Flores, Emilio Joaquin C.

BSME 4A

ME 513 Laboratory Experiment

Title: Getting to Know the Different Refrigerants

I. Objectives

1. To get to know the different types of refrigerants

2. To know and understand the difference between the types of refrigerants
3. To get to know the standards in line with the use of different refrigerants and its
different Applications.
4. To be able to apply the knowledge of determining the correct refrigerant in designing a
refrigeration system or plant
5.) To be able to answer different design problems regarding the different applications of
refrigerants in a refrigeration plant or refrigeration system.

II. Significance of the Study

The purpose of this activity is for the students to be familiar with the different types of
refrigerants and their different applications before conducting a performance evaluation and
efficiency test. The essence of getting to know the different types of refrigerants also serves
as a safety precaution before conducting the activity in case a special handling would be
needed for a specific type of refrigerant. Lastly, this serves as an primer for students to be
aware that there are other refrigerants available in the market / industry that is not usually
used as an example in the theoretical approach of refrigeration.
Research on the different types of refrigerant is crucial in the field of mechanical
engineering laboratory design. Different types of refrigerants often vary to the design of the
refrigeration system or plant that is applied on. As an aspiring mechanical engineering
student, it is the proponent’s obligation to provide an intricate research study regarding
refrigeration systems and refrigerants to further broaden knowledge on different designs and
techniques used in air conditioning and refrigeration systems globally and locally.
III. Background of the Study
Well-recognized refrigerants such as R11, R12, R22, R502 and R17 (ammonia) have
been the main choice for several applications in-line with refrigeration. Deep-seated
changes were made around the 80’s and 90’s with regards to the selection of refrigerants
mainly due to environmental issues that contributes to the alarming rate of holes appearing
in the ozone layer and climate change due to global warming or greenhouse effect. Among
the mentioned refrigerants above, only R17 (ammonia) is believed to be environmentally
friendly but its application has been limited due to its toxicity.

III.1 Refrigeration System

Refrigeration systems operate on a series of consecutive thermodynamic processes that
form a cycle that returns the working substance to the same state. [1] Refrigeration systems
in the chemical industry use, for the most part, standard equipment that has application in
many industries. [2] Refrigeration systems contain pressurised fluid and there are certain
safety standards and legal requirements that must be adhered to. [3]

III.1.1 Heat in Refrigeration System

Heat is a form of energy transferred by virtue of a difference in temperature. Heat exists
everywhere to a greater or lesser degree. As a form of energy it can be neither created nor
destroyed, although other forms of energy may be converted into heat, and vice versa. It is
important to remember that heat energy travels in only one direction; from a warmer to a
cooler object, substance, or area. [4]
III.1.2 Coldness in Refrigeration System
Cold is a comparative term referring to the lack of heat in an object, substance, or area.
Theoretically this zero point would be 459.69 degrees below zero on the Fahrenheit
thermometer scale, or 273.16 degrees below zero on the Celsius thermometer scale. [4]

III.1.3 Mechanical Refrigeration

Mechanical refrigeration, is the utilization of mechanical components arranged in a
"refrigeration system" for the purpose of transferring heat. The mechanical refrigeration
system is essentially the same whether the system be a domestic refrigerator, a low-
temperature freezer, comfort air conditioning system, industrial chiller, or commercial cooling
equipment. Refrigerants will be different and size of the equipment will vary greatly, but the
principle of operation and the refrigeration cycle remains the same. Thus, once you
understand the simple actions that are taking place within the refrigeration mechanical cycle
you should have a good understanding how a refrigeration system works. [4]
 3.2 Refrigerants
Refrigerants, are chemical compounds that are alternately compressed and
condensed into a liquid and then permitted to expand into a vapor or gas as they are
pumped through the mechanical refrigeration system to cycle. [4] Refrigerant is a compound
typically found in either a fluid or gaseous state. It readily absorbs heat from the
environment and can provide refrigeration or air conditioning when combined with other
components such as compressors and evaporators. [5] The different types of refrigerants
will be discussed in the next section
3.2.1 Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), including R12
Chlorofluorocarbons are refrigerants that contain chlorine. They have been
banned since the beginning of the 90's because of their negative environmental impacts.
[6] Examples of CFCs are R11, R12 and R115. The conversion of equipment and
systems using CFCs has not yet been completed. On the contrary, the illegal market for
this type of refrigerants flourishes worldwide, and it is estimated that no more than 50%
of CFC systems worldwide have been upgraded. [6]
3.2.2 Hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), including R22
The slow phase-out of CFCs shows it is a costly process. However, and more
importantly, it also shows the problems and indecisiveness surrounding the availability of
HCFCs, which were officially indicated as temporary (until 2030) substitutes for CFCs.
The hasty actions of the European Union that culminated in the ban of HCFCs,
immediately for refrigeration and soon (2004 at the latest) for air conditioning, has upset
the industry's programs and plans. [6]
 3.2.3 Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), including R410A and R134.
The hydrofluorocarbons are refrigerants that contain no chlorine and are not harmful to
the ozone layer. However, their impact on global warming is very large compared with traditional
refrigerants. The most common HFC refrigerants available since the ban on HCFCs are
presented in Figure below:

