Refrigeration and Air

conditioning

REFRIGERANTS
 What are refrigerants?

Refrigerants:
Working fluid in a refrigeration system
Undergo thermodynamic changes and produces refrigeration
effect
 What are refrigerants?
There are many natural and artificial substances have been used in
mechanical driven and thermal driven vapor compression refrigeration
systems.

In lithium bromide vapor absorption refrigeration system, H2O is used as a

refrigerant and LiBr is an absorbent ; in NH3 vapor absorption refrigeration
system, NH3 is a refrigerant; H2O is an absorbent.

Water H2O is also used as a refrigerant both in vapor adsorption and in vapor
jet refrigeration cycles. In mechanical driven vapor compression refrigeration,
NH3,CO2, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs),
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), azeotropic and zeotropic mixtures, inorganic
compounds, hydrocarbons, and others are used as refrigerants.
 Examples of Refrigerants
Halocarbon compounds (CFCs – chlorofluorocarbons, HCFCs –
hydrochlofluorocarbons, HFCs – hydrofluorocarbons)
Contain one or more of the three halogens chlorine, fluorine
and bromine.

Chemical Name Chemical Formula Number

Trichloromonofluoromethane CCl3F 11
Dichlorodichloromethane CCl2F2 12
Monochlorodifluoromethane CHClF2 22
Trichlorotrifluoroethane CCl2FCClF2 113
 Examples of Refrigerants
Inorganic Compounds – Natural inorganic refrigerants
Chemical Name Chemical Formula Number
Ammonia NH2 717
Water H2O 718
Air 729
Carbon dioxide CO2 744
Sulphur dioxide SO2 764

Hydrocarbon Compounds
Chemical Name Chemical Formula Number
Methane CH4 50
Propane C3H8 290
 Designation of Refrigerants
For CFC, HCFC, HFC, HC
Chemical Formula Cm Hn Fp Clq
The designation is R (m-1) (n+1) (p)
For CCl3F m = 1, n = 0, p = 1 So CCl3 F is R 11

For C2Cl3F3 m = 2, n = 0, p = 3 So C2Cl3 F3 is R 113

For Common Inorganic Refrigerants

Add molecular weight to 700
For ammonia – molecular weight 17, so R 717
For carbon dioxide – molecular weight is 44, so R 744
 Azeotropic Refrigerants

• A stable mixture of two or several refrigerants whose vapour

and liquid phases retain identical compositions over a wide
range of temperatures (cannot be separated into its
components by distillation).

Examples : R-500 : 73.8% R12 and 26.2% R152

R-502 : 8.8% R22 and 51.2% R115

R-503 : 40.1% R23 and 59.9% R13

 Application of Refrigerants
• Several refrigerants may be used in refrigeration systems such as
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), ammonia, hydrocarbons (propane, ethane,
ethylene, etc.), carbon dioxide, air (in the air-conditioning of aircraft), and
even water (in applications above the freezing point).
• R-11, R-12, R-22, R-134a, and R-502 account for over 90 percent of the
market.
• The industrial and heavy-commercial sectors use ammonia (it is toxic).
• R-11 is used in large-capacity water chillers serving A-C systems in buildings.
• R-134a (replaced R-12, which damages ozone layer) is used in domestic
refrigerators and freezers, as well as automotive air conditioners.
• R-22 is used in window air conditioners, heat pumps, air conditioners of
commercial buildings, and large industrial refrigeration systems, and offers
strong competition to ammonia.
• R-502 (a blend of R-115 and R-22) is the dominant refrigerant used in
commercial refrigeration systems such as those in supermarkets.
Thermodynamic Comparison
 Thermodynamic Properties Comparison

Appropriate temperature and pressure characteristics

The saturated pressure with temperature is important property of refrigerant.

1) It is desired for the pressure at evaporating temperature to be above

atmospheric, to avoid inward leakage of air.

2)The pressure at the corresponding condensing temperature should not be

excessive, so that extra strength high-side equipment is not required.

3) Low compression ratio is desirable, because the degree of complication and

difficulty of a compressor increases directly with the compression ratio.

4) Discharge temperature of compressor should not be excessive, to avoid

problems as breakdown or dilution of the lubricating oil, decomposition of the
refrigerant. All of these can lead to compressor damage.
 Thermodynamic Properties Comparison
High latent heat of vaporization and low specific volume of the
refrigerant at the entry to compressor
A high latent heat of vaporization and a low specific volume of the refrigerant at
entry to the compressor are desirable for smaller equipment and pipe size at given
cooling capacity.
High latent heat means there is a high refrigeration effect.
For example, R11 has a much larger specific volume at suction of compressor than
those of refrigerants of R22, R502 and R717.
That means it requires a higher volumetric flow rate to produce the same amount of
cooling capacity.
Therefore, R11 is usually used with centrifugal compressors because they are good at
handing large volumetric flow rate.
 Thermodynamic Properties Comparison
Lower compression work

In order to get high COP, both high refrigeration effect and low
compression work must be considered in combination.
For example, R717 (ammonia ) has a refrigerating effect q1 much larger than
other refrigerants, but its compression work w is also high, as a result, COP of
ammonia has the same order of magnitude as that of the other refrigerants.
 Physical and Chemical Comparison
Flammability
Majority of refrigerants are flammable (especially hydrocarbons)
Most HCs: flammable with 2 -10% HC by vol in air
Ammonia: flammable with 16 -25% ammonia by vol in air

Approximate auto ignition temperatures

• R22 630 oC
• R12 750 oC
• R134a 740 oC
• R290 465 oC
• R600a 470 oC
• Oil 222 oC
 Physical and Chemical Comparison
Toxicity
Some of the refrigerants are toxic
R 12: Non-toxic in concentration up to 20% by vol for an
exposure period of less than 2 hour
Ammonia: injurious or lethal up ½ to1% for exposure
period of 1 hour
R 11, R 22 and R 502: slightly more toxic the R 12
 Physical and Chemical Comparison
Action with Oil
No chemical reaction between the refrigerant and the lubricating
oil of the compressor is anticipated. Miscibility is a concern.
R 12 and oil: Miscible
R 22: Partially miscible
Ammonia: Immiscible
 Physical and Chemical Comparison
Action with Oil
In reciprocating and screw compressor: some oil is carried out of the
compressor with the refrigerant, passes the condenser, reaches the
evaporator where the refrigerant evaporates leaving the oil which
reduces the effectiveness of the evaporator
Remedy: use of oil separator removes the oil and returns to the
Compressor
 Physical and Chemical Comparison
Leakage and Leak Detection
Leakage results in produce damage and loss of expensive
refrigerant
Detection of leakage should be easy
Ammonia: leakage can be detected due to its pungent odour
Fluorocarbons: odourless
Detection Method
Halide Torch
Electronic leak detectors
 Physical and Chemical Comparison

Chemical Stability

A refrigerant must be chemically stable in the temperature range it is

exposed to.
Chemical stability means that the refrigerant should not dissociate at the
temperatures encountered in the refrigerator.
Decomposition can result in the production of contaminants such as acids,
sludge, or non-condensable gases.
Chemical stability also means that the refrigerant should not decompose
at the catalytic conditions by the presence of oil, water, metallic
impurities.
 Environmental Aspects of Refrigerants
• CFCs allow more ultraviolet radiation into the earth’s atmosphere by destroying
the protective ozone layer. Refrigerants that are friendly to the ozone layer have
been developed.