Refrigerant recovery and regeneration from chillers
Refrigerant recovery and regeneration is no longer just a routine service task. It is a real tool for managing costs, F-gas compliance and plant continuity. Since 2024 stricter environmental rules have often made reclaimed refrigerant the only legal way to service older units.
Why recovery became a standard part of maintenance
Regulation (EU) 2024/573 of 7 February 2024, in force since 11 March 2024 and replacing Regulation 517/2014, introduces step-by-step bans on using virgin high-GWP F-gases for servicing existing equipment:
- From 1 January 2025: no virgin R404A, R507 and other refrigerants with GWP of 2500 or more for servicing stationary refrigeration equipment
- From 1 January 2026: the same ban extended to air conditioners and heat pumps
- From 1 January 2032: no F-gases with GWP of 750 or more for servicing stationary refrigeration equipment, with exceptions for chillers in specific applications
The key point for chiller owners: reclaimed and regenerated refrigerants are not covered by these bans. A chiller built ten years ago for R404A or R134a can still run legally if it is serviced with refrigerant regenerated to AHRI 700-2019.
Costs
Virgin R134a cost about 25 to 35 EUR/kg in 2021 and reached 80 to 120 EUR/kg at the end of 2024. In industrial chillers with charges above 120 kg the difference is large, so recovering the refrigerant before a repair is now a business decision, not an extra.
Our procedure
- Assessment of the unit and refrigerant type
- Recovery with certified equipment into marked cylinders
- Regeneration or proper disposal of the refrigerant
- Records for the operator as required by F-gas rules
Contact us. Tell us about your process, site and requirements. We will advise, propose a solution and prepare an offer. Write to info@chillertech.pl or use the contact form.
