In Australia, many industrial refrigeration and air conditioning equipment use fluorocarbon refrigerants to facilitate heat transfer. Fluorocarbon refrigerants are synthetic chemicals that typically have very high GWPs (Global Warming Potentials), and some can damage the ozone layer if released into the environment.
Substitutes for Fluorocarbon Refrigerants
Substitutes for these chemicals are available, which can help minimise some environmental risks. They are known as ‘Natural Refrigerants’ because these substances are also found in nature, and their substitutes include carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, and ammonia. These substances have been used as refrigerants for many years; however, they are now finding their way into applications where earlier fluorocarbons were the favoured alternatives.
Natural refrigerants offer twin benefits for companies – by reducing energy consumption, they not only lower costs but also help protect the environment.
Benefits of Natural Refrigerants
Natural refrigerants are economical, readily available, and can cover almost all refrigeration applications, including industrial refrigeration applications already in place. Plus, compared with synthetic refrigerants, natural refrigerants have very low GWPs. This reason is sufficient to recommend their use. Nonetheless, it’s equally essential that they be highly energy-efficient, because over 80% of the GWP emitted by refrigerating and air conditioning systems results from system energy consumption, not from refrigerant leaks.
Energy Consumption and Savings Potential
As of today, roughly 15% of Global Power Consumption is used to generate refrigeration, offering significant savings potential. Steps to saving energy throughout the complete service life of refrigerating systems are gaining prominence and can substantially reduce the burden on the environment.
The Future of Natural Refrigerants
As far as the future is concerned, all things point to using natural refrigerants, both economically and ecologically, to protect the environment and reduce long-term capital expenditure. Indeed, natural refrigerants have come into the spotlight for their exceptional environmental credentials.
Way back in history, naturals were the original refrigerants. About 100 years ago, at the beginning of mechanical refrigeration, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and hydrocarbons were among the few cooling alternatives available in the industry.
Properties and Applications of Natural Refrigerants
The physical properties of natural refrigerants made them difficult to handle, so they fell out of favour. Hydrocarbons are combustible, ammonia is toxic, and carbon dioxide is a high-pressure gas; however, they have significant advantages. Ammonia has no GWP, and hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide have low GWP values.
When HFC (Hydrofluorocarbon) refrigerants came under regulatory scrutiny, the industry once again looked to natural refrigerants as a probable solution. Every natural refrigerant has its place in the system, and hydrocarbons, CO2 and ammonia are all exceptional alternatives when used in the proper application.
Considerations for Engineers and End-Users
It’s possibly prudent to say that engineers and end-users may need to refresh their memories of the right applications. End users should look cautiously at what is required for every project, as naturals may not be the right fit for all types of installations.
For any questions about refrigeration, don’t hesitate to contact us at JDR Group.