Page 38 - Climate Control News Oct 2021
P. 38

                   Product Focus
 A2L refrigerants:
Next step in refrigeration technology
 A-Gas facility.
A-GAS AUSTRALIA MANAGING director Brett Ferguson explains how mildly flammable refrigerants will affect the industry.
At A-Gas we’ve been keeping a close watch on the progress of A2Ls, or mildly flammable re- frigerants as they are of- ten known, as we be-
ABOVE: A-Gas managing director, Brett Ferguson.
lieve they can make a real impact on the industry as it aims to reduce the global warm- ing potential (GWP) of the gases we use.
We are encouraging businesses to try out some of these new refrigerants, gain experience using them and ultimately understand how they perform. R32 has been championed as an A2L alternative for use in air conditioning split systems and is widely available on the market in a variety of cylinder sizes.
“THEY ARE MILDLY FLAMMABLE BUT A2L’S ARE DIFFICULT TO IGNITE.”
Manufacturers supply equipment which is R32-ready and the message is reaching engi- neers and end users that this single component gas with a GWP of 675 is a winner – especially when you consider that the commonly used R410A has a GWP of more than 2000.
What’s more, R404A, the go-to gas for many refrigeration systems, is as high as 3922. Else- where, R455A (an A2L) has a GWP of 148 and in the case of water chillers R1234ze has a GWP of 7. So, by simply looking at the GWP you get huge benefits with A2Ls, giving the industry a chance to grow.
There is no guarantee that any refrigerant is future proof but it is a good bet that R32 will be a preferred option in air conditioning systems for many years to come. What also makes A2Ls such excellent alternatives to the high GWP gases is that typically you will use up to six per cent less product in the system.
Add to this the smaller line sizes and a poten- tial cut in running costs by three per cent a year and there are savings that cannot be ignored. Remember that there will be a lot less of the
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