There are Many replacement possibilities had been proposed viz. drop-in replacement, retrofit refrigerant, and new systems. The results exhibited that the most suitable refrigerants as R134a drop-in substitutes are R1234yf, R152a, R450A, and R513A.
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.
R513A can replace not only R134a but also support systems currently operating with HCFC service blends such as R401A, R401B, or R409A. For such retrofits, a lubricant change and seal replacement are necessary to ensure compatibility.
As part of global efforts to reduce the environmental impact of refrigerants, R134a will be phased out by 2025 in favor of more eco-friendly alternatives like R290 and R1234yf12.
A High-Performing Alternative to R-134a
Opteon™ XL10 (R-1234yf) refrigerant is a non-ozone depleting (ODP) hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) option that meets the industry's growing demands for sustainable, safe, and effective solutions.
The cooling capacity of R1234yf used as a drop-in replacement in a R134a refrigerant facility is about 9% lower than that presented by R134a in the test range. This difference in the values of cooling capacity obtained with both refrigerants decreases when the condensing temperature increases and when an IHX is used.
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.
A Next-Generation R-134a Refrigerant Alternative
Opteon™ XP10 (R-513A) refrigerant is a non-ozone depleting potential (ODP), low global warming potential (GWP) hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) based replacement for R-134a.
Why Is R-134A Being Phased Out? When Is the Phaseout Expected to Conclude? Like a lot of '90s relics, R-134A has not aged well. It was known then that 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane could potentially contribute to acid rain and that its ozone layer depletion potential was high.
“ R-1234yf is an even more environmentally-friendly gas than R-134a and has been making its way into some cars since 2013. MOTOR Selectline.
Examples of Drop-In Refrigerants:
R437A and R438A: Replacements for R22 in refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. R449A or R448A: Alternatives to R404A, with significantly lower GWP. R513A: A replacement for R134a with low global warming potential (GWP)
Also, substitutions are often not without problems. For example, when replacing R22 with R134a, there are many problems that cannot be replaced directly; the cooling power of R134a is 60% lower than that of R22, which means that the condenser of the system must work overtime to achieve the same cooling capacity.
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.
There are three refrigerants that can be used to replace R-134a: R-1234yf, R-152a, and R-744.
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.
The sales restriction is established by EPA regulations (40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F ) under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act. Only EPA-certified technicians are allowed to purchase ozone-depleting substances (ODS) or non-ozone depleting substitutes used as refrigerants, with limited exceptions.
Some notable substitutes for R134a [10] in AAC based on the preceding studies are R1234yf [[11], [12], [13], [14]], R1234z (E) [[15], [16], [17]], R152a [[18], [19], [20]], R290 [21,22], R744 [[23], [24], [25]], R430A [26,27], and R444A [28], etc.
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.
R134a has been found to have a lot of greenhouse gas potential, as it can end up in the atmosphere and take forever to break down. For that reason, all new vehicles sold in America after the year 2021 can no longer use this type of refrigerant.
To accommodate the industry R513A has been tested and approved by Tecumseh as a suitable replacement for R134a. While R513A is a viable option for new and existing equipment, it is not a "drop-in" replacement for R12 or R134a.
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 R407c refrigerant is the best suitable for R22 and R134a refrigerant in the future construction of the heat pumps. As the complete replacement of refrigerant needs system redesign, In the current work R407c has been blended with R134a and the performance and energy consumption patterns are studied.
If you're looking for a low global warming potential (GWP) alternative alternative, consider Opteon™ XP10 (R-513A)—a new generation hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) refrigerant replacement for R-134a in stationary equipment.
The performance of R152a in the domestic refrigerator was constantly better than those of R134a and R32 throughout all the operating conditions, which shows that R152a can be used as replacement for R134a in domestic refrigerator.
If you were to put R1234yf in a system designed for R134a, it looks like you'd end up with about a 10% loss of cooling capacity, but putting R134a into a R1234yf system would be a wash. It appears R1234yf oil is compatible with R134a (but not vice-versa), so shouldn't be a problem there.