Jazan University

College of Engineering
Department of Mechanical Engineering

C
Course ME‐
ME 523 
523

Refrigeration & Air Conditioning

Refrigeration & Air Conditioning 
Chapter 3

R fi
Refrigerants
t

Objectives

 Explain the importance of refrigerant selection 
 Differentiate between Types of Refrigerants
 Write the chemical formula of a refrigerant from its number 
List the criteria used in selecting refrigerants 
 List important environmental properties influencing refrigerant 
selection 
l ti
Compare different refrigerants and suggest replacements for CFCs 
and HCFCs
Chapter 3 Introduction

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Chapter 3 Types of Refrigerants
Most refrigerants in use today are compounds containing 
Most in use today are compounds containing carbon, 
fluorine, usually chlorine, and sometimes hydrogen, bromine, or 
iodine.
‐ Refrigerants in Refrigeration systems may be referred to as:

CFC: refrigerants contain C
CFC fi t t i Chllorine, F
i Fluorine, and C
l i d Carbon.
b
HCFC: refrigerants contain H
HCFC Hydrogen, C
Chllorine, FFluorine, and carbon.
HFC: refrigerants contain H
HFC Hydrogen, FFluorine, and C
Carbon.
HC: refrigerants contain Hydrogen and C
HC: refrigerants contain H
HC ydrogen and Carbon.
arbon
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Chapter 3 Types of Refrigerants

R134a+R410

Fig.1: Classification of fluids used as refrigerants 
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Chapter 3 Types of Refrigerants

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Chapter 3 Designation of refrigerants
All th
the refrigerants
fi t are d
designated
i t dbby R ffollowed
ll dbby a unique
i number.
b
i) Fully saturated, halogenated compounds:

These refrigerants are derivatives of alkanes (CnH2n+2) such as methane

(CH4), ethane (C2H6). These refrigerants are designated by R XYZ
where