The international ATMOsphere Europe conference will be taking place in Lago di Garda, Italy, from 19 to 21 November. In his talk on 19 November, Patrick Stern will be discussing the effects of flammable refrigerants and the associated consequences for fan design. Natural refrigerants gaining in popularity The directive (EU) 517/2014, also known as the fluorinated gas directive, has been in force since January 1, 2015. The directive regulates the gradual reduction of emissions in the industrial sector by 70% as compared to the 1990 level by the year 2030. Alongside ammonia and CO2, natural refrigerants such as isobutane, propane and propene are becoming increasingly popular as an ecological alternative to (partially) halogenated refrigerants. The only catch In the event of malfunctioning, the non-toxic hydrocarbons can however form readily explosive mixtures with air. Fan manufacturers are faced with the task of developing products that satisfy the necessary safety requirements when working with natural refrigerants. At the same time the fan should operate efficiently and quietly. ebm-papst is facing up to these challenges – and Patrick Stern will be presenting the solutions. About Patrick Stern Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Patrick Stern has been working for ebm-papst in a variety of functions for the past 18 years, where he started out as a sales engineer for different product ranges. Since 2016 he has been Market Manager Refrigeration at ebm-papst Mulfingen. He is also the ATEX officer for Sales. About ATMOsphere The global series of conferences and network meetings has developed into a platform for discussing and promoting the use of natural refrigerants. Events are to be held in America, Europe, Asia, Australia and South Africa in 2018. The ATMOsphere events are directed at decision-makers from industry and government with a view to shaping the future of natural refrigerants. They are further aimed at the end users of technology, whose purchasing decisions can have a considerable influence on climate change. ebm-papst is a bronze sponsor of the ATMOsphere Europe 2018.