Ozone Depletion and Refrigerants

DISCUSS OZONE DEPLETION POTENTIAL OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF
REFRIGERANTS BY EXPLAINING IT AS A PHENOMENON AND WHAT

STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN TO COUNTER THIS PROBLEM.
Introduction
Over the last century, air conditioning and refrigeration has become common all
around the globe, industrially and commercially. Air conditioning and
refrigeration processes utilize a specific substance that undergoes state change
and provides cooling in the heat transfer system. Like every other field, immense
technological advancements have been and still are being made to make the air
conditioning and refrigeration processes more and more efficient. However,
efficiency usually comes with a cost. Sometimes that cost takes an economic
form and sometimes it comes in the shape of environmental hazard.
Ozone
The ozone layer refers to
a region of Earth's
stratosphere
that
absorbs most of the
Sun's ultraviolet (UV)
radiation. It contains
high
concentrations
of ozone (O3) relative to
other
parts
of
the
atmosphere,
although
still very small relative
to other gases in the
stratosphere.
The overall amount of
ozone
in
the
stratosphere
is
determined by a balance
between photochemical production and recombination. Ozone is formed in the
stratosphere when oxygen molecules dissociate into two atomic oxygen radical
by in taking an ultraviolet photon. The atomic oxygen radicals then combine with
separate O2 molecules to create two O3 molecules. These ozone molecules
absorb UV light, following which ozone splits into a molecule of O2 and an oxygen
atom. The oxygen atom then joins up with an oxygen molecule to regenerate
ozone.
Ozone Depletion
It was discovered in the late 1970s that man-made chemical refrigerants,
especially halocarbon refrigerants, are causing a steady decline in the total
amount of ozone in Earth's stratosphere (the ozone layer), and a much larger
springtime decrease in stratospheric ozone around Earth's polar regions (called
the Ozone hole). Contributory substances that are responsible for this depletion
are referred to as ozone-depleting substances (ODS). The process of Ozone
destruction includes the involvement of free radicals that act as catalysts in
destroying the ozone. Such common free radicals are Hydroxyl (OH -), Chlorine
radical (Cl-), Bromine radical (Br-) and nitric oxide (NO-). A single chlorine atom
would keep on destroying ozone for up to two years. On a per atom basis,
bromine is even more
efficient than chlorine at
destroying ozone, but
there
is
much
less
bromine
in
the
atmosphere at present.
As a result, both chlorine
and bromine contribute
significantly to overall
ozone depletion.
Refrigerants and Their
Ozone-Depletion
Potential
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC)
These are refrigerants that contain Chlorine, Fluorine and Carbon. They were
developed in the 1930s and were used in a variety of industrial, commercial,
household and automotive applications. They were ideal for commercial,
household, and automotive use due to the fact that they are non-toxic, nonflammable, and non-reactive with other chemical compounds. In 1973 however,
it was discovered that the Chlorine atom in the CFCs unfortunately is a catalyst
for ozone depletion. Basically the Cl- radical rips away the extra oxygen atom in
the ozone compound as follows
A chlorine atom is broken off from a CFC molecule by UV radiation.

