8 Refrigerant-AKM

Refrigerants
Refrigerants are well known as the fluids providing a cooling effect during the phase
change from liquid to vapour. These are used in refrigeration, air conditioning, and
heat pump systems, as well as process systems.
Some Desirable Properties of Refrigerants:

1. High latent heat of vaporisation ⇒ less refrigerant flow required
2. High suction gas density ⇒ small and compact equipment
3. Low compression ratio ⇒ low power consumption and higher volumetric
efficiency of compressors.
4. Positive but not excessive pressures at evaporating and condensing
conditions.
5. Low condensing pressure ⇒ lighter compressors, piping etc.
6. High thermal conductivity ⇒ good heat transfer, reduced size of heat
transfer equipment.
7. Chemically stable, compatible with construction materials and miscible
with lubricants.
8. Non-corrosive, non-toxic, non-flammable and environmentally friendly. 1
Classifications of Refrigerants
A refrigerant may be a single chemical compound or a mixture (blend) of

multiple compounds.
1. Azeotropic Mixtures: These are blends of multiple refrigerants that

evaporate & condense as a single substance & do not change their
volumetric composition or saturation temperature when they evaporate
or condense at a constant pressure.
2. Zeotropic Mixtures: These are blends of multiple refrigerants that

evaporate & condense as a single substance & do change their volumetric
composition or saturation temperature when they evaporate or condense
at a constant pressure.
3. Blends: Mixtures of two or more chemical compounds are blends
2
Prefixes & Atoms in Refrigerants
3
Numbering of Refrigerants: Halocarbon/Hydrocarbon
CHCl2CF3 → 3F + 1H + 2C →R123
CCl3F →1F + 0H + 1C →R11
CHClF2 → 2F + 1H + 1C → R22
CH4 → 0F + 4H + 1C → R50
C3H8 → 0F + 8H + 3C → R290 4
Numbering of Refrigerants: Zeotropic Mixtures
Zeorropic mixtures are assigned an identifying number in the 400 series.

This number designates which components are in the mixture, and the
following upper case letter denotes the proportions. The numbers are in
chronological order of the refrigerant’s approval by ASHRAE. For example:
R407A (R32/Rl25/R134a (20/40/40)), R407B (R32/R125/R134a (10/70/20)),
R407C (R32/R125/R134a (23/25/52)), etc
5
Numbering of Other Refrigerants
Azeotropic Mixtures: are in 500 series. Example: R507(R125/R134a (50/50)).
Organic Compounds: are in 600 series; numbers are given in numerical

order, for example R600a, isobutane.
Inorganic Compounds: are in 700 series; identifications are formed by

adding the relative molecular mass of components to 700.
Chemical Name Formula Number

Ammonia NH3 717
Water H2O 718
Air – 729
Carbon-di-oxide CO2 744
Sulphur-di-oxide SO2 764
6
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Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP): of a refrigerant represents its effect on
atmospheric ozone, and the reference point usually adopted is ODP = 1.0
fro CFC R11.
Global Warming Potential (GWP): of a gas may be defined as the index

comparing the climate impact on its emission to that of emitting the same
amount of carbon dioxide. R134a has a GWP equivalent to 1300 kg CO2.
8
Safety Requirements of Refrigerants
Refrigerants may leak and therefore must be acceptably safe for humans
and manufacturing processes, with little or no toxicity or flammability.
According to ANSI/ASHRAE 34-1997, safety groups are classified as
follows:
A1 : lower toxicity & no flame propagation

A2 : lower toxicity & lower flammability
A3 : lower toxicity & higher flammability
B1 : higher toxicity & no flame propagation
B2 : higher toxicity & lower flammability
B3 : higher toxicity & higher flammability
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Leak Detection Methods
Halide Torch: when air flows over a copper element heated by a CH3OH
flame, the vapour of halogenated refrigerant decomposes and changes the
color of the flame. GREEN → small leak, Bluish with red tip → large
leak.
Electronic: reveals a variation of electric current due to ionization of

decomposed refrigerant between two oppositely charged electrodes.
Bubble Method: a solution of soap is brushed over the seal and joints
where leakage is suspected, producing bubbles that can be easily detected.
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Refrigerants

Some Desirable Properties of Refrigerants:

A refrigerant may be a single chemical compound or a mixture (blend) of

1. Azeotropic Mixtures: These are blends of multiple refrigerants that

2. Zeotropic Mixtures: These are blends of multiple refrigerants that

3. Blends: Mixtures of two or more chemical compounds are blends

Zeorropic mixtures are assigned an identifying number in the 400 series.

Organic Compounds: are in 600 series; numbers are given in numerical

Inorganic Compounds: are in 700 series; identifications are formed by

Chemical Name Formula Number

Global Warming Potential (GWP): of a gas may be defined as the index

A1 : lower toxicity & no flame propagation

Electronic: reveals a variation of electric current due to ionization of

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