| Title of the research | Study on the Destruction Project of HFC23 Gas Emissioned by Mexican Refrigerant Manufacturer |
| FY | FY 2004 |
| Main research organization | UNICO International Corporation |
| Research partner(s) | Quimobasicos, s.a. de c.v. |
| Location of the project | Monterrey, Mexico |
| Summary of the research report (PDF) | Summary(140kb) |
| Description of the project | The purpose of the project is to contribute to prevention of global warming through decomposition treatment of HFC23 currently discharged into the atmosphere in Quimobasicos' facilities in Monterrey, Mexico. Specifically, the HCFC22 production equipment is to be improved through installation of high-frequency plasma decomposition equipment that has already proved its effectiveness in decomposition treatment of flon in Japan. The HFC23 will be broken down by exposing it to a theoretical maximum temperature of 10,000°C in the presence of steam to rid it of its greenhouse effect before releasing it into the atmosphere. In the case of Quimobasicos, the quantity of reduction of greenhouse gases in terms of CO2 is expected to be a little over 1.4 million tons a year after this study. |
| GHG | HFC23 |
| Sector of the project | Others (HFC Destruction) |
| CDM/JI | CDM |
| Duration of the project activity/ crediting period | 2008 to 2017 |
| Baseline methodology/additionality | The standard quantity subject to decomposition set for the project, the so-called base line (QBHFC23), is the legal control value of the host country. If all of the HFC23 generated has to be decomposed according to the host country's legal controls, the entire quantity is set as the baseline. QBHFC23＝QHFC23×R In the above formula, R is the percentage of the generated HFC23 (QHFC23) that has to be decomposed as required by the controls for the year in question. In Mexico, the host country of this project, there is no control value (percentage) concerning HFC23 emissions at present, and therefore, except for self-imposed measures by some companies, HFC23 is for the most part released into the atmosphere. In such a situation the state of 0 quantity of decomposition of HFC23 is the base line of CO2e emissions. As mentioned above no regulation to restrict the emission of HFC23 in host country has been established yet. Therefore no investment for facilities to decompose such gases has been done due to no direct profit generation from such investment, so that HFC23 has been so far discharged to the atmosphere. Accordingly when the quantity of HFC23 to be decomposed exceeds the baseline quantity, such excess shall be taken into account as an additional quantity. |
| Estimation of GHG emissions | The quantity of reduction of GHB resulting from the implementation of the project is calculated by the formula below: ER=BE - (PE(in) + PE(out)) =(Q-HFC23 - QB-HFC23) × GWP-HFC23 - (Q-ND-HFC23 × GWP-HFC23 + Q-DC HFC23 + Q-CPower + Q-CSteam + Q-CTrans ) ER＝BE - (PE(in)+PE(out)), (quantity of reduction of CO2 emissions) ＝ 1,404,000 - 510 ＝ 1,403,490 ≒ 1,403,000[ton-CO2eq/y] |
| Monitoring methodology | In this project the substances to the decomposed and CO2 generated inside and outside of the project boundary shall be directly monitored and measured in their quantities. The monitoring plan to be prepared at the beginning of the project includes monitoring items and measuring frequency in detail. It is reported that the substances generated in decomposition of the HFC23 and the HFC22 mixed in with it by the high-frequency plasma decomposition process in a very short time at the super-high temperature of 10,000°C in the presence of steam will be limited to HF, CO2 and HCl, but the possibility of generation of the substances listed below as well, although in extremely small quantities, cannot be denied, and shall have to be included in the monitoring items. |
| Environmental impact | It is envisaged that the impact to the environment caused and affected by this project will be a quite few due to the following reasons: ①The conducted gases to the high-frequency plasma decomposition equipment become to the atomic gases under the ultra-high temperature of 10,000°C and the atomic gases enter into a quenching section, washing section and activated carbon absorption section. Finally the harmless gases are discharged to the atmosphere and the water utilized in the washing section is treated chemically with Ca(OH)2 to precipitate CaF2. CaF2 is separated and residual water is discharged to the public system after the pH adjustment. ②The noise and vibration problem are not observed in this equipment and its accessories due to no rotating equipment. ③The odour is treated with a activated carbon. |
| Issues and tasks for project implementation | The materialization of the project definitely depends on the management judgement by USA Honeywell of a key decision maker. The real intention of Honeywell has been blinded to Japanese project partners under their confidentiality control. Meantime, the "Carbon market Insights by Point Carbon" has released the news that MGM International Company has made ambitious effort to develop technical CDM for Quimobasicos. |
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