Life cycle environmental impact of refrigeration in supermarkets: a comparative study under different operational conditions

This thesis investigates the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a commercial refrigeration system, focusing on the environmental impact of refrigerants. The first section provides a technical overview of refrigerant development and regulatory frameworks, particularly highlighting the role of PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), their associated risks, and the current restrictions in refrigeration systems. It also explores potential alternatives to PFAS-based refrigerants. The core of the study consists of an LCA case study, starting with an inventory analysis that incorporates both real-world data and literature. The assessment covers the entire life cycle of the system, including the manufacturing phase, the use phase—divided into direct and indirect emissions—and the end-of-life phase. Various methodologies are applied to analyze the results, both on a system-wide level and by breaking down the analysis into smaller sections. This multi-faceted approach provides a detailed understanding of the environmental impact across different life cycle stages. The study specifically analyzes a commercial refrigeration system using three different refrigerants across three distinct cities and two varying leakage rates. Results indicate that the manufacturing phase emissions are quite similar between the different configurations. Indirect emissions during the use phase vary significantly based on geographic location and energy mix, illustrating stark differences between regions. Direct emissions are influenced by leakage rates, with certain refrigerants showing a higher potential for ozone depletion. While the overall differences in emissions among refrigerants are relatively small, the end-of-life phase has a negligible impact, accounting for a minor portion of the total environmental footprint. Overall, this study highlights the sustainability challenges posed by refrigeration systems and the critical role of refrigerant choice and local energy sources in determining environmental impacts.