Call for Presentations

9th SAE Automotive Alternate Refrigerant Systems Symposium
June 10 -12, 2008
Resort Suites Hotel -- Scottsdale, Arizona

In response to concerns about the emissions of man-made greenhouse gases (GHG) into the atmosphere, the mobile air conditioning industry has been investigating ways to reduce GHG emissions. As part of this international activity, SAE has supported many SAE Cooperative Research Programs, SAE is announcing the convening of this ninth industry meeting and is asking you and your company to participate.

The industry is moving rapidly to phase out of HFC-134a in Europe. As you are aware the SAE CRP activities has been coordinating activities between the VDA, JAMA and SAE to determine if there can be a global refrigerant rather than multiple refrigerants for the worldwide mobile A/C industry.

New refrigerants require new Air conditioning design requirements to meet global industry's needs. This includes maximum cooling performance and efficiency from system components. The ability to detect leaks and if the refrigerant can be recovered and recycled on site for reuse. If on site recovery/recycling cannot be attained, a process for handling and disposal of the used chemical removed at service.

Currently, the SAE Interior Climate Control Standards Committee has "Working Groups" developing new SAE Standards and Practices.

During the 2007 meeting, panel discussion groups discussed the issues that the industry must meet to comply with regulatory issues through out the world. With the 2011 EC HFC-134a phase-out date rapidly approaching the use of R774 systems will become commonplace in Europe. At the same time other refrigerant systems will enter the development and possible production to address the global industry regulatory requirements.

To meet new international regulatory requirements the industry must consider what type of future systems are required in meeting the global environmental and consumer demands for achieving a common technology world-wide mobile A/C system.

As was included in the 2007 ARSS meeting, it is planned to have panel discussion sessions with experts from the regulatory and industry sector covering the future requirements and needs for the global air conditioning industry.

Also, with the advent of new vehicle concepts including hybrid, electric and fuel cell vehicles; mobile air conditioning systems require new concepts to provide passenger compartment heating and cooling. The use of semi-hermetic refrigerant cooling systems and energy storage systems pose new challenges for the industry. Since vehicle air conditioning systems must provide total vehicle occupant comfort and safety, the 2008 Symposium will include the discussion of cooling technology needed to meet these future vehicle requirements.

The refrigerant system technology has a direct impact on vehicle fuel economy. Refrigerant system control strategy can minimize energy requirements, including changing evaporator control settings and compensating for vehicle idle, engine shut-off conditions, while still providing occupant comfort. The new refrigerant systems should be evaluated based on their total life cycle impact of the vehicle, include both indirect and direct energy consumption in all phases of vehicle operation, including the end of life.

Abstracts for presentations are now being invited on the following subjects for application in today's vehicles and tomorrow's, electric, hybrid and fuel cell vehicles:

• Alternate refrigerant systems including: component designs, performance, efficiency, reliability, system servicing and consumer acceptance, R744 Carbon dioxide, Improved HFC-134a, HFC-152a system designs, Other low GWP refrigerants
• Alternate refrigerant commercialization issues.
• Maintaining occupant comfort during vehicle idle, engine shut-off, conditions.
• Controls for mobile air conditioning systems including efficiency and performance for minimum energy requirements vehicle idle, engine shut-off, conditions.
• Heating and cooling systems components (heat exchangers, A/C hoses, seals, compressor lubricants, and reliability, durability and safety issues).
• New service equipment and procedures for servicing, including system charging and leak detection technologies for R744, HFC-134a and HFC-152a and other alternates.
• Refrigerant system technologies that can reduce the fuel economy impact of A/C systems in real customer driving.
• Risk analysis related to new alternate refrigerants.
• Component technologies for new alternate refrigerants.
• Use of the new SAE LCCP Standard evaluation method for comparing alternate refrigerants.

Abstracts should be 100 words or less and include tentative title, presenter's name and contact information. Abstracts should be submitted on-line by March 31, 2008.

Upon approval of an abstract, a peer group will review all presentations for the 2008 ARSS meeting. Presentations, in PowerPoint format, must be submitted to SAE by May 5, 2008 for final review and presentation at the June ARSS meeting.

Other features of the conference will include:

• Updates on SAE standards covering system design, service equipment and technician service procedures for mobile air conditioning systems.
• An industry overview of the SAE Cooperative Research Programs.
• A limited ride program to evaluate the cooling capability of production vehicles and experimental vehicles with alternative air conditioning systems. (Interested companies with experimental air conditioning systems concepts are encouraged to provide demonstration vehicles for the ride evaluations.) For more information please contact Gary Pollak at gary@sae.org or 724.772.7196.

With the extensive industry scope of subjects the 2008, meetings will start at 7:30 am and break for lunch at 11:30 am. So that there can be full attention devoted to formal demonstration ride vehicles, the rides will be scheduled from 12 noon and meetings re-convening from 4 to 6 pm.

Sponsorship opportunities for this Symposium exist to profile companies and enhance networking functions. For more information please contact Gretchen Fry at 724.772.7591, or gfry@sae.org.

Even if you do not plan to make a presentation, please mark you calendar for this important event.

For more information on the technical program, contact Allie Hodder at 724.772.4006 or ahodder@sae.org.