R32 is a flammable refrigerant. Regardless of the licensing provisions, employers have a duty of care to ensure that their workers are appropriately trained and have the necessary equipment to use A2L refrigerants.
R32 falls into the “lower flammability” or Class 2L "mildly flammable" category. Under ISO 817, any refrigerant and air mixture that is capable of self-propagating a flame falls into one of the three flammable categories.
Flammability: R32 has a lower flammability compared to R22 and R410A, making it a safer option for air conditioning systems. Toxicity: R32 is considered to be less toxic compared to R22 and R410A, but it should still be handled with caution to avoid potential harm to humans and the environment.
Flammability of R32 has 80% burning velocity less than R290 and slightly flammable when compare with R410A. Although, R32 discharge gas temperature is higher than R410A around 20°C and this can damage compressor's motor at some heat pump condition especially at high compression zone.
GHS02 GHS04 Signal word (CLP) : Danger Hazard statements (CLP) : H221 - Flammable gas. H280 - Contains gas under pressure; may explode if heated. Precautionary statements (CLP) - Prevention : P210 - Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames and other ignition sources. No smoking.
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.
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.
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.
R-32 is the most balanced refrigerant in terms of environmental impact, energy efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness. Refrigerant is a medium for conveying heat.
A3 refrigerants, like propane (R290) and isobutane (R600a), are highly flammable and are considered even more environmentally friendly than A2Ls. Class A3 refrigerants include R-170 (ethane), R-290 (propane), R-600 (butane), and R-600A (isobutane).
Here are some key reasons for a burst in air-conditioning systems using R32: Inadequate design and location of indoor & outdoor units. For High Ambient cities / countries – in case of placement of outdoor units at direct Solar's exposure. Low thickness / gauges piping or inappropriate fittings.
However, R32 is not a drop-in replacement for R410A — and vice versa — because the two require different operating conditions.
What refrigerant will replace R-410A in 2025? For whole-home systems, Lennox has chosen 2025 Compliant Refrigerant R-454B due to its excellent performance for ducted systems and zero ozone depletion potential. For mini-splits, we selected R-32, designed to optimize efficiency and reliability in ductless systems.
Refrigerant Leaks
AC units manufactured since 2010 use R410A, and more recently, R32 refrigerants, both are virtually odourless. This means that a smell of rotten eggs is unlikely to be the smell of leaking refrigerant coming from your air conditioner itself.
The F-Gas regulations are a phase down (not out) of higher GWP refrigerants. R410A equipment will still be readily available to buy. R32 will be introduced and will run alongside R410A equipment for the coming years.
In most cases, R32 is the superior refrigerant when compared to R410A. While neither refrigerant depletes the ozone layer, R32 has a lower GWP and is easier to recycle. R32 also has lower operating and maintenance costs and is nowadays more common than R410A due to the phase-out.
1.2 flammability R32 is flammable, but its flammability is extremely low compared with that of hydrocarbon refrigerants such as propane. therefore, R32 is positioned as a slightly flammable refrigerant.
R22 (also known as HCFC-22) is a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) once widely used as a refrigerant. If your home or office AC is over 10 years old, it's probably using R22 freon. However, R22 Freon is banned in the U.S. today.
All new systems will use either R-32 or R-454B HVAC Refrigerant, replacing the older R-410A version. It might seem like a great bother until you understand the purpose of these refrigerants. Air conditioners and heat pumps use a principle called heat transfer, illustrated by an ordinary popsicle.
LG leads the way with R32 refrigerant
Now builders can take advantage of the many benefits of R32 refrigerant for their homeowners with LG solutions and technologies as a refrigerant that reliably keeps homes warm and cool.
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.
As a solution, there are two alternative refrigerants used as substitute refrigerant for R22, namely R290 and R32. The R290 is widely used as working fluid in A/C system of Europe countries; meanwhile in Japan and South East countries, R32 is utilized as substitute refrigerant for R22 and R410A (Yu et al., 2010).
I am probably the only one answering so far who has owned a R32-R34 skyline in the US. (Mine was a R32 GT-R). the simple answer was that the vehicle was not build to meet US safety and emissions standards. Every car is "illegal" until it's gone through US crash testing, emissions certification, and review.
R-454B has a lower GWP than previous refrigerants, meaning it has a much lower climate impact. Trane is phasing in the transition to R-454B in 2024, starting with the adoption of R-454B refrigerant in its residential products, beginning with the XR15 SEER2 heat pump.
R32 is an hydrofluorocarbon compound which has zero ODP, which means it does not harm the ozone layer. Refrigerants are divided into two categories; Class A and Class B, based on toxicity. R32 falls under Class B, the non-toxic category. This means that it is safe for both humans and the environment.