On the topic of flammable refrigerants, did you know that:
- More than 700 million R-600A (isobutane) domestic refrigerators are in use worldwide.
- Global warming concerns are forcing 3rd Generation (HFC) refrigerants to phase out between 2020 and 2036 and be replaced with 4th Generation (low gwp) refrigerants?
- EPA is looking for refrigerants with gwp (global warming potential) less than or equal to 53. R-290 (propane) and R-600A have gwp = 3 compared to R-134a = 1,430.
- Nearly 20% of energy consumption worldwide is used for refrigeration and air-conditioning?
- This growing demand was enabled by introducing 2nd Generation (CFC and HCFC) refrigerants (non-flammable and non-toxic) in 1930.
- Environmental concerns over ozone depletion (ODP) and global warming forced 2nd Generation refrigerants to be phased out and replaced with 3rd Generation (HFC) refrigerants (mostly non-flammable and non-toxic) (non ODP and lower GWP) beginning in 1990?
- InSource has built, charged, and leak checked refrigeration and air-conditioning systems for 2nd and 3rd generation refrigerants for over 21 years?
- InSource has built electronic control panels, hoses, copper tubes and tanks for OEM refrigerant recovery, recycling and recharging (R/R/R) equipment as well as service tools and equipment for field installed refrigeration and air conditioning systems for 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation refrigerants for nearly 28 years?
The Importance of Boiling Point
Refrigerants need to have the right boiling point (BP) temperature. Heat flows from hot to cold. When heat is added to liquid refrigerant, it rises in temperature until it reaches the BP and then remains at the BP until only gas remains. Heat is removed from conditioned space in the evaporator. The BP of the refrigerant must be significantly lower than the desired conditioned space temperature. Secondary considerations for choosing flammable refrigerants are environmental effects, flammability, toxicity, and cost of materials to produce them. A limited number of compounds in nature have the right BP, and environmental concerns have left us with very few practical choices.
First Generation Refrigerants (1834 to 1930) – Whatever Worked
Nearly all historically used refrigerants were flammable, toxic, or both. Prominent among them were ether, sulfur-dioxide, ammonia, propane, and methylchloride. They were used mostly for industrial processes. The day of auto air-conditioners and home air-conditioners had not arrived and there were refrigerators.
Second Generation Refrigerants (1930 to 1990) – CFC & HCFC Refrigerants
Given the refrigerants in use in the 1920s, Charles Kettering, director of General Motors Research Laboratories declared to Thomas Midgely that “the refrigeration industry needs a new refrigerant if they ever expect to get anywhere.” The desired properties were “a boiling point between 0 and −40 °C, stability, nontoxicity, and nonflammability.” Midgley and his associates set out to find a better refrigerant. They observed that the refrigerants then in use comprised seven chemical elements (C,N,O,F,S,Cl,Br) in an intersecting row and column of the periodic table. The element at the intersection was fluorine. Within 3 days, they identified and synthesized R-12 (dichlorodifluoromethane), a CFC meaning it contains carbon, fluorine and chlorine. R-12 was considered the miracle refrigerant (stable, non-toxic and non-flammable) and became widely used for refrigerators, auto air-conditioners, window air-conditioners, and aerosol can propellants. R-11 (CFC) (trichlorofluoromethane) was soon used in building chillers and R-22 (HCFC) (chlorodifluoromethane) in residential and commercial air-conditioners.
InSource’s first product was an R-12 and R-134a refrigerant identifier built for an OEM service and tool supplier. In its’ early years, the company’s primary business was building service tools and equipment for this OEM supplier and building components for their R/R/R equipment for 2nd and 3rd Generation refrigerants. Beginning in 2003, InSource began building charged components and sub-systems for OEM refrigeration system manufacturers primarily with 3rd Generation refrigerants.
