, aquatic organisms, and some materials.

Which refrigerant families contain chlorine, and which have zero ODP?

CFCs and HCFCs contain chlorine; HFCs contain no chlorine and have zero ozone-depletion potential.

Does zero ODP mean a refrigerant has no climate impact?

Zero ODP means a substance does not deplete ozone; it does not mean the substance has zero climate impact. Some HFCs have high GWP.

What determines the direct climate effect of a refrigerant leak?

A leak’s direct climate effect depends on the refrigerant’s GWP and the amount released.

What changed for R-22 in the United States on January 1, 2020?

U.S. production and import of new R-22 ended on January 1, 2020, but existing R-22 equipment may continue to operate and be serviced under applicable rules.

What HFC allowance cap applies in the United States from 2036 onward?

Under the AIM Act, the U.S. HFC production and consumption allowance cap is 15% of the historical baseline from 2036 onward.

What happens to a zeotropic blend during boiling or condensation?

A zeotropic blend changes composition between liquid and vapor as it boils or condenses; its temperature may change during the phase change at a given pressure.

How do recovering, recycling, and reclaiming refrigerant differ?

Recovering removes refrigerant into an external container without requiring cleaning; recycling cleans it for reuse; reclaiming reprocesses it to a required purity standard and verifies it by analysis.

What reference substance defines an ODP of 1?

ODP compares a substance’s ozone-depleting effect with CFC-11, which is assigned an ODP of 1.

What does GWP compare?

GWP compares the warming effect of a given mass of greenhouse gas with the same mass of carbon dioxide over a specified time period. CO₂ has a GWP of 1.

How can refrigerant leakage indirectly contribute to climate change?

Lost charge and inefficient equipment may use more energy, causing additional emissions from electricity generation.