Figure 3.1 The most common refrigerants among halogenated hydrocarbons.

IV. Research

1. What are the ideal properties for a refrigerant? List them down and explain briefly.
Low Freezing Point
Refrigerants should have low freezing point than the normal operating conditions. It
should not freeze during application. Water for example cannot be used below 0 Deg C. [7]
High Evaporator Pressure
Atmospheric air ingression into the system will occupy the heat transfer area and results in
poor heat transfer rates. [7]
High Critical Pressure
Critical pressure of the refrigerant should be higher than the condenser pressures.
Otherwise the zone of condensation decreases and the heat rejection occurs. [7]
High Vapor Density
Refrigerants with High vapor density/ Low specific volume will require a smaller
compressors and velocity can be kept small and so the condenser tubes used will also be in
smaller diameter. [7]
High Dielectric strength
In hermetically sealed compressors refrigerant vapor contacts with motor windings and
may cause short circuits. Therefore dielectric strength should be high to avoid short circuits.
[7]
High Latent Heat of Vaporization
Higher latent heat of vaporization of the refrigerant will result in lower mass flow rates
according to the Heat transfer equation. If the mass flow is very small it is difficult to control the
flow rates. Therefore ammonia cannot be used for small refrigeration systems. [7]
High Heat Transfer Coefficient
Higher heat transfer coefficient requires smaller area and lower pressure drop. This makes
the equipments compact and reduced the operating cost. [7]

2. Discuss and carefully explain the relationship of “ozone depletion potential” and
refrigerants. Why is there a need for considering ozone depletion potential in
choosing/using a refrigerant?

Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) of a chemical compound is the relative amount of

degradation it can cause to the ozone layer. [8] Refrigerants containing chlorine or bromine
contribute to the breakdown of the ozone layer. However, the CIO molecule is unstable. It
breaks down and reacts with ozone molecules (in accordance with the equation above)
repeatedly until a more stable compound is created. [6] Due to their stability in the
atmosphere, CFCs as well as HCFCs and HFCs are often very effective greenhouse gases.
The GWP factor is used to reflect their impact on global warming. [9]

3. Discuss and carefully explain the relationship of “Global warming potential (GWP)” and
Refrigerants. Why is there a need for considering GWP in choosing/using a refrigerant?
Global Warming Potential, or GWP, is a measure of how destructive a climate pollutant
is. Refrigerants today are often thousands of times more polluting than carbon dioxide
(CO2). [10] The GWP of a gas refers to the total contribution to global warming resulting
from the emission of one unit of that gas relative to one unit of the reference gas, CO2,
which is assigned a value of 1. GWPs can also be used to define the impact greenhouse
gases will have on global warming over different time periods or time horizons. [10]
3. What is total equivalent warming impact (TEWI)? Where / when is it considered/used?
Total equivalent warming impact or TEWI is used to express contributions to global
warming. It is defined as sum of the direct emissions (chemical) and indirect emissions
(energy use) of greenhouse gases. [9]

4. Why is ammonia considered to be environmentally friendly? Since it is considered to be

environmentally friendly, why is ammonia not used widely in households?
Ammonia is considered to be environmentally friendly because It occurs naturally
throughout the environment in the air, soil and water and in plants and animals, including
humans. Ammonia exposure can irritate skin, eyes and lungs. Exposure to chloramine
gases can cause coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, irritation to the
throat, nose and eyes or pneumonia and fluid in the lungs. [11]

