Natural refrigerants – the latest news
Natural refrigerants are undoubtedly the safest available alternative for anyone planning to invest in cooling systems. As well as their minimal environmental impact thanks to low ODP and GWP levels, they contain neutral molecules which do not cause any damage when released into the atmosphere.
With this in mind, the European Commission has announced its intention to revise Regulation F-Gas 517/214, in order to analyse the results obtained so far and make any necessary modifications, should these results not conform to agreed levels. It is therefore feasible that these substances are the most appropriate option in the light of potential further restrictions.
CO2 is one of the best natural refrigerants
An interesting article published in Refrigeration World (accessible here) in March 2021, presents some data relating to the use of transcritical carbon dioxide systems over the last 10-12 years.
At the time of the first census of transcritical systems in 2008, there were only 140 installations, all of which were carried out in Europe. In just over a decade, trust in this technology has grown exponentially and the number of installations has risen to over 35,000.
These systems guarantee enormous advantages in many areas; those who have chosen them have noticed huge improvements in terms of sustainability, efficiency and ease of management, as well as long term financial savings.
The sector with the highest demand for CO2 refrigeration systems has been retail sales, with Europe leading with the highest number of supermarkets with premises of over 400 m2 and Japan in first place for small grocery stores.
The growing popularity of carbon dioxide has been determined not only by recent modifications to legislation but also by the results obtained from the use of these natural refrigerants in increasingly large supermarkets, data centres and winter sports arenas.
Those business owners who have decided to switch to CO2 have confirmed its energy efficiency and the much lower maintenance costs of the units throughout their life-span, when compared to those of HFC and HFO systems.
Ammonia and other natural refrigerants
Although carbon dioxide is experiencing record success in the refrigeration sector, (as reflected by its growth curve), it is not the only natural refrigerant currently available and in use.
Among the various alternatives is for example ammonia, whose performance levels have made it the most widely used substance in industrial refrigeration systems over the last 150 years. Its only defects are its toxicity and slight inflammability, which mean that systems must be equipped with:
- a special machine room only accessible to authorised personnel;
- leak detectors;
- alarm and containment systems.
In recent years, research has focused on the reduction of load, in order to expand its areas of use and increase the safety of its various applications. Today, the debate on reduced load systems is still ongoing and exponents of the sector are divided as to what the limit should be.
Regardless of the many theories put forward, it is important to emphasise the fact that there are modern solutions available using ammonia for refrigeration with reduced load, that are attracting interest in various sectors of the refrigeration industry.
This is thanks both to the environmental benefits provided by this refrigerant, its proven safety credentials and the ultra-efficient capacities which set it apart. Among ammonia’s new applications are contexts which were almost forbidden in the past, such as supermarkets or the air conditioning market.
Translated by Joanne Beckwith