CFCl3 + UV Radiation
Cl- + +CFCl2
The chlorine atom breaks apart the ozone molecule (O 3), resulting in an
oxygen molecule (O2) and a chlorine monoxide molecule (ClO).
Cl- + O3
ClO + O2
A free oxygen atom breaks apart the chlorine monoxide molecule (ClO),
releasing the chlorine atom and forming an oxygen molecule (O 2).
ClO + O3
Cl- + 2O2
This chlorine atom can now break apart another ozone molecule (O 3). One
chlorine atom can continue to break up ozone thousands of times.
Examples:
R11 (Trichlorofluoromethane, CFCl3): Used in large, low pressure
centrifugal chillers. This type of chiller provides a very large amount of chilled
water for air conditioning purposes (office buildings, hotels, etc.) at the lowest
operating cost compared to any other type of air conditioning system
R12 (Dichlorodifluoromethane, CF2Cl2): Widely used in a variety of
applications from small hermetic refrigeration systems up through large,
positive pressure chillers. It has been the long-time industry standard for
automotive air conditioning, high/medium/low temperature refrigeration, and
many other commercial and industrial applications.
R13 (Chlorotrifluoromethane, CF3Cl): Used in very low temperature
refrigeration systems which typically operate in two or more stages (cascade
type systems).
HydroChloroFluoroCarbons (HCFC)
These are refrigerants that contain Hydrogen, Chlorine, Fluorine, and Carbon.
They have only about 10% of the ozone depleting potential as CFCs. They are
energy-efficient, low-in-toxicity, cost effective and can be used safely. They have
allowed the CFCs consumption of the world to fall by about 75%. Unfortunately
HCFCs are Greenhouse gases (adding an effect to global warming), despite their
very low atmospheric concentrations.
Examples:
R22 (Chlorodifluoromethane-CHClF2): The dominant refrigerant in
residential and commercial air conditioning and some very large centrifugal
chillers for air conditioning and industrial process cooling. It is basically the
most important refrigerant after the phase out of CFCs.
R123 (C2HF3Cl2): Replaced R-11 in low pressure centrifugal chillers. New R123 equipment has been engineered with the correct materials of
construction and sized properly for the intended job.
R124 (C2HF4Cl): Used in refrigeration blends, primarily those used for R-12
type applications. Also used by itself to replace R-114 (CFC) in chillers or high
ambient air conditioning applications.
HydroFluoroCarbons (HFC)
These are refrigerants containing Hydrogen, Fluorine, and Carbon. Therefore they
do not contain any ozone depleting Chlorine, or any other catalytic radical that
causes ozone depletion. Besides containing no ozone depleting elements they
usually have an even lower global warming potential than HCFCs. Hence, HFCs
are subjected to replace the previously used refrigerants due to their no potential
of ozone depletion.
Examples:
R23 (Trifluoromethane/Fluoroform-CHF3): Used in very low temperature
refrigeration systems, typically on the low stage of a multi-stage system. Has
properties similar to R-13 and can be used to replace R-13 in an existing
system.
R134a (C2H2F4): R-134a performance suffers at lower evaporator
temperature and it is not necessarily the most economical overall choice in
some other applications. However, it is an adequate replacement for R-12.
R507 (50% C2HF5 - 50% C2H3F3): An azeotropic blend of R-125 and R-143a
intended for low and medium temperature refrigeration systems. Similar to R404A in operation.
Other Refrigerants
Ammonia (R-717, NH3): Because of ammonia's vaporization properties, it is

a useful refrigerant. It was commonly used prior to the popularization
of chlorofluorocarbons. It suffers from the disadvantage of toxicity, which
restricts its domestic and small-scale use.
Sulphur Dioxide (R-764, SO 2): Being easily condensed and possessing a
high heat of evaporation, sulfur dioxide is a candidate material for
refrigerants. Prior to the development of chlorofluorocarbons, sulfur dioxide
was used as a refrigerant in home refrigerators.
Propane (C3H8): Propane is also instrumental in providing off-thegrid refrigeration, usually by means of a gas absorption refrigerator. Blends of
pure,
dry
"isopropane"
(R-290a)
(isobutane/propane
mixtures)
and isobutane (R-600a) have negligible ozone depletion potential and very
low Global Warming Potential and can serve as a functional replacement
for R-12, R-22, R-134a, and other CFCs or HFCs in conventional stationary
refrigeration and air conditioning systems.
Prevention Measures
It is suspected that a variety of biological consequences such as increases
in sunburn, skin cancer, cataracts, damage
to plants, and
reduction
of plankton populations in the ocean's photic zone may result from the increased
UV exposure due to ozone depletion. In 1987, the Montreal Protocol was adopted
for the purpose of restricting the production, consumption and trade of particular
substances in order to protect the ozone layer. CFCs had been used as
refrigerants for air conditioning equipment and had a significant impact on
ozone-layer depletion. The CFCs were designated by this protocol as specified
fluorocarbons to be banned.
CFCs were then replaced by less harmful HCFCs, which were, however, later
restricted under the Montreal Protocol for their ozone depletion potential. For
new equipment, HCFCs are to be phased out almost entirely by 2020. Countries
then started to switch to HFCs, new refrigerants that have no impact on the
ozone layer. The HFC refrigerants adopted then are superior to HCFCs thanks to
their zero ozone depletion potential, however, they still have global warming
potential.
The United States is now resorting to the development and use of HFC's to take
the place other refrigerants. Two of the most environmentally safe HFC's are
HFC-32 and HFC-152a.
In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly voted to designate September 16
as "World Ozone Day", to commemorate the signing of the Montreal Protocol on
that date in 1987.

Ozone Depletion and Refrigerants

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ozone Depletion and Refrigerants

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ozone Depletion and Refrigerants

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

DISCUSS OZONE DEPLETION POTENTIAL OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF

REFRIGERANTS BY EXPLAINING IT AS A PHENOMENON AND WHAT

A chlorine atom is broken off from a CFC molecule by UV radiation.

Ammonia (R-717, NH3): Because of ammonia's vaporization properties, it is

You might also like