Selection of Environment-Friendly Refrigerants and the Current Alternatives in Vapour Compression Refrigeration Systems

Abstract

In this paper, the processes of selecting environment-friendly refrigerants that have zero Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) and low Global Warming Potential (GWP) were analysed. Various compositional groups of halocarbon refrigerants and their environmental problems were discussed. This paper also focuses on the refrigerants found on the matrix triangles of methane and ethane derivatives for the selection of appropriate environment-friendly refrigerants. Trade-offs in flammability, toxicity, chemical stability and atmospheric lifetime, and consideration of compounds without chlorine content, scaled down the refrigerants to R23 and R32 from methane derivatives and R152a, R143a, R134a and R125 from ethane derivatives. These refrigerants are recommended for further investigations to ascertain their suitability in vapour compression refrigeration systems. Alternative refrigerants that are currently employed in the systems were discussed. This revealed their areas of shortcomings which researchers must focus in order to make them acceptable worldwide