REFRIGERANTS


Natural selection T


The move away towards natural refrigerants and away from synthetic


 world. Tim Mitchell, sales director of Klima-Therm, explains why this matters.


here have been many spectacular comebacks of These


synthetic refrigerants have been widely used due especially to their non-  and non-toxic properties.


 years. One of the greatest revivals in politics, for


example, saw statesman Winston Churchill return from the wilderness and inspire the nation to win the Battle of Britain and, eventually, the Second World War. On a smaller scale (at least for those who aren’t Liverpool football club fans), the Reds achieved a stunning turnaround when they played FC Barcelona in the 2019 UEFA  3-0, Liverpool returned to win the second leg 4-0 resulting  where they beat Spurs to clinch the title. Comebacks don’t, however, have to be as dramatic as


  One recent example of an important comeback is the revival of natural refrigerants (those existing in, or derived


 in popularity over synthetic coolants after many years in the sub-zero wilderness.


The rise and fall and rise again of natural refrigerants is,


 one end of the scale to beating a top Spanish soccer team at the other. Why? Because natural refrigerants play a central


38 May 2024 • www.acr-news.com


role in contributing towards the sustainability of the planet. There are a number of natural refrigerants to choose from including ammonia, hydrocarbons such as propane, and carbon dioxide (CO2


).


Ammonia is used extensively in large scale refrigeration applications such as ice rink cooling as well as district cooling systems, supermarkets, and convenience stores. Hydrocarbons are typically employed in low-to-medium temperature refrigeration applications like freezers and refrigerated display cases. CO2


is often found in industrial


refrigeration and can be used in combination with ammonia, either in cascade systems or as a volatile brine. It is also commonly found in food/retail cooling, heat pumps, and transport refrigeration. Natural refrigerants have a lot to commend them. For example, they:  Can be more sustainable, eco-friendly, and futureproof than synthetics.


 Are naturally occurring so producing them isn’t energy intensive.


 pump applications.  Are  than their chemical equivalents at very high temperatures.


 Tend to be cheaper than their synthetic counterparts, largely because the latter demand more processing.


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