5. Explain the term “refrigerant blends”.

Refrigerant blends are mixtures of refrigerants that have been formulated to provide a
match to certain properties of the refrigerants originally used. These blends have been
researched and developed since the issue of the ODS phase-out emerged and are being
produced by many chemical companies. Blends can have 2-3 or even 4 components, and
can have a major component of a HCFC, HFC or HC; in most cases they will consist of a
combination of these chemicals. [12]

6. What are health and safety precautions that should be considered in line with choosing /
using the correct refrigerants.
The health hazards associated with the use of refrigerants in refrigeration and air-
conditioning equipment can include toxicity, flammability, asphyxiation, and physical
hazards. Although refrigerants can pose one or more of these risks, system design,
engineering controls, and other techniques mitigate this risk for the use of refrigerant in
various types of equipment. [13]

7. Explain the term “secondary refrigerants”.

Secondary refrigerants are usually liquids, and are used to transfer heat from the
substance being cooled to a heat exchanger where the heat is absorbed by a primary
refrigerant. In an air conditioning system it could be said that air is acting as a secondary
refrigerant. These fluids are cooled by a primary refrigerant then exposed to the source,
being sensibly heated by that source, thus absorbing its energy, and the warmer fluid
returned to the chiller, rejecting the heat to the primary refrigerant. [14]
 8. For some refrigerants such as air, ammonia, CO2, R11, R12, R22, and R502, state and
carefully explain the basis for choosing such refrigerants.

For Air
Air has been used for residential, automobile, and turbine-powered aircraft air-
conditioning and/or cooling. The reason why air is not more widely used as a general-purpose
refrigerant is because there is no change of phase, and is therefore too inefficient to be practical
in most applications. [15]
For Ammonia.
It is not compatible with copper, thus requiring other materials for construction. But
ammonia’s thermodynamic and Thermophysical properties also yield very efficient refrigeration
systems. Because of its acute toxicity, stringent regulations apply for ammonia systems, which
require close monitoring and highly-skilled engineers and technicians. [16]
For CO2
The use of carbon dioxide as a refrigerant lasted for well over a century, but was abandoned
in the mid-1950s, with the widespread use of the CFC refrigerants, which were more efficient,
more stable and safer. It was ‘rediscovered’ in the early 1990s. Due to its low environmental
impact, low toxicity and non-flammability, CO2 is now regaining popularity with refrigeration
system designers whilst an alternative to fluorocarbons is being sought. [16]

For R11
R-11 is a colorless and odorless CFC refrigerant that was completely banned from
production by 1996 under the Montreal Protocol for depleting the ozone. It is a low-pressure
refrigerant that was commonly used in centrifugal chillers and before the 1970’s it was used as
a propellant for aerosols. The refrigerant is typically stored in orange drums or containers. [17]
For R12
Refrigerant R12 or Freon 12 is said to be the most widely used of all the refrigerants
being used for different applications. Refrigerant R12 is used in domestic refrigerators and
freezers, liquid chillers, dehumidifiers, ice makers, water coolers, water fountains and transport
refrigeration. [18]
For R502
R-502 offers lower discharge temperature and improved capacity compared to R-22.
Commercial refrigeration systems can perform low temperature refrigeration in a single stage
with relatively inexpensive compressors. [19]
10. What happens to mixture composition during system charging?
When charging a refrigeration or air-conditioning system with refrigerant, often the
pressure in the system reaches a point where it is equal to the pressure in the [charging]
cylinder from which the system is being charged. In order to get more refrigerant into the
system to complete the charge, heat must be applied to the cylinder. [20]
11. What happens to refrigerant composition during a leak?
The refrigerant becomes a toxic substance that is released into the environment. Freon
is certainly a health hazard. Freon is a lethal toxic substance, and for this reason, Freon
leaks should be handled by an expert air conditioning repair technician. Inhaling Freon is
highly poisonous and could result in death. In addition, Freon leaks deplete the ozone layer
and are unsafe for the environment. [21]
12. The machine room housing the compressor and condenser of a refrigerant 12 system
has dimensions 5 by 4 by 3 m. Calculate the mass if the refrigerant which would have to
escape into the space to cause a toxic concentration for a 2-h exposure.

