4
Safety caution
WARNINGS ON REFRIGERANT LEAKAGE
Check of Concentration Limit
The room in which the air conditioner is to be
installed requires a design that in the event of
refrigerant gas leaking out, its concentration will not
exceed a set limit.
The refrigerant R410A which is used in the air
conditioner is safe, without the toxicity or combustibility
of ammonia, and is not restricted by laws to be imposed
which protect the ozone layer. However, since it
contains more than air, it poses the risk of suffocation if
its concentration should rise excessively.
Suffocation from leakage of R410A is almost
nonexistent. With the recent increase in the number of
high concentration buildings, however, the installation of
multi air conditioner systems is on the increase because
of the need for effective use of floor space, individual
control, energy conservation by curtailing heat and
carrying power etc.
Most importantly, the multi air conditioner system is able
to replenish a large amount of refrigerant compared
with conventional individual air conditioners. If a single
unit of the multi conditioner system is to be
installed in a small room, select a suitable model and
installation procedure so that if the refrigerant
accidentally leaks out, its concentration does not reach
the limit (and in the event of an emergency, measures
can be made before injury can occur).
In a room where the concentration may exceed the limit,
create an opening with adjacent rooms, or install
mechanical ventilation combined with a gas leak
detection device.
The concentration is as given below.
≤
Concentration limit (kg/m
3
)
The concentration limit of R410A which is used in multi
air conditioners is 0.3 kg/m
3
.
NOTE 1:
If there are 2 or more refrigerating systems in a single
refrigerating device, the amounts of refrigerant should
be as charged in each independent device.
For the amount of charge in this example:
The possible amount of leaked refrigerant gas in
rooms A, B and C is 10 kg.
The possible amount of leaked refrigerant gas in
rooms D, E and F is 15 kg.
NOTE 2:
The standards for minimum room volume are as follows.
(1) No partition (shaded portion)
(2) When there is an effective opening with the adjacent
room for ventilation of leaking refrigerant gas
(opening without a door, or an opening 0.15 % or
larger than the respective floor spaces at the top or
bottom of the door).
(3) If an indoor unit is installed in each partitioned room
and the refrigerant tubing is interconnected, the
smallest room of course becomes the object. But
when a mechanical ventilation is installed
interlocked with a gas leakage detector in the
smallest room where the density limit is exceeded,
the volume of the next smallest room becomes the
object.
NOTE 3:
The minimum indoor floor area compared with the
amount of refrigerant is roughly as follows: (When the
ceiling is 2.7 m high)
Total amount of refrigerant (kg)
Min. volume of the indoor unit installed room (m
3
)
Outdoor unit
e.g.,
charged amount (15 kg)
e.g., charged
amount (10 kg)
Indoor unit
Room A
Room B
Room C Room D
Room E
Room F
Important
Outdoor unit
Refrigerant piping
Indoor unit
Refrigerant piping
Outdoor unit
Indoor unit
Mechanical ventilation device - Gas leak detector
Very
small
room
Small
room
Medium
room
Large room
0
5
10
10
20
30
15
20
25
30
35
40
kg
m²
Min. indoor
floor
area
Range below the
density limit of 0.3
kg/m
3
(countermeasures
not needed)
Range above the
density limit of 0.3
kg/m
3
(countermeasures
needed)
Total amount of refrigerant
