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Refrigerants
Refrigerants are substances that can be used in the refrigeration cycle of air conditioning and refrigeration equipment because of their thermodynamic properties.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are synthetic substances used as refrigerants. These halogenated refrigerants have to be chemically synthesized as they either do not occur in nature at all or only in trace concentrations. CFCs and HCFCs are being phased out under the Montreal Protocol, an international agreement to protect the ozone layer. They have been controlled by the Montreal Protocol since 1987 because of their ozone depleting potential and high global warming potentials.
| Substance group | Abbreviation | ODP | GWP | Example (refrigerant/foam blowing agent) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturated chlorofluorocarbons | CFC | 0.6-1 | 4750-14,400 | R11, R12 |
| Saturated hydrochlorofluorocarbons | HCFC | 0.02-0.11 | 77-2310 | R22, R141b |
| Saturated hydrofluorocarbons | HFC | - | 124-14,800 | R32, R134a |
| Unsaturated hydrochlorofluorcarbons | u-HCFC | <0.001 | 0-10 | R1233zd |
| Unsaturated hydrofluorocarbons | u-HFC | - | <1-12 | R1234yf, R1234ze, R1234yz |
| Natural refrigerants | - | 0-3 | R744 (carbon dioxide) R717 (ammonia) R290 (propane) |