Solution:
Refrigerant 12 exposure for 2 hours has a 20% by volume to become toxic

Volume of Room=( 5 )( 4 )( 3 )=60 m3 ; Volune of Refrigerant=60 ( 0.2 ) =12m3

at Steam tables : P=101.325 , v g=¿0.1581254 m / kg¿
3

12 m3
Mass of Refrigerant= =75.88 kg
0.1581254 m3 /kg

13. A solution of ethylene glycol and water is to be prepared for a minimum temperature of -
30o C.If the antifreeze is mixed at 15o C, what is the required specific gravity of the
antifreeze solution at this temperature.
At 15 degrees Celsius, concentration= 46%
SG of the Soution = 1.063
Define the following terminologies and explain how they are related to refrigerants
(provide your answer after the word/phrase):
1. Pure Fluid
A pure fluid or refrigerant is a substance that does not change pressure or temperature
relationship during phase change of the refrigerant. [22]
It is integral to know if a substance or working fluid is a pure fluid so that the designer of
the refrigeration system can fully utilize their design depending on the refrigerant used.
2. Mixture and Blend
Refrigerant mixtures are mixtures of two (binary) or more pure refrigerant fluids. [23]
Refrigerant blends are mixtures of refrigerants that have been formulated to provide a match
to certain properties of the refrigerants originally used. [12]
Refrigerant mixtures and blends are important to determine what kind of working fluid it
is, since blends and mixtures are types of refrigerants to be used.
3. Azeotropic Refrigerant Mixture
The azeotropic mixtures are usually binary mixtures that behave like a pure fluid, under
constant pressure they condense and evaporate at a constant temperature and the
composition of the mixture in the vapour and liquid phases will be same. [23]
Azeotropic mixtures have been very widely used in refrigeration, for example the popular
cold storage refrigerant R502 is a mixture of R22 and R152a. R410a, a mixture of R32 and
R125 is an important non-ODS azeotropic mixture used in place of R22. 
4. Zeotropic Mixture
Zeotropic mixtures exhibit a significant temperature variation during constant pressure
phase change process, such as condensation and evaporation. Also, at equilibrium the
composition in vapour and liquid phases will be different. [12]
These kinds of refrigerants can be used beneficially in applications where the external
heat source and sink temperature also have to vary. Important non-ODS, zeotropic
refrigerant mixture is R407c, a mixture of (R32/R125/R134a).
5. Near-Azeotropic Refrigerant Mixture
Near azeotropic mixtures are mixtures with small temperature variation during phase
change and a small difference in composition in liquid and vapour phases at equilibrium.
The use of near azeotropic refrigerant mixtures is to extend the range of refrigerant
alternatives beyond pure fluids and azeotropic mixtures. An example of this is the addition of
small amount of propane to R502 to increase its solubility in lubricating oil. [23]
 6. Azeotrope
Azeotropes are a mixture of at least two different liquids. Their mixture can either have a
higher boiling point than either of the components or they can have a lower boiling point.
[24] Zeotropic distillation method has been employed in the industries as per the sample
content and the chemical process needed. Most Azeotrope mixtures are used in industrial
refrigerators.
7. Zeotrope
Zeotropes correspond to a mixture of compounds having different boiling points. When
sucha mixture is heated at a particular pressure then different compounds separate out at
different temperatures. [25]
8. Service Refrigerants
Service refrigerants are the refrigerant types that are most commonly used by industries
and plantations. Modern equipment that uses refrigerants includes ACs, cooling systems,
freezers, and refrigerators. In spite of their usefulness, refrigerants also contribute to global
warming.
9. Refrigerant – Oil Relationships
Oil minimizes mechanical wear by reducing friction. Oil also maintains a seal between
the high and low side of the compressor. [26]
Without proper lubrication, the compressor’s valves, mating scrolls, screws, and vanes
would not properly seal. The results would be high-side refrigerant pressures entering the
low side of the refrigeration system.
10. Pocket Temperature-Pressure Charts
The pressure-temperature (PT) chart is a valuable tool that service technicians use to check
proper system operation. PT charts are most often used for three purposes: to set a coil
pressure so that the refrigerant produces the desired temperature, to check the amount of
superheat above the saturated vapor condition at the outlet of the evaporator and to check the
amount of subcooling below the saturated liquid condition at the end of the condenser. [27]

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