1. Working group to: Address A2 and A3 refrigerants for IEC 60335-2-40
IEC/TC61/SC61D/WG16
Working group to:
Address A2 and A3 refrigerants
for IEC

2. Domestic and Light Commercial A/C and Heat Pump Systems
WG16 works on the safety standard:
IEC : Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety - Part 2-40: Particular requirements for electrical heat pumps, air- conditioners and dehumidifiers
This standard is applicable to heatpumps, air-conditioners and dehumidifiers:
Domestic and Commercial HVAC systems, including Chillers up to 600 V
The standard is adopted with minor modifications by several countries. For instance as EN or AS/NZS

3. How IEC 60335-2-40 is Limiting Flammable Low GWP Refrigerants
IEC limits the use of flammable low GWP refrigerants by limiting the amount of charge.
The amount of charge is related to the cooling or heating capacity of the system, and therefore what applications can be served using flammable low GWP refrigerant
There are two working groups addressing this:
WG9 addresses A2L refrigerants
WG16 addresses A2 and A3 refrigerants
Higher flammability
A3: Hydrocarbons
B3: No refrigerants
Flammable
A2: R152
B2: Seldomly used
Lower flammability
A2L: Most HFO‘s, R32
B2L: Ammonia
No flame propagation
A1: CFC, HCFC, most HFC‘s
B1: R123
Lower toxicity
Higher toxicity

4. Official TOR of IEC/SC61D/WG16
Background of WG16
Official TOR of IEC/SC61D/WG16
Explanation
SC61D set up a working group with terms of reference to:
IEC/TC61/SC61D is officially responsible for IEC standard on household and light industrial A/C and HP safety.
evaluate the work of WG9 (e.g. 61D/257/DC, 61D/285/INF) with respect to A2 and A3 refrigerants.
WG9 is a working group for A2L refrigerants, and WG16 is asked to consider their work.
review 61D/303/DC and the national comments on this document.
61D/303/DC is the proposal from the Great Britian, which triggered SC61D to create a new working group WG16.
Develop additional requirements for A2 and A3 refrigerants:
Charge limits
Dilution, circulation, ventilation requirements
Additional mitigation measures
WG16 is specifically asked to consider A2 and A3 refrigerants, and guided to specifically consider charge limits and related mitigation measures to further enable A2/A3 refrigerants.
Based on a request from the UK, it was decided to start work on flammable and highly flammable refrigerants.

5. WG16 activity to date 25 experts from 12 different member countries
89 committee documents shared on the collaboration site
4 meetings held
London, UK - September 2015
Frankfurt, Germany.- December 2015
Shenzhen, China - March 2016
Copenhagen, Denmark - June 2016
The next two meetings are planned for:
London, UK - September 2016
China - December 2016.

6. Status of WG16
WG16 has been discussing the concepts to allow higher amount of flammable A2 and A3 refrigerants than currently allowed based on certain conditions and mitigation measures.
Proposals for text have been circulated within WG16, but most discussions are still on the conceptual level:
Realistic leak scenarios
Air ciculation to avoid high local concentrations
Minimizing amount of refrigerant which can leak
Test methods to determine the possible leakage of refrigerants
Only refrigerant charges up to 1 kg of propane, or equivalent, are currently being considered.

7. Time Scale Optimistic Less optimistic 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
WG16 started working in Sep 2015
Document for Comments (DC) circulated; more than one may be needed
Committee Draft for Vote (CDV) circulated; more than one may be needed
Passing from CDV to publication takes at least a year, but more likely two years
Addoption in national standards normally takes several years
Less optimistic
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Notes:
1) Before sending out the CDV, the project of WG9 on A2L refrigerants needs to be finished.
2) Standardisation work is based on consensus, and timing is very difficult to predict; the worst case is much longer than the above.