Older hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) based refrigerants are in the
process of being phased out due to their ozone depleting potential
(ODP). That means the current air conditioning refrigerant R22 has a
phased reduction until 2015. Import levels at 2009 equate to ~1800
metric tonnes dropping to 1350 in 2010, 720 in 2012 and 180 tonnes in
2014. From 2015 to 2030 approximately 45 metric tonnes will be available
per year to service existing equipment and none by 2030. Alternative
refrigerants (drop ins) will most likely be available for older
equipment so you will still be able to repair them using these.
The main replacement that is being introduced is hydrofluorocarbon
(HFC) R410a which has an ODP of zero. Unfortunately it has a higher
direct greenhouse warming potential (GWP) than R22 but indirectly it’s
less damaging. R22 manufacturing by-products caused a far higher total
GWP.
R407c is another of the R22 replacements that requires polyol ester oil.
R417a is a drop in replacement for R22 systems that requires no changes and uses the existing mineral oil. Will become the simplest replacement as R22 is phased out.
R407c is another of the R22 replacements that requires polyol ester oil.
R417a is a drop in replacement for R22 systems that requires no changes and uses the existing mineral oil. Will become the simplest replacement as R22 is phased out.
If you are considering purchasing a new air conditioner, it’s worth
shopping for an R410a or R407c unit. They’re marginally more efficient,
better for the environment and will be more future proof in terms of
servicing Another benefit is reduced unit size relative to an R22 unit.
Systems using R410A refrigerant run at a pressure of approximately 1.6
times that of similar systems using R22 so it can’t be used in existing
systems due to different components such as compressors and the pipe
wall thickness needing to be higher on R410a.