Third Generation Refrigerants (1990 to 2020) HFC Refrigerants
By 1974, Molina and Rowland had found an issue with CFC stability and stratospheric ozone levels that protect us from ultraviolet rays of the sun. In 1986, experimental flights in the Antarctic spring correlated the ozone hole (less dense stratospheric ozone concentration) and chlorine levels. In early 1987, DuPont announced they were phasing out CFC refrigerants. These discoveries renewed the urgency to reduce use of CFCs and led to adoption of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in 1987. The race was on to design new equipment, new lubricants and to recover, recycle, and reuse refrigerants – they previously were vented to the atmosphere during service and replacement. The Clean Air Act Amendments, passed by US Congress in 1990, covered use and phase out of CFCs and HCFCs and more eventually HFCs, prohibited venting refrigerants, required certified equipment and licensing to service equipment, identified and approved significant new alternatives, etc. R-134a became the main replacement for R-12 with blends being used to replace many other refrigerants.
Ozone depletion concerns faded away as the world turned its’ attention to global warming. While global warming is a very complex subject, scientists seem to think that it is so and that they can identify which substances contribute to climate change to what extent. As ODP became the death of the CFCs and HCFCs, GWP became the death of HFCs and associated blended refrigerants.
During this period, Europe led the way using isobutane (R600A) and propane (R290) in appliances and smaller systems. Today, more than 700 million R600A domestic refrigerators are used worldwide. The reason is that the GWP (global warming potential) is 3 compared to 1,430 for R-134a.
InSource continued to build service tools and equipment and components for R/R/R equipment for several OEM suppliers involving 3rd Generation refrigerants. The company has extensive experience in building charged components and sub-systems for OEM refrigeration systems with R-134a and experience with R-513 and R-404a. Emphasis was on smaller, fractional horsepower systems.
Fourth Generation Refrigerants (2020 on) Natural Refrigerants
Europe is building its case on carbon dioxide, ammonia, isobutane, and propane. The United States has been slower to adapt, but is heading down a similar path – perhaps with other refrigerants in some applications. Dealing with flammability is not entirely new considering combustion engines under the hood of cars, cooking or barbequing with propane, or heating with natural gas.
Auto air-conditioners switched to R-1234yf refrigerant beginning in 2015. InSource has provided hoses and service valves for this 4th Generation refrigerant to OEM suppliers for service and R/R/R equipment. Many of the company’s OEM refrigeration systems customers are looking to replace R-134a with R-290 (propane) or R-600A (isobutane) for the charged components and sub-systems we build for them. InSource has prototyped such systems and are prepared to build them in support of their plans.
Motivation to Switch to R-290 or R-600A
International environmental agreements like the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol (global agreement to phase down HFCs which United States joined on 10/31/2022) set the world-wide framework. The American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act was enacted by U.S. Congress on December 27, 2020. AIM directs EPA to phase down production and consumption of HFCs (R-134a) by 85% from historic baseline levels by 2036.
- R-290 will become more available and comparatively less expensive.
- HFC refrigerants like R-134a will become scarce and expensive as the phase out continues.
- R-290 refrigeration systems will be more compact, perform better and be less expensive.
- Design emphasis and system optimization will key on the future – R-290.
- R-290 uses smaller charges and resulting smaller components.
- Component (compressor, coils, valves, filter/driers, etc.) availability and cost will shift in favor of R-290 over time.
- R-134a product support will decrease over time.
- Industry leaders will key toward the future and seize the momentum. Others will play catch-up.
- Europe seized the momentum with R-600A refrigerators.
- Auto A/C seized the momentum with R-1234yf.
- In switching to Phase 2 and Phase 3 refrigerants, essentially everyone had to adapt and change, but the leaders seized the momentum in leading the charge. They had better products and better value for consumers at the end of the road and those who put forth the effort reaped the benefits.
- Companies like InSource with experience in introducing and handling new refrigerants and adapting refrigeration systems to improve performance can help many smaller companies using fractional horsepower compressors adapt to R-290 and R-600A refrigerants. They can help obtain agency approvals.