The nature of the refrigerant is directly related to the refrigeration effect of the refrigeration device, and even personal safety, whether you are doing the design, installation, repair or maintenance of refrigeration equipment, the properties and precautions of these commonly used refrigerants should be known.
1. R22 refrigerant
R22 household air conditioning, central air conditioning, mobile air conditioning, heat pump water heater, dehumidifier, refrigeration dryer, cold storage, food freezing equipment, marine refrigeration equipment, industrial refrigeration, commercial refrigeration, refrigeration condensing unit, supermarket display cabinet and other refrigeration equipment, etc.; R22 is also widely used as a raw material for PTFE resin and an intermediate for gas fire extinguishing agent R1211, as well as as for polymer (plastic) physical foaming agent. It can also be used as an aerosol spray agent for pesticides and spray paints, and is the basic raw material for the production of various fluorine-containing polymer compounds.
| R22 refrigerant physical parameters | Name: Monochlorodifluoromethane; Freon R22 |
| 简称:R22、HCFC-22; | Category: Pure |
| 英文名称:Freon 22; Freon R-22 | Chemical Formula: CHClF2 |
| Molecular weight: 86.5 | 摩尔质量：86.5g/mol |
| Three-phase point temperature: -157°C | Standard boiling point: -40.82°C |
| Critical temperature: 96 °C | Critical pressure: 5MPa (absolute) |
| 临界密度:0.524g/cm3 | 偏心因子：0.22kJ（kg*℃） |
| Relative density of liquid: 1.177 (20/4°C) | Relative vapor density (air = 1): 4.82 |
2. R23 refrigerant
As a widely used ultra-low temperature refrigerant, R23 is mainly used in environmental test chambers/equipment (cold and thermal shock testing machines), freeze dryers/freeze dryers, ultra-low temperature refrigerators or freezers, blood bank refrigerators, biochemical test chambers and other cryogenic equipment (including scientific research refrigeration, medical refrigeration, etc.), and is mostly used in the low temperature grade of these cascade refrigeration systems. At the same time, trifluoromethane can also be used as a gas fire extinguishing agent, which has the characteristics of clean, low toxicity and good fire extinguishing effect.
| R23 refrigerant parameters | Chinese name: trifluoromethane |
| 英文全称：fluoroform | Chemical Formula: CHF3 |
| Molecular weight: 70 | Standard boiling point: -82.1°C |
| Critical temperature: 25.9°C | Critical pressure: 4.84MPa (absolute) |
| 临界体积：133ml/mole | CAS Number: 75-46-7 |
| 沸点下蒸发潜能：240kJ/kg | 比热（液体，25℃）：1.55kJ/kg·℃ |
| Ozone depletion potential ODP: 0 | Global warming coefficient GWP: 1200 |
3. R32 refrigerant
R32, HFC-32, difluoromethane, molecular formula: CH2F2, is a new type of environmentally friendly refrigerant, does not contain chlorine and therefore has no destructive effect on ozone, but is flammable and explosive, is one of the substitutes of R22 and R410A refrigerant.
| R32 refrigerant parameters | Chinese name: difluoromethane |
| 英文全称：difluoromethane | Chemical formula: CH2F2 |
| Molecular weight: 52 | Standard boiling point: -53°C |
| Critical temperature: 78°C | Critical pressure: 5.8MPa (absolute) |
| 临界密度：0.430g/cm3 | CAS Number: 75-10-5 |
| 沸点下蒸发潜能：390kJ/kg | 比热（液体，25℃）：2.35kJ/kg·℃ |
| Ozone depletion potential ODP: 0 | Global warming coefficient GWP: 0.11 |
4. R134a refrigerant
As the most widely used medium and low temperature refrigerant, R134a is a very effective and safe alternative to R12 due to its good comprehensive properties, and is mainly used in most fields where R12 refrigerant is used.
| R134a refrigerant parameters | Chinese name: difluoromethane |
| English name of Token: | 化学分子式：CH2FCF3 |
| Molecular weight: 52 | Standard boiling point: -26.1°C |
| Critical temperature: 101.1°C | Critical pressure: 4066.6KPa |
| 临界密度：0.512g/cm3 | CAS Number: |
| 沸点下蒸发潜能：216kJ/kg | 比热（液体，25℃）：1.51kJ/kg·℃ |
| 破坏臭氧潜能ODP：1300 | GWP: 0.29 |
5. R290 refrigerant
R290 refrigerant, Chinese name refrigeration grade propane, chemical formula C3H8. R290 is a hydrocarbon refrigerant, which is flammable and explosive! It has no damage to the ozone layer at all, and the greenhouse effect is very small, making it one of the most environmentally friendly refrigerants.
