Paragraph 4 of Instruction IF-02. Classification of refrigerants, approved by Royal Decree 138/2011 of 4 February, approving the Safety Regulation for refrigerated facilities and their complementary technical instructions, enables the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade, at present, Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism to authorise, at the request of an interested party, the use of other refrigerants or mixtures, not included in Appendix 1, after determining how many characteristics of test and use are accurate as required by the requirements set out in the Safety regulations for refrigeration facilities and their accompanying technical instructions.

The Association of Companies of Frio and its Technologies has requested the extension of the relationship of refrigerants authorized by the Regulation of refrigeration facilities, with the inclusion of the refrigerant R-438A. With the application they provide the product accreditation by means of the tables with the thermodynamic characteristics, chemical and physical properties, the safety sheet, certificates of accredited entities on the number of the refrigerant and the the safety classification of the mixture, and the certificate of the refrigerant producer.

R-438A is a quinaria mixture composed of 8.5% difluoromethane (R-32), 45.0% 1,1,1,2,2 pentafluoroethane (R-125), 44.2% 1,1,1,2 tetrafluoroethane (R-134a), 1.7% butane (R-600) and 0.6% ispentane (R-601a). This mixture belongs to the security group L1 (A1/A1), that is, high-security.

View the documentation submitted by the requester, this General Address resolves:

First.

Extend the ratio of refrigerants authorised by the Regulation of Refrigeration Facilities, listed in Appendix 1, Table A, to the IF-02 instruction, with the inclusion of the refrigerant shown below.

Second.

This Resolution shall have effect from the day following that of its publication in the Official Gazette of the State.

Third.

Against this Resolution, which does not put an end to the administrative route, an appeal may be brought before the hierarchical superior, within one month, in accordance with the provisions of Law 30/1992, of 26 November, of Regime Legal of Public Administrations and of the Common Administrative Procedure.

Madrid, April 16, 2012. -Director General of Industry and Small and Medium Enterprises, Manuel Valle Muñoz.

APPENDIX 1. TABLE A

Classification of refrigerants