BS EN 378-2:2016 - TC

What is BS EN 378-2-Refrigerating systems and heat pumps about? 

BS EN 378 is a European safety Standard that discusses safety and environmental requirements of refrigerating systems and heat pumps, with an aim to minimize risk of hazards to people and environment, minimize product failures and enhance overall operational efficiency of the system. 

BS EN 378-2 is the second part of the series that specifies the requirements for the safety of persons and property, provides guidance for the protection of the environment and establishes procedures for the operation, maintenance, and repair of refrigerating systems and the recovery of refrigerants. 

BS EN 378-2 is applicable to: 

• To refrigerating systems, stationary or mobile, of all sizes except to vehicle air conditioning systems 
• Covered by a specific product standard, e.g. ISO 13043 
• To secondary cooling or heating systems 
• To the location of the refrigerating systems 
• To replaced parts and added components after adoption of this standard if they are not identical in 
• Function and in the capacity 

Who is BS EN 378-2-Refrigerating systems and heat pumps for? 

BS EN 378-2 on refrigerating systems and heat pumps is applicable to: 

• HVAC application manufacturers 
• Refrigerant manufacturers 
• Industrial refrigeration system manufacturers 
• Chemical and petrochemicals industry 
• Pharmaceutical industry 
• Food processing industry 

Why should you use BS EN 378-2-Refrigerating systems and heat pumps? 

Refrigeration systems use a fluid known as refrigerant for the refrigeration cycle of air conditioning systems and heat pumps, that absorbs the heat from low-temperature region and rejects it at higher-temperature region by undergoing a phase transition, from a liquid to a gas and back again. However, commonly used refrigerants are harmful to the environment. Thus, compliance with safety and environmental requirements is a crucial parameter to consider when designing, developing, manufacturing, installing, repairing, and disposing refrigerating systems.  

BS EN 378-2 covers safety and environmental requirements, safety requirements for components and piping including materials, along with recommendations for tests to establish conformity to performance requirements. The tests include: 

• Strength pressure test 
• Tightness test 
• Functional test 

Thus, BS EN 378-2 can help you minimize the hazards to person, property, and the environments from refrigerating system and establish durability and long service-life of the refrigerating system.  

What’s changed since the last update? 

BS EN 378-2:2016 supersedes BS EN 378-2:2008+A2:2012 which is withdrawn. BS EN 378-2:2016 includes some technical changes with respect to BS EN 378-2:2008+A2:2012. These include: 

• Harmonization as far as possible with ISO 5149:2014 and ISO 817:2014 
• Harmonizing requirements with DIRECTIVE 2014/68/EU (PED), related to pressure and directive 2006/42/EC (MD) 
• In 5.2.1, the application of the harmonized standard for components has been clarified, by making the note normative 
• The content of the former Table 3 has been integrated in 6.2.6.2, with necessary modifications of the flow chart in Figure 1 
• Replacement of 6.2.2.3 with requirements related to the pressure rise in case of external fire