It is mainly used to replace R22 and R502 refrigerants in low-temperature refrigeration equipment; Because R290 refrigerant is flammable and explosive, it is usually only used in low-temperature refrigeration equipment with a small amount of liquid, or as a component of low-temperature mixed refrigerant; R290 is compatible with conventional lubricants. High-purity grade R290 is used as a temperature-sensing working fluid; Superior and Grade 1 R290 can be used as a refrigerant to replace R22 and R502, which is compatible with the original system and lubricating oil, and is used in central air conditioning, heat pump air conditioning, household air conditioning and other small refrigeration equipment.
| R290 Refrigerant Parameters | Chinese name: refrigeration grade propane |
| Full name in English: propane | 化学分子式：CH3CH2CH3、C3H8 |
| Molecular weight: 44 | Standard boiling point: -42.2°C |
| Critical temperature: 96.7°C | Critical pressure: 4.25MPa (absolute) |
| 破坏臭氧潜能值(ODP):0 | Global warming potential (GWP): 20 |
6. R600a refrigerant
R600a is a hydrocarbon refrigerant with excellent performance, flammable and explosive, derived from natural ingredients, does not damage the ozone layer, and has no greenhouse effect. It is characterized by large latent heat of evaporation and strong cooling capacity; The fluidity performance is good, the conveying pressure is low, the power consumption is low, and the load temperature rises slowly. Compatible with a wide range of compressor lubricants. (Note: When the content of R600a is insufficient in the refrigeration system, it will cause excessive pressure value, abnormal machine sound, and shortened compressor life). R600a is a colorless gas at room temperature and a colorless transparent liquid at its own pressure, which is a substitute for R12.
R600a refrigerant has a large latent heat of evaporation and strong cooling capacity; The fluidity performance is good, the conveying pressure is low, the power consumption is low, and the load temperature rises slowly. R600a refrigerant is compatible with a wide range of compressor lubricants. It is mainly used as an ultra-low temperature refrigerant, and the refrigeration system composed of R22 is used for ultra-low temperature refrigeration devices at -80~-120 °C. It is also used as a foaming agent for foam plastics, and as a refrigerant instead of R12.
| 名称：HC-600a、R600a | Chinese name: 2-methylpropane, isobutane, |
| English name of Token: i | 化学分子式：CH(CH3)3、CH3-CH(CH3)-CH3 |
| Molecular weight: 58 | Standard boiling point: -11.7°C |
| Critical temperature: 135°C | Critical pressure: 3.6MPa (absolute) |
| 临界密度:226kg/m3 | Density: 0.55 (water = 1) |
| Vapor density (air = 1): 2.01 | CAS Number: 75-28-5 |
| ODP:0 | GWP:0 |
7. R433b refrigerant
R433b refrigerant is a hydrocarbon refrigerant, with similar thermal properties to R22, and can be directly R22 without changing the original refrigeration system. R433b has a larger latent heat of evaporation than other refrigerants, and the cooling rate per unit time is faster. The molecular weight is small, the fluidity is good, the conveying pressure is low, and the load of the compressor is reduced, which can prolong the service life of the compressor, reduce the power consumption, and save the operating cost of the system. R433B composition, molar percentage: propane 94.9918%, propylene 5.0082%.
| 名称：R433B，HC-433B | Classification: Mixed refrigerants |
| Molecular weight: 44 | Molar mass: 44g/mol |
| CAS Number: 74-98-6/115-07-1 | Critical temperature: 96°C |
| Critical pressure: 4.27MPa | Critical density: 221 |
| 臭氧层破坏潜能(ODP):0 | Greenhouse 效应Index (GWP): 3 |
8. R436A refrigerant
R436A is a hydrocarbon refrigerant, which does not damage the ozone layer and has no greenhouse effect, and the thermal properties of this refrigerant are similar to those of R134a. Molar percentage of R436A composition: R290 accounted for 62.6528%, R600a accounted for 37.3472%.
