Evolution of Refrigerant Application.
Evolution of Refrigerant Application.
(1416 K)
Domanski, P. A.
International Congress on Refrigeration. Proceedings.
May 4, 1999, Milan, Italy, 1-14 pp, 1999.
Keywords:
refrigerants; alternative refrigerants; air
conditioning; building technology; refrigeration; vapor
compression cycle
Abstract:
The paper reviews the development of chlorofluorocarbon
refrigerants, the implemented replacements of
ozone-depleting fluids, other considered alternatives,
and the prospect for next-generation refrigerants in
response to climate change concerns. Convincing evidence
suggests that any future refrigerants will have large
molecules with high molar heat capacities resulting in a
lower thermodynamic efficiency than that of the
contemporary refrigerants. If refrigerant availability
is not affected by regulatory measures,
hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants should continue to
dominate the market. "Natural refrigerants" will gain
some market share in selected applications. The search
for new and the refinement of mature technologies will
continue to produce environmentally friendly solutions
for the future. The history of mechanical refrigeration
is an exciting example of human ingenuity and
technological progress. From the beginning of the 19*
century, machines based on different refrigeration cycle
concepts and using a variety of refrigerants were
proposed. The majority of them disappeared from use when
better alternatives were implemented. For almost two
centuries, the stimulus for these changes were growing
market demand for "artificial cold," development of
component technologies, economics, and personal safety.
These forces changed the preferred refrigeration
technology from absorption at the outset to
vapor-compression ammonia systems, and to
vapor-compression systems using chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). After
their introduction in 1930, CFCs and HCFCs gradually
became the preferred refrigerants for most applications
with ammonia and air obtaining common presence in liquid
chillers and aerospace applications, respectively. The
dominating market share of CFCs and HCFCs was a result
of their favorable attributes including safety and high
efficiency.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899