Refrigerant leaks in VRF systems can trigger immediate pump down
Panasonic has developed a solution to detect refrigerant leaks in VRF air-conditioning systems and collect the refrigerant in the outdoor units or an optional receiver tank for larger systems. Refrigerant is pumped down before there is a major loss of refrigerant.
The system qualifies for additional BREEAM points for a building and achieves compliance with the EN378 2008 standard, which covers applications where the concentration of refrigerant could exceed practical safety limits of 0.44 kg/m3.
Using Panasonic’s ECOi software, there is no need for additional communication networks. The leak detector is connected through a PAW-EXCT connector directly to the indoor unit, and the pump-down system is connected to the main outdoor unit.
Panasonic has developed an algorithm to determine refrigerant leakage, enabling the system to be connected without sensors. It can detect a leak of R410A based on three conditions — high pressure, low pressure and discharge temperature.