| 名称：R436A，HC-436A | Classification: Mixed refrigerants |
| Molecular weight: 38 | Molar mass: 38g/mol |
| CAS Number: 74-98-6/75-28-5 | Critical temperature: 33.4°C |
| Critical pressure: 4.27MPa | 临界密度：0.17g/cm3 |
| 臭氧层破坏潜能值(ODP):0 | Greenhouse 效应Index (GWP): 3 |
9. R404A refrigerant
Composition: R125, R134A, R143A. As a widely used medium and low temperature refrigerant today, R404A is often used in cold storage, food freezing equipment, marine refrigeration equipment, industrial cryogenic refrigeration, commercial cryogenic refrigeration, transportation refrigeration equipment (refrigerated trucks, etc.), refrigeration condensing units, supermarket display cabinets and other refrigeration equipment. R404A is the most common industry standard refrigerant (typically cryogenic refrigeration systems) to replace Freon R22 and R502 in new refrigeration equipment.
| 名称：R404A，HFC-404A | Classification: Mixtures, mixed refrigerants |
| Molecular weight: 97.6 | 摩尔质量：97.6g/mol |
| Critical temperature: 72°C | Critical pressure: 3.7MPa |
| 临界密度：0.4842g/cm3 | Boiling point (101.3KPa): -46.1°C |
| CAS Number: 354-33-6/811-97-2/420-46-2 | 液体密度（25℃）:1.045g/cm3 |
| 沸点下蒸发潜能KJ/Kg：200.1 | 比热（25℃）Kj/(kg.k)：1.54 |
| 破坏臭氧潜能值 (ODP):0 | Global warming coefficient (GWP): 3850 |
| 等压蒸气比热(30℃,101.3kPa):0.21 |
10. R407C refrigerant
R407C is an environmentally friendly medium and high temperature refrigerant mixed by R32, R125 and R134a in a certain proportion, which is used in various air conditioning systems and non-centrifugal refrigeration systems. It is mainly used in household air conditioners, small and medium-sized commercial air conditioners (small and medium-sized unit air conditioners, household central air conditioners, multi-line), mobile air conditioners (automotive air conditioners, etc.), dehumidifiers, refrigeration dryers, marine refrigeration equipment, industrial refrigeration and other refrigeration equipment.
R407C is the easiest alternative to Freon R22 in new refrigeration equipment (usually in air conditioning systems); However, because the physical and chemical properties, theoretical cycle performance and compressor oil of R407C and R22 are different, for the after-sales maintenance of refrigeration equipment initially installed with R22 refrigerant, if the refrigerant needs to be added or replaced, R22 can still only be added, and R407C usually cannot be directly used to replace R22.
| Name:R407C, | Classification: Mixtures, mixed refrigerants |
| Molecular weight: 86.2 | 摩尔质量：86.2g/mol |
| Critical temperature: 85.8°C | Critical pressure: 4.6MPa |
| CAS Number: 75-10-5/354-33-6/811-97-2 | 临界密度：0.4753 g/cm3 |
| ODP:0 | GWP:1.526 |
| 沸点（1atm）：-43.6℃ | ASHRAE Safety Level: A1 (Non-Toxic and Non-flammable) |
| Saturation vapor pressure (25°C): 1174kPa | 蒸发潜热（沸点下，1atm）：250kJ/kg |
| 液体密度(25℃)：1.136kg/L |
11. R410A refrigerant
R410A is a new type of environmentally friendly refrigerant, which does not destroy the ozone layer, and the working pressure is 1.6 times that of R22, with high refrigeration efficiency and improved air conditioning performance. R410A new refrigerant is composed of two quasi-azeotropic mixtures, R32 and R125, 50% each, which has the characteristics of stability, non-toxicity and superior performance.
