Preselection with refrigerant tables
Many different refrigerants have been proposed as replacement for certain applications or certain other refrigerants. Often, the choice is made based on a similar volumetric refrigeration capacity. In this way, the refrigeration systems can be designed with similar compressor volume flow and material expenses. Some proposals are more oriented along the typical application evaporation temperature range of a refrigerant. Sometimes the manufacturer proposes a refrigerant as alternative or replacement for another frequently used refrigerant.
Corresponding data are listed in the refrigerants tables (Refrigerant selection tables). Example:
The following table shows the data for R134a and alternative refrigerants (R134a alternatives).
ODP: ozone depletion potential
GWP: global warming potential according to EN 378:2017; AR4: Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC, AR5: Fifth Assessment Report of the IPCC, AR6: Sixth Assessment Report of the IPCC
pract. limit AEL: assigned exposure limit according to EN 378:2017
Temperature glide: Total glide from bubble to dew line, based on 1.013 bar. Real glide depends on operating conditions.
Relative refr. capacity and discharge temp. increase: Reference refrigerants are those listed under "Substitute for", performance data are average values based on calorimeter tests.
(H): high temperature application
(M): medium temperature application
(L): low temperature application
Data is based on publications of various refrigerant manufacturers and is subject to change.
R134a | R1234yf | R1234ze(E) | R513A | R450A | R600a | R444A | R456A | R471A | R516A | R152a | R474A | R475A | R476A | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chemical | CF3CH2F | CF3FCH2 | C3H2F4 | CH3CHCH3CH3 | CHF2CH3 | |||||||||
Group | HFC | HFO | HFO | HFO/ HFC | HFO/ HFC | HC | HFO/ HFC | HFO/ HFC | HFO/ HFC | HFO/ HFC | HFC | HFO | HFO/HFC | HFO/HFC |
Components | R1234yf/ 134a | R1234ze(E)/ 134a | R32/ 152a/ 1234ze(E) | R32/ 1234ze(E)/ 134a | R1234ze(E)/ 1336mzz(E)/ 227ea | R1234yf/ 152a/ 134a | R1132(E)/ 1234yf | R134a/ 1234yf/ 1234ze(E) | R134a/ 1234ze(E)/ 1336mzz(E) | |||||
Name | 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoro-ethane | 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-1-propene | trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-1-propene | XP10 | N-13 | isobutane | AC5 | AC5X | ARM-42 | 1,1-difluoro-methane | ||||
Manufacturer | Chemours, Honeywell | Honeywell | Chemours | Honeywell | Koura (Mexichem) | Koura (Mexichem) | Honeywell | Arkema | Daikin | Gree | Honeywell | |||
Substitute for | R12, R22 | R134a | R134a | R134a, R12, R404A | R134a, R12 | R134a, R12 | R134a | R134a | (R134a) | R134a | R12, R22 | R134a | R134a | R134a |
Application max (°C) | 25 | 25 | 40 | 25 | 25 | 40 | 25 | 25 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 10 | 15 | 25 |
Application min (°C) | -20 | -25 | -10 | -25 | -25 | -10 | -20 | -25 | -20 | -25 | -20 | -35 | -30 | -15 |
Appl. limitations max (°C) | ||||||||||||||
Appl. limitations min (°C) | -30 | -30 | -30 | -25 | ||||||||||
Appl. 2-stage max (°C) | ||||||||||||||
Appl. 2-stage min (°C) | ||||||||||||||
Oil 1 | POE | POE | POE | POE | POE | MO | POE | POE | POE | POE | POE | POE | POE | POE |
Oil 2 | PVE | PVE | PVE | PVE | PVE | PAO | PVE | PVE | PVE | |||||
Oil 3 | POE | |||||||||||||
Oil with limitations 1 | AB | AB | AB | |||||||||||
Oil with limitations 2 | ||||||||||||||
Molar mass | 102,03 | 114,04 | 114,04 | 108,31 | 108,67 | 58,12 | 96,7 | 101,42 | 122,09 | 102,58 | 66,05 | 96,7 | 108,54 | 116,9 |
Normal boiling point (°C) | -26,1 | -29,5 | -19 | -29,6 | -23,4 | -11,8 | -35,7 | -30,8 | -16,9 | -29,4 | -24 | -43,1 | -28,8 | -19,1 |
Normal dew point (°C) | -26,1 | -29,5 | -19 | -29,5 | -22,8 | -11,8 | -24,6 | -25,4 | -13,7 | -29,4 | -24 | -36,4 | -28,3 | -16,1 |
Temperature glide (K) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0,1 | 0,6 | 0 | 11,1 | 5,4 | 3,2 | 0 | 0 | 6,7 | 0,5 | 3 |
Crit. temp. (°C) | 101 | 95 | 109 | 95 | 104 | 135 | 106 | 103 | 112 | 97 | 113 | 87,1 | 99,3 | 110 |
Crit. pressure (bar) | 40,7 | 33,8 | 36,4 | 36,5 | 38,2 | 36,3 | 44,73 | 41,75 | 35,34 | 36,23 | 45,2 | 40,4 | 37,2 | 36,3 |
ODP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
GWP AR4 | 1430 | 4 | 6 | 631 | 604 | 3 | 92 | 687 | 148 | 142 | 124 | 619 | ||
GWP AR5 | 1300 | 1 | 1 | 573 | 547 | 3 | 89 | 627 | 148 | 131 | 138 | 560 | 132 | |
GWP AR6 | 1530 | 0,501 | 1,37 | 673 | 643 | 148 | 153 | 164 | 2 | 659 | 156 | |||
Cond. temp. at 26 bar abs (°C) | 79 | 82 | 92 | 78 | 86 | 115 | 81 | 80 | 97 | 80 | 85 | |||
Cond. temp. at 40 bar abs (°C) | ||||||||||||||
Relative refr. capacity (%) | 97 (M) | 98 (M) | 75 (H) | 102 (M) | 88 (M) | 55 (H) | 67 (H) | |||||||
Discharge temp. increase (K) | -8 | -14 | -6 | -7 | -6 | -9 | -7 | |||||||
Safety class | A1 | A2L | A2L | A1 | A1 | A3 | A2L | A1 | A1 | A2L | A2 | A2L | A1 | A1 |
Pract. limit AEL (kg/m³) | 0,25 | 0,058 | 0,061 | 0,319 | 0,319 | 0,011 | 0,29 | 0,32 | 0,042 | 0,027 | 0,053 | 0,32 | 0,18 |
In the example table refrigerants are listed in comparison to R134a. The data for the different fluids and fluid blends are listed in columns alongside each other. Looking at the values for the normal boiling point, it becomes visible that not all of them are matching as direct replacement for R134a. This can be seen even better in the application limits. The values "application max" and "application min" describe the typical evaporation temperature range covered by this refrigerant. This one is not identical througout the candidates, but mostly far overlapping, which means a large part is the same. Most important for the targeted application is that the area of evaporation temperature where the system will be working is inside the range stated for the refrigerant.
With this, a basic assumption of applicability can be made. Refrigeration experts can also make sufficiently accurate statements about volumetric capacity and efficiency based on the other data and their experience. However, from the data in the table it cannot be read how the system is to be designed to get to the best possible efficiency.
In the table also values for ODP and GWP are listed. They will be important filtering and sorting values. The GWP values are listed for up to 3 IPCC reports. The values of report 4 are the base for the EU-F-Gas Regulation 517/2014. New fluids might be evaluated according to values from report 6.