Hydrocarbon refrigerants

The Fire Protection Research Foundation wants to evaluate the fire hazard posed by flammable refrigerants as a pathway to raising their charge limit.

The EPA’s SNAP program will allow propane for ice machines, water coolers and very low-temperature equipment.

In mobile air conditioners, the performance and environmental benefits of using R290 surpass R22, research has found.

Climate change, greenhouse effect and global warming – scarcely any other issue is so omnipresent and so controversially discussed in the 21st century. Those who are convinced in doubting that climate change is man-made refer to various eras in the history of our planet where the earth has heated up or cooled down drastically even without any contribution on our part. In future too, they see climate change as the result of natural causes, including among others a changed ellipsoid orbit of the earth around the sun.

Climate change, greenhouse effect and global warming – scarcely any other issue is so omnipresent and so controversially discussed in the 21st century. Those who are convinced in doubting that climate change is man-made refer to various eras in the history of our planet where the earth has heated up or cooled down drastically even without any contribution on our part. In future too, they see climate change as the result of natural causes, including among others a changed ellipsoid orbit of the earth around the sun.

The decision as to which refrigerant should be used in a refrigerating or air-conditioning system is based on the major criteria of safety, costs and environment protection. But against the background of constantly increasing energy prices, the energy consumption of a system also plays an increasingly important role. Ideally, the chosen refrigerant should have excellent thermodynamic properties, high chemical stability and good physical characteristics. Furthermore, it should have no or only a negligible impact on the environment, while also being inexpensive and available worldwide.

The decision as to which refrigerant should be used in a refrigerating or air-conditioning system is based on the major criteria of safety, costs and environment protection. But against the background of constantly increasing energy prices, the energy consumption of a system also plays an increasingly important role. Ideally, the chosen refrigerant should have excellent thermodynamic properties, high chemical stability and good physical characteristics. Furthermore, it should have no or only a negligible impact on the environment, while also being inexpensive and available worldwide.

The book Refrigeration – Solved Examples is intended as a reference book for practicing engineers who would appreciate having a summary of useful formulae made available to them. It should serve as useful supplementary reading to students at various academic levels, lecturers and research workers.

I was going to call this post “Playing With Fire” but didn’t for obvious reasons. Anyways, in my last post we saw how CO₂ (R744) can be used in both a traditional sub-critical as well as in trans-critical cycles which operate almost backwards to each other. Also, when I typed in trans-critical without the hyphen, Spell Wreck asked me if I meant to type ‘transatlantic’ instead. Um no, but it did remind me of a little bit of history to touch on before we move onto R290. I apologize for the digression but I think you will find it interesting.

I was going to call this post “Playing With Fire” but didn’t for obvious reasons. Anyways, in my last post we saw how CO₂ (R744) can be used in both a traditional sub-critical as well as in trans-critical cycles which operate almost backwards to each other. Also, when I typed in trans-critical without the hyphen, Spell Wreck asked me if I meant to type ‘transatlantic’ instead. Um no, but it did remind me of a little bit of history to touch on before we move onto R290. I apologize for the digression but I think you will find it interesting.

Researchers working for the Montreal Protocol-funded PRAHA project found that R290 air-conditioning has a higher cooling capacity and is more energy efficient than HFCs.

“The use of natural refrigerants [like ammonia] is probably more prevalent in breweries than in most industrial or commercial refrigeration plants,” said Mark Bulmer (global segment manager (cooling), GF Piping Systems) at BrauBeviale an international beverage trade fair taking place in Nuremberg, Germany on 8-10 November.

Hydrocarbons are expected to replace HFCs R404A and R134a in beer fridges the world over.

As part of the Kigali agreement to phase-down HFCs, under the Montreal Protocol, China is proposing a review of safety standards to remove barriers to alternatives to HFCs, especially natural refrigerants.

In the future we will see more alternative refrigerants to HFCs due to the EU F-gas Regulation and future international phase-down of High Global Warming Potential Substances. To lower global warming impact it is necessary to have a less stable molecule as a refrigerant, which means that the substance becomes flammable.

Supermarkets are using chillers with self-contained units in ‘propane-propane’ configuration.

In the future we will see more alternative refrigerants to HFCs due to the EU F-gas Regulation and future international phase-down of High Global Warming Potential Substances. To lower global warming impact it is necessary to have a less stable molecule as a refrigerant, which means that the substance becomes flammable. The equipment and the tools for installation, maintenance and repair of future equipment containing flammable low GWP refrigerants need to be properly handled by competent personnel.

An innovative UK-based company has developed a new design of oil-free compressor that is said to overcome many of the drawbacks of conventional technology.

Stratospheric ozone depletion as well as atmospheric greenhouse effect due to refrigerant emissions have led to drastic changes in the refrigeration and air conditioning technology since the beginning of the 1990s.

Stratospheric ozone depletion as well as atmospheric greenhouse effect due to refrigerant emissions have led to drastic changes in the refrigeration and air conditioning technology since the beginning of the 1990s.