Reliable and sensitive: BASICEVO cooling medium sensors from smartGAS

The refrigerant sensors of the BasicEVO series from smartGAS are factory calibrated to 2,000 ppm for refrigerants and greenhouse gases R23 and R32. (Image: smartGAS)

Cooling and air conditioning systems are used millions of times in trade, industry, and everyday applications and are simply indispensable for our lives. Many of these systems still operate with fluorinated (FKW) and partially fluorinated hydrocarbons (HFKW) as refrigerants. smartGAS offers specific sensor solutions to reliably detect leaks of the most important refrigerants – good for the climate and for safety.

Since FKW and HFKW are not only flammable in some cases but also very harmful to the climate, strict requirements apply to cooling systems with these refrigerants. The F-Gas Regulation (EU) No. 517/2014 mandates regular leak tests, which can be extended through the use of leak detection systems. For more than 500 tons of CO2 equivalent, such leak detection systems are even mandatory in air conditioning technology.

R23 measurement – prolonging the lifespan of existing systems

The operational life of air conditioning and refrigeration systems can be extended through continuous measurement of escaping gases and reduce costs for maintenance and inspection. The refrigerant sensors of the BasicEVO series from smartGAS are factory calibrated to 2,000 ppm for R23. R23 is used as a low-temperature refrigerant, among other applications, in medicine. Despite the ban on the gas within the European Union, its stockpiles as well as recycled and processed R23 can still be used until 2030. In much of the rest of the world, however, the gas is still used and produced without major restrictions. Due to its high global warming potential (GWP) of 14,800 CO2 equivalents, timely leak detection is especially important.

R32 replaces R410a – a solution for modern air conditioning systems

For the refrigerant and greenhouse gas R32, the refrigerant sensors of the BasicEVO series are also factory calibrated to 2,000 ppm. The refrigerant difluoromethane (R32) is used in modern air conditioning systems in commercial and private environments. It is suitable for cooling and heating operation and aims to replace the significantly more climate-damaging R410a, among other things. Its use increases efficiency by up to ten percent compared to R410a because R32 can absorb more energy. During new planning, air conditioning systems can thus be designed smaller. While the main markets initially were Japan, China, and India, the market and demand for air conditioning systems are also growing in Western metropolises, increasing the need for reliable R32 sensors such as the diffusion sensors of the BasicEVO series from smartGAS.