CO2 is a natural refrigerant which is manufactured as a by-product from many industries. It is contained in large amounts in the oceans, and all living things produce or absorb it. Advances in technology are allowing engineers to design innovative ways to use CO2 as never before, making it a cost effective and sustainable replacement [...]
R22, also known as HCFC-22, has been commonly used in air conditioning and refrigeration systems in Australia since the 1990s. Releases of R22 into the earth’s atmosphere, including those from leaks, contribute to the depletion of the earth’s ozone layer. As a result, Australia has a legislated phase out of all HCFCs in line with [...]
In 2017 the Australian Federal Government amended the Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Legislation to include the phase out of HFC refrigerants. A statutory 85 per cent phase-down of HFC imports will commence from 1 January 2018. The phase-down will have a starting point of 8 Mt CO₂-e, based on Australia’s current demand and reduce to [...]
HFO refrigerants are been developed as a replacement for HFC refrigerants. Their operating characteristics are very similar to the HFC’s they’re intended to replace. The chemical process to manufacture HFO is extremely complex raising questions about the eventual cost per Kg. There are also concerns relating to their environmental impact, as when HFO’s breakdown in [...]
When installed correctly and with the right safeguards, ammonia is a very efficient refrigerant, especially in large industrial applications. Due to its toxicity, however, ammonia has been at the center of a number of incidents that have led to loss of life, and as a result, there are grave health and safety concerns surrounding its [...]
Although CO2 operates with high pressures, it is an excellent refrigerant in terms of efficiency and environmental impact. CO2 system technology has been widely adopted in Europe, Australia and gaining in popularity in the USA. Adapting CO2 systems in warm climates can be a challenge but huge in roads have been made in the development [...]