Options and Outlook for Chiller Refrigerants

This paper reviews the progression in refrigerants for chillers, from historical selections through current options and projections for the future. It examines the global environmental issues that catalyzed recent changes. It then discusses candidate refrigerants in the context of future availability (or phaseout) based on controls for environmental protection, efficiency, toxicity, flammability, and escalating future costs. It notes that negative marketing and conflicting claims, intended to discredit competitor's approaches, create confusion and retard replacement of older, less-efficient equipment. The result hurts the environment, increases costs, and stifles the chiller market. The paper concludes that most of the current anxiety with refrigerant selections is unwarranted. Engineers, building owners, and others involved in chiller decisions should revert to traditional chiller specifications based on cost, performance, local manufacturer support, service options, and reliability. Anticipating more stringent environmental regulations, they also should take all practical steps to reduce refrigerant releases and increase efficiency. The paper examines future refrigerant options for chillers. Noting that there are no ideal refrigerants and that none are likely to be found, it recommends scientific determination of acceptability rather than market manipulation.