| Refrigerant Properties Are Closely Tracked |
| Written by Daniel Stouffer | |
| Thursday, 14 May 2009 | |
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There are three primary refrigerant properties. These are adequate pressure, efficiency and stability. The properties explain and define chemical stability in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems or refrigeration and air-conditioning systems as well as vapor pressure and the direct and indirect operational efficiency.
There are three primary refrigerant properties. These are adequate pressure, efficiency and stability. The properties explain and define chemical stability in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems or refrigeration and air-conditioning systems as well as vapor pressure and the direct and indirect operational efficiency. The definition of refrigerant properties is the combination of substances necessary in the refrigeration or cooling process. Besides refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) systems or heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, there are more than 100 types of refrigerants, including water, that are used in various applications within numerous industries. In the design of a refrigeration, cooling, or air-conditioning system, four different refrigerant properties are considered. These include flammability, low toxicity, operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness. A number of tests and industry standards are in effect, which go a long way to document safety levels and efficiency in the industry. Refrigerant properties are of particular concern to environmental government agencies worldwide because some of the chemical substances used in certain types of refrigerants lead to ozone depletion or have a high global warming potential. The U.S. Clean Air Act, the Montreal Protocol and the Kyoto Treaty are the major global treaties regulating emissions from systems that use refrigerant gases. Refrigerant properties have been found to be a significant contributor to environmental damage,particularly the elements hydrochlorofluorocarbon and chlorofluorocarbon. This is in part due to the fact that the gases can remain in the atmosphere for many hundreds of years, affecting the protection that the earth affords us from the sun's rays. Greenhouse gases contribute to global warming and adverse climate change. Refrigerant properties can be broken down into different classes. For toxicity levels below or equal to 400 ppm by volume, class A is designated. Class B refers to levels below 400. There are numerical ranges indicating flame propagation, between classic one and three in ascending order of flammability. A number of refrigerant properties are being considered for replacement due to the environmental harm -- these include carbon dioxide, propane, ammonia and HFC 32. Additional concerns arise however. Ammonia is probably the preferred refrigerant as there are no global warming issues but it is toxic and combustible and is best for certain applications. Carbon dioxide has no safety issues, but requires additional use of electricity. Propane is very combustible and whilst HFC 32 is efficient, with no global warming impact, additional safety measures are needed due to its combustible properties. Global government treaties require the tracking and reporting of refrigerant properties. This is necessary in order for us to gain a better knowledge of just how harmful the use of refrigerants can be and to track the release of dangerous chemicals into the air. Scientists will be able to better formulate the impact and extent of global warming and ozone depletion in future years. The Article Author: Daniel Stouffer has a lot of data about the importance of refrigerant propertiesand how the refrigerant-tracker can aid you. |
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