- Concerns about global warming and ozone depletion led to the phase out of HCFC refrigerants.r??chauffement image by photlook from Fotolia.com
In the Montreal Protocol, an international environmental agreement brought about by ozone depletion and climate concerns, the United States agreed that--as of January 2010--no new equipment can use R-22 refrigerant. R-22 has been the refrigerant of choice for several decades, but it and other hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerants have been shown to be detrimental to the environment. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are gaseous compounds that contain hydrogen, fluorine and carbon. Several HFCs have been deemed as acceptable replacements for HCFCs. - Like all the approved HFCs on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) list, HFC-134a is a class 2 ODS material, a chemical with an ozone-depletion potential of less than 0.2. R-134a is a low-capacity refrigerant used in small- and high-temperature refrigeration systems. It is listed on the EPA list of approved replacements for use in new installation and not for retrofitted systems.
- R-404A is designed for commercial and transport refrigeration.meatshop image by .shock from Fotolia.com
R-404A has zero ozone-depletion potential and high energy efficiency. It is used in low- and medium-temperature systems and is specifically designed to replace the chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) refrigerant R-502 for commercial and transport refrigeration. It is on the EPA's approved list for use in both new and retrofit systems. - R-407A is a blend of HFC refrigerants R-32, R-125 and R-134a and was developed for low- and medium-temperature systems. It is not intended for air-conditioning applications. R-407C was designed to have the same operating characteristics as R-22, but it is less efficient. It also has a large glide (change in boiling point during the boiling process) of 8 degrees F. They are both on EPA's approved list for use in new and retrofitted systems.
- The R-422 series refrigerants are designed for refrigeration and air-conditioning applications.casa popolare image by mastro from Fotolia.com
The R-422 series refrigerants are only approved for certain systems with oil separators, and R-422A does not appear on EPA's list of approved HFCs. They are a retrofitted blend, designed to replace R-22 in refrigeration and air-conditioning applications. This series has not been approved for use in some compressors, and there is a sizable drop in efficiency from R-22. R-422B, C and D are all on EPA's approved list for use in new and retrofitted systems. - R-507 is a blend of R-125 and R-143A. It is similar to R-404A in operation but with slightly higher pressures. Like R-404A, it is used in low- and medium-temperature systems and is specifically designed to replace the chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) refrigerant R-502 for commercial and transport refrigeration. Operating pressure is higher with R-507 than with R-502. It is on EPA's approved list for use in both new and retrofit systems.
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