Because the pressure of R410A is different from that of R22 (the pressure of R410A is much higher than that of R22) and the oil used for the compressor is different, for the after-sales maintenance of refrigeration equipment initially installed with R22 refrigerant, if it is necessary to add or replace the refrigerant, R22 can still only be added, and R410A is usually not directly used to replace R22 (blood exchange replacement is not possible). Compared to R22, the R410A has a significantly higher cooling capacity, thus opening up the possibility of designing smaller and more compact air conditioning units. And because R410A has near-azeotropic physical properties, the refrigerant temperature slip is less than 0.2°C over the entire operating range.
| 名称：R410A，HFC-410A | Classification: Mixtures, mixed refrigerants |
| Molecular weight: 72.6 | 摩尔质量：72.6g/mol |
| Critical temperature: 70.5°C | Critical pressure: 4.8MPa |
| 临界密度：0.4339 g/cm3 | Boiling Point: -51.6 °C |
| 饱和液体密度（30℃）：1.038(g/cm3) | 液体比热（30℃）：1.78[KJ/(Kg·℃)] |
| 破坏臭氧潜能值(ODP):0 | Global warming coefficient (GWP): 2090 |
| CAS Number: 75-10-5/354-33-6 | 沸点下蒸发潜能：256.7KJ/Kg |
12. CO2 / carbon dioxide refrigerant
CO2 refrigerant/CO2 is a natural substance, ODP=0, GWP=1. The use of CO2 as a refrigeration working fluid has no destructive effect on the atmospheric ozone layer, can reduce the global warming effect, has a wide range of sources, does not need to be recycled, can greatly reduce the cost of refrigerant substitution, save energy, and fundamentally solve the problem of chemical compound pollution to the environment, which has good economy. In addition, CO2 is safe, non-toxic, non-flammable, and has good thermal stability, and CO2 has thermal properties that are compatible with the refrigeration cycle and equipment. The molecular weight is small, the refrigeration capacity is large, and the unit refrigeration capacity of 0°C is 5~8 times higher than that of conventional refrigerants.
However, carbon dioxide refrigeration cannot sustain life, and if the concentration is too high, it will cause damage to people's respiratory organs and even suffocation; Carbon dioxide refrigeration also has a high critical pressure and low critical temperature, the critical temperature of carbon dioxide refrigeration is Tc = 31.1 °C, the critical pressure is Pc = 7.3 MPa, the critical temperature of water is 374 °C, and the critical pressure is 22 MPa. The operating pressure of the subcritical cycle or transcritical cycle CO2 refrigeration system will be higher than that of the traditional refrigeration and air conditioning system, which brings many difficulties to the design of the system and components, and the manufacturing cost is relatively high
13. R507 refrigerant
R507 refrigerant belongs to the HFC type azeotropic refrigerant, which completely does not contain ozone-depleting CFC and HCFC, and is recognized and recommended by most countries in the world as a mainstream low-temperature environmentally friendly refrigerant, and is widely used in the initial installation and maintenance process of new refrigeration equipment. As a widely used low-temperature refrigerant today, it is often used in cold storage, food freezing equipment, marine refrigeration equipment, industrial low-temperature refrigeration, commercial low-temperature refrigeration, refrigerated trucks, refrigeration condensing units, supermarket display cabinets and other refrigeration equipment.
R507 is a long-term substitute for R502 and R22 refrigerants (HFCs) like R404A, but R507 can usually achieve lower temperatures than R404A; R507 is suitable for all R-502 operating environments and is approved and used by the vast majority of refrigeration equipment manufacturers worldwide. However, because the physical and chemical properties, theoretical cycle performance and compressor oil of R507 and R502 and R22 are different, for the after-sales maintenance of refrigeration equipment initially installed with R502 and R22 refrigerants, if it is necessary to add or replace refrigerants, only R502 and R22 can still be added, and R502 and R22 can not be directly replaced with R507 (that is to say, it is usually not possible to replace them with blood exchange).
| 名称：R507A，HFC-507 | Chinese name: R507 refrigerant |
| Molecular weight: 99 | Standard boiling point: -46.8°C |
| Critical temperature: 71°C | Critical pressure: 3.7MPa (absolute) |
| 临界密度：0.488g/cm3 | CAS Number: 354-33-6/420-46-2 |
| 破坏臭氧潜能值(ODP):0 | Global warming coefficient (GWP): 3985 |
14. R717 refrigerant
R717 (ammonia) refrigerant, ammonia is a medium-temperature refrigerant, the chemical formula is NH3, the boiling point temperature is -33.4 °C, the freezing point is -77.7 °C, the critical temperature is 133 °C, and the critical pressure is 11.417MPa. Pure ammonia has no adverse effect on lubricating oil, but when there is moisture, it will reduce the lubricating effect of refrigeration oil, and copper and copper alloys are not used for pipes and valves in ammonia refrigeration systems.
The synthesis process of R717 (ammonia) is mature, easy to produce, low price, does not destroy the ozone layer, and has no greenhouse effect. The pressure of ammonia refrigerant in the condenser and evaporator is moderate (the condensation pressure is generally 0.981MPa, and the evaporation pressure is generally 0.098-0.49MPa), the refrigeration capacity per unit volume is larger than that of R22, the latent heat of vaporization is large, and the refrigeration and heat release coefficient is high. Ammonia refrigerants are widely used in large cold storage, supermarket food display cabinets.
The vapor of ammonia is colorless and has a strong pungent odor. Ammonia is highly toxic to the human body and can cause frostbite when ammonia splashes on the skin. When the volume of ammonia vapor in the air reaches 0.5-0.6%, it can cause an explosion. Therefore, the concentration of ammonia in the air in the computer room shall not exceed 0.02mg/L. Ammonia is not easy to burn at room temperature, but when heated to 350°C, it decomposes into nitrogen and hydrogen, which will explode when mixed with oxygen in the air.
15. R449A refrigerant
R449A (trade name Opteon™ XP40) is primarily used as a low global warming potential (GWP) alternative to R404A refrigerant in a wide range of low- and medium-temperature refrigeration applications such as supermarket refrigerated display cases, refrigerated transportation, cryogenic cold storage, industrial and commercial refrigeration systems, etc. It is designed as an environmentally friendly solution to meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations, such as the European F-Gas regulation and the global focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- Low Global Warming Potential (GWP): GWP is around 1282, much lower than the GWP value of R404A, helping to reduce the contribution to climate change.
- Drop-in replacement: Compatible with the R-404A system, drop-in replacement is often possible without major changes to the equipment, reducing conversion costs.
- Energy efficiency: Compared to R-404A, R449A can reduce energy consumption by 8-12% in some systems, contributing to energy savings.
- Safety: It is classified as A1 safety level, which means that it is non-toxic and non-flammable, and it is safe to use. Compatible with existing equipment and ester lubricants such as POE.
16. R513A refrigerant
R513A is a low-GWP alternative to R134a refrigerant and is mainly used in low- and medium-temperature refrigeration equipment such as commercial refrigeration display cases, chillers, supermarket refrigeration and refrigeration equipment, certain types of automotive air conditioning systems, and other industrial refrigeration applications. It is designed to reduce environmental impact while maintaining or improving the performance of refrigeration systems.
- Low GWP: Compared to the GWP value of R134a (about 1430), R513A has a lower GWP and contributes to environmental sustainability.
- Environmental protection: does not deplete the ozone layer, in line with international agreements such as the Montreal Protocol.
- Technical Adaptability: Although R513A and R134a are chemically different, effective substitutions can be achieved with proper design and system adjustments.
17. R452A refrigerant
R452A is another low GWP refrigerant specially developed to replace R404A, which is suitable for a wide range of medium and low temperature refrigeration systems, such as commercial refrigeration, supermarket refrigeration and refrigeration equipment, refrigerated transportation, industrial refrigeration, etc. It is an option for the industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions driven by environmental regulations.
- Environmental friendliness: It has a low global warming potential and can significantly reduce the negative impact on the climate compared to R404A.
- Energy Efficiency & Performance: Designed to reduce energy consumption while maintaining or improving system performance.
- Compatibility & Safety: Although as an alternative, R452A may in some cases require modest adjustments to the system to ensure optimal performance while guaranteeing safe use, including consideration of compatibility with system materials and lubricants.