Demands for lower costs, energy efficiency, and less environmental damage have recently moved...
The HVAC/R industry is increasingly focused on sustainability and resource conservation. Small-diameter copper tubing is emerging as an ideal choice for HVAC/R equipment design that can facilitate a circular economy by promoting crucial values such as reuse, regeneration, and resource conservation.
The remarkable recycling value of copper ensures that it remains a valuable material in a circular economy and promotes a more sustainable and efficient use of resources. Opting for copper tubing with more recycled content also helps reduce waste generation.
In addition to its recyclability, smaller-diameter copper tubing can improve energy efficiency in HVAC/R equipment and is also exceptionally durable and long-lasting, requiring fewer equipment replacements and generating lower waste levels.
That said, let’s take a closer look at three advantages of small-diameter copper tubing that make it an ideal choice for sustainable HVAC/R equipment design.
1. Circular Economy & Copper Recyclability
Circular economy is crucial for ensuring the long-term well-being of society and the planet by promoting resource conservation, environmental sustainability, and more.
A circular economy, by definition, refers to the economic system based on the reuse and regeneration of material or products; specifically, to continue production in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way. The goal is to keep materials, products, and resources in use for as long as possible, as opposed to the traditional linear economy that reflects a “take-make-dispose” model of production and consumption.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, resources in a circular economy are used at their highest value for as long as possible through strategies such as recycling, repurposing, and reusing products and materials. The goal is to reduce waste, conserve resources, and promote sustainability in all aspects of economic activity.
It is estimated that in the last one hundred years, two-thirds of the 690 million tons of copper produced are still in productive use. Nearly 70 percent of worldwide copper produced is used for electrical/conductivity applications and communications (Copper Recycling, International Copper Association, 2021).
Premium-grade scrap copper can retain up to 95% of the value of newly mined copper and can be sold at the end of its life at 80 to 90 percent of the value of new copper.
Although copper used in electrical applications has stringent quality requirements, quality requirements for plumbing tube and heat exchangers are less burdensome and can be manufactured with more recycled content. Copper tube can contain more than 50% recycled content while being made to meet ASTM standards (International Copper Study Group, Ian Littlewood (2021). A Review of Copper and Copper Alloys Fabrication in North America: Capacity, Output, Perspectives).
Recycling copper involves melting the scrap and casting it into new shapes or forms, allowing it to be reused in various applications. This closed-loop recycling system helps conserve resources, reduces the need for primary copper mining, and minimizes the environmental impacts of extraction processes.
By retaining such a high percentage of its value, the recycling of copper promotes a more sustainable and efficient use of resources. Copper’s remarkable recycling value highlights its status as a valuable material in a circular economy, where the emphasis is placed on extending the life cycle of resources and minimizing waste generation.
2. Energy Efficiency and Positive Environmental Impact
Using smaller-diameter tubes in HVAC/R equipment leads to improved energy efficiency. The reduction in tube diameter, along with the use of inner grooving, enhances heat-transfer effectiveness due to the increased surface area in contact with refrigerant.
Utilizing smaller-diameter copper tubes in heat pump condenser designs also makes it possible to achieve more efficient use of space within the system. These new designs ensure the condenser performs optimally while occupying less internal volume. This reduction in internal volume has several benefits, including a decrease in the overall system charge.
Reducing the total system charge has advantages, such as improved efficiency, lower material costs, and a smaller environmental impact. By decreasing the amount of refrigerant needed in the system, optimizing small-diameter copper tubes in condenser designs offers a more resource-efficient and sustainable solution for refrigeration applications.
That said, using smaller-diameter tubes in HVAC/R equipment can reduce the country's carbon footprint aligning well with the decarbonization law, set to take effect in 2023, which aims to reduce carbon emissions in various industries and increase sustainability efforts in the United States. The Biden-Harris administration announced new actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the industrial sector.
The law will allocate funds to develop and deploy decarbonization technologies, provide incentives for renewable energy use, and invest in clean energy infrastructure to achieve these goals.
This law is crucial in reducing carbon emissions and achieving sustainability in the United States. By focusing on the industrial sector, the largest source of carbon emissions, the law has the potential to reduce the country's carbon footprint significantly.
3. Durability and Longevity
Copper tube is known for its exceptional durability and longevity. It can withstand harsh environmental conditions, resist corrosion, and maintain its performance over an extended period.
Did you know that archeologists unearthed a remnant of copper pipe used to convey water to the royal bath in a great pyramid built for the Egyptian Pharaoh Cheops? When discovered, the remnant of the pipe was still in usable condition, serving as evidence of the red metal's resilience and corrosion resistance.
This longevity ensures that HVAC/R equipment with copper tubes experience fewer failures and require fewer replacements. By opting for copper tubes, HVAC/R equipment manufacturers can reduce waste generation and contribute to the HVAC/R industry’s overall sustainability.
Using copper tubes allows us to reduce environmental impacts, conserve resources, and contribute to a more sustainable future.
Get in touch with the Copper Development Association to partner on the research and development of air-conditioning, refrigeration and heat pump systems and components; in particular, design, analysis, and optimization of tube-fin, small-diameter copper tubes, and brazed plate heat exchangers.
