Further, the R134a/R32 blend at a mass fraction % of 85/15 had the highest COP value of (3.28) and COP was found to be increased by 47.1% when compared to the R134a value of (2.23). The test results conclude that the blend R134a/R32 at a mass fraction of 85/15 can be a drop-in replacement for R134a refrigerant.
In the conventional refrigeration cycle (CRC), the mixture R32/R134a has a close performance to that is obtainable with pure refrigerant R22. However, the mixture R32/R134a in the NRC will result in a better performance.
Changes to the Dangerous Goods Legislation, effective in 2021, has new categories for A2L refrigerants. R32 is a synthetic greenhouse gas. If released to the atmosphere it can contribute to climate change. R32 is a flammable refrigerant.
Possible alternatives to R-134a
Attention is increasingly focused on low-GWP refrigerants that are hydrofluoroolefins (HFO). R-1234yf in particular is often seen as a possible alternative to R-134a. The GWP value of R-1234yf is 4, which means it has a very low global warming potential.
Regarding safety, R134a has low toxicity and flammability, while R32 exhibits low toxicity and mild flammability. Thus, R134a is considered safer than R32. Furthermore, the COP value of R134a was found to be higher than that of R32, indicating that R134a offers greater efficiency for the heat pump compared to R32.
The test results conclude that the blend R134a/R32 at a mass fraction of 85/15 can be a drop-in replacement for R134a refrigerant.
Disadvantages:Different from R22 and R410A, the R32 is slightly flammable. But combustion will not occur unless three critical conditions are met, refrigerant concentration, constant oxygen, and an ignition source. In real practice, it's hard to meet all the combustion conditions.
The GWP for R-134a refrigerant is 1,430, making it 1,430 times more harmful than carbon dioxide when released into the atmosphere. There are three refrigerants that can be used to replace R-134a: R-1234yf, R-152a, and R-744.
According to its manufacturer, Chemours, use of R-1234yf has grown so much since the refrigerant replaced the long-established R-134a that it's now used in 95% of new cars sold in the U.S. An estimated 220 million cars on global roads are also using it.
The chemical stabilities of copper, steel, and aluminum have been tested and confirmed as acceptable for use with Freon™ 134a and lubricants. Acceptable plastics and elastomers have been found for use with existing CFC refrigerants.
MULTICOOL-HC32 is a high purity mixture of propane R290 and R170 ethane. It is a refrigerant with a reduced global warming potential (GWP). It is designed to replace R410a and R32 in most stationary residential and commercial air conditioning systems.
As of August 2014, the first R32 Skyline GT-Rs became eligible for US import under the NHTSA "25 year" rule that allows vehicles that are 25 years old (to the month) or older to be imported. Due to their age, these vehicles do not have to comply with federal emissions or with federal motor vehicle safety standards.
In the first half of 2024 we'll phase out our R-410A dedicated models and introduce -01 refrigerant versatile models, compatible with both R-410A and R-454B refrigerants.
Compatibility: R32 is compatible with existing air conditioning systems that use R22 and R410A, making it a suitable alternative for retrofitting existing systems. However, it's important to consider compatibility with the specific system and components before retrofitting to R32.
With the scientific approach to reduce the global warming potential (GWP) of the refrigerant R-134A (i.e. 1430), the refrigerant R-513A with GWP of 631 is the drop-in replacement.
Regulatory - There are no published regulations or granted EPA petitions that state R-32 will be prohibited in the U.S. after 2029. In fact, R-32 is a single component refrigerant, while R-454B is a blend that consists of nearly 70% R-32.
R32 and R152a have a reduced global warming potential than R134a, which indicates that R32 can be used as substitute for R134a in refrigeration systems.
Years later, R-134a was found to contribute to global warming, and now it too is being phased out . Enter R-1234yf. R-134a and R-1234yf do have many similar properties. That's because R-134a is a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) while R-1234yf is a hydrofluoro-olefin (HFO) refrigerant.
Still, the answer is an emphatic, “No.” Not only would a retrofit of this type negate the environmental benefits of R-1234yf, but it would also be a violation of Federal Law under Section 203 of the Clean Air Act: “tampering” with a vehicle's emissions control device.
The commonly used synthetic refrigerants such as R134a, R407C and R410A have a GWP value higher than 2,500. As a result, their production is being phased out.
The results indicate that R-404A work normally and safely in the refrigerator. The refrigerator performance was better than the pure R134a, thus R-404A refrigerant in domestic refrigerators is feasible and can replace the R-134a.
An environmentally more benign refrigerant for replacing refrigerant R410A includes a majority portion of refrigerant R32 and a minority portion of refrigerant R134a, the volumetric capacity of the replacement refrigerant permitting it to be used as a near or exact drop-in replacement for refrigerant R410A in terms of ...
Only Section 608 certified technicians can purchase refrigerants intended for use with stationary refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment.
For homeowners, the 2025 refrigerant changes mean new air conditioning systems purchased after this date will likely use R-32, R-454B, or other low-GWP refrigerants.
History of R-32 as a refrigerant
In recent years, R-32 has seen its usage – mostly as a replacement for R-410A – skyrocket as manufacturers seek lower-GWP alternatives to R-410A. HVAC system manufacturer Daikin estimates there are 100 million R-32 units on the market today.