REFRIGERANTS
Most used in cold and hot water production systems
What refrigerant to choose? There is no single answer, each project has requirements depending on the application, type of compressor, power, etc.
According to GWP
GWP (Global Warming Potential, or global warming potential) is the measure that shows how a certain mass of a greenhouse gas contributes to global warming.
CO2 is the reference gas for the calculation, since its GWP is 1 by standard
Refrigerants not used commercially or that currently have restrictions on use are omitted from this section.
Hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) refrigerant gases are considered the 4th generation of fluorinated (GF) refrigerant gases. With zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and low global warming potential (GWP or GWP)
GWP > 750
R 134a
GWP 1430
Classification A1
screw compressor:
typical range
-
Water chillers -12ºC to 20ºC
-
Heat pumps, up to 60ºC
R410A
G.W.P. 1924
Classification A1
scroll compressor:
typical range
-
Water chillers -12ºC to 20ºC
-
Heat pumps, up to 60ºC
Operating ranges may vary by manufacturer and application
150 < GWP < 750
R 32
GWP 675
A2L Classification
scroll compressor:
typical range
-
Water chillers -12ºC to 20ºC
-
heat pumps
R454B
GWP 466
A2L Classification
scroll compressor:
typical range
-
Water chillers -12ºC to 20ºC
-
heat pumps
R515B
GWP 299
Classification A1
screw compressor
typical range
-
Water chillers -12ºC to 20ºC
-
Water-water heat pumps
Operating ranges may vary by manufacturer and application
HFO 1234ze
GWP <7
A2L Classification
Screw compressor, high speed centrifugal:
typical range
-
Water chillers -12ºC to 28ºC
R744(C02)
GWP 1
Classification A1
Alternative semi-hermetic scroll compressor
typical range
-
Water chillers -50ºC to -12ºC
-
heat pumps
HFO 1233 zd (E)
GWP 1
Classification A1
centrifugal compressor
typical range
-
Water chillers condensed by water -12ºC to 20ºC
R290
(PROPANE)
GWP 3
Classification A3
Reciprocating semi-hermetic scroll compressor
typical range
-
Water chillers -8C to 12ºC
R717(NH3)
GWP 0
Classification A2
Alternative screw compressor:
typical range
-
Water chillers -70ºC to 0ºC
-
industrial applications
GWP < 150
Operating ranges may vary by manufacturer and application
According to Classification
Refrigerants are classified according to their toxicity (A or B) and their flammability (1, 2L, 2 and 3)
Toxicity:
-
Class A: Non-toxic
-
Class B: Toxic
Inflammability:
-
Class 1, non-flammable, no flame propagation
-
Class 2L, low speed of flame propagation, speed less than 10 cm/s
-
Class 2, medium flammability
-
Class 3, high flammability
It is important to take into account the classification of the gas used as it has implications for the project, for example Installation level, civil liability insurance, etc. For more information, consult the RSIF.
What does the RSIF say?
INSTRUCTION IF-02
CLASSIFICATION OF REFRIGERANTS
4.1.1 Classification according to its flammability.
Refrigerants must be included in one of three categories, 1, 2 and 3 based on the following:
CATEGORY 1:
Refrigerants that do not show flame propagation when tested at +60ºC and 101.3 kPa.
CATEGORY 2:
Refrigerants that meet the following three conditions:
They show flame spread when tested at +60ºC and 101.3 kPa.
It has a lower flammability limit, when mixed with air, equal to or greater than 3.5% by volume (V/V).
It has a heat of combustion less than 19,000 kJ/kg.
Within this group, the ISO 817 standard has introduced the criterion of risk reduction due to the low speed of propagation of the flame of certain substances, establishing category 2L, which, in addition to satisfying the three previous conditions, presents the following characteristic :
Flame propagation speed less than 10 cm/s.
The refrigerants that currently fall into this category are the following:
A2L: R-32; R-143a; R-1234yf; R-1234ze; R-444A; R-444B; R-445A; R-446A; R-447A; R-451A; R-451B; R-452B; R-454A; R-454B; R-454C and R-455A.
B2L: R-717.
CATEGORY 3:
Refrigerants that meet the following three conditions:
They show flame spread when tested at +60ºC and 101.3 kPa.
It has a lower limit of flammability, when mixed with air, less than 3.5% by volume (V/V).
It has a heat of combustion greater than or equal to 19,000 kJ/kg.
Note. The lower limits of flammability will be determined in accordance with the corresponding standard, for example, ANSI / ASTM E 681 and are included in ISO 817 and UNE-EN 378.
4.1.2 Classification based on toxicity.
Refrigerants must be included in one of the categories A and B based on their toxicity:
CATEGORY A:
Refrigerants whose average concentration over time does not have adverse effects for the majority of workers who may be exposed to the refrigerant during a working day of 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week and whose value is equal to or greater than an average concentration of 400 ml/ m3 [400 ppm. (V/V)].
CATEGORY B:
Refrigerants whose average concentration over time does not have adverse effects for the majority of workers who may be exposed to the refrigerant during a working day of 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week and whose value is less than an average concentration of 400 ml/m3 [ 400ppm. (V/V)].
What is the famous F-GAS?
It is EU Regulation No. 517/2014, of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 16, 2014 on fluorinated greenhouse gases and repealing Regulation (EC) No. 842/ 2006
What does the F-GAS want?
Protect the environment by reducing fluorinated greenhouse gas (GFEI) emissions, to do so:
a) Establishes rules on containment, use, recovery and destruction of fluorinated greenhouse gases.
b) Establishes conditions for the commercialization of specific products and devices that contain fluorinated greenhouse gases or whose operation depends on them.
c) Establishes conditions for specific uses of fluorinated greenhouse gases.
d) Sets quantitative limits for the commercialization of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
In summary, the F-GAS restricts and limits the use of gas according to the application, decreases the production quotas for tons of CO2 equivalent and establishes (depending on the EU country) rates or taxes on gases according to their GWP or PCA._cc781905 -5cde-3194-bb3b-136bad5cf58d_
For more info follow this link: