Page 10 - Climate Control News June 2021

World News
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
There is no one-size- fits-all alternative when it comes to selecting a refrigerant.
Demystifying low-GWP refrigerants
ALFA LAVAL HAS RELEASED A WHITEPAPER WHICH SEEKS TO DEMYSTIFY THE CONFUSING PROCESS OF CHOOSING THE RIGHT LOW-GWP REFRIGERANT FOR A SPECIFIC APPLICATION.
have been in operation all over the world for many years. This is not only because it is a nat- ural refrigerant, but also due its ideal refriger- ant characteristics and widespread availabili- ty at low cost.
“Ammonia is one of the most efficient refrig- erants available, with wide usage possibilities within a wide range of temperatures and ca- pacities. Apart from being a natural substance, the use of ammonia opens possibilities to re- duce energy consumption and secure long- term cost efficiency and sustainability. The downside of ammonia is that it is a toxic refrig- erant and can also be flammable at certain concentrations.
“Although CO2 is not the most efficient natu- ral refrigerant, it is gaining popularity due to the fact that it is neither flammable nor toxic. In the last 10-15 years, system components, pipe work, tools and equipment have been devel- oped to safely handle the pressure challenges associated with CO2.”
THE WHITEPAPER ENTITLED Navigating a changing refrigerant market: A guide for selecting and accommodating refrigerants for diverse heat- ing and cooling applications points out that there is no one-size-fits-all alternative when it comes to selecting a refrigerant.
However, there has been intense innovation in new technologies to safely and efficiently adapt both synthetic and natural low-GWP refriger- ants to today’s heating and cooling applications.
“Every year brings new developments of com- pressors, heat exchangers, controls and various system designs. This whitepaper will provide a useful overview of existing legislative require- ments and current market trends before offering a breakdown of different low-GWP refrigerants available today. Lastly, this text will look at new technologies for using alternative refrigerants in various air conditioning, heating, and refrigera- tion applications,” the whitepaper said.
While R32 can help dramatically reduce en- ergy consumption in air conditioning applica- tions, the whitepaper said it also presents a lot of challenges.
“Like many alternative refrigerants, it is mildly flammable so safety is important but businesses looking for an environmental argument to differ- entiate their production from the competition may want to consider alternatives with a lower GWP,” Alfa Laval said.
“Like R32, the flammability of some HFOs can be a risk if not properly accounted for. A secondary concern is that HFOs can decom- pose under high temperatures, resulting in the formation of hydrogen fluoride and, subse- quently, dangerous acids.
“Business seeking to minimize the global warm- ing potential of their heating and cooling applica- tions have largely turned to natural refrigerants.”
“The good news is that there is constant pro- gress within both technological development and regulation, making natural refrigerants a vi- able choice for a growing number of applica- tions,” the whitepaper said.
“Refrigeration plants using hydrocarbons
CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU
Lu-Ve joins
Carrier Alliance
Italian heat exchanger product man- ufacturer Lu-Ve is the latest company to join the Carrier Alliance.
RIGHT: Lu-Ve Group CEO Matteo Liberali said the partnership will reduce the environmental impact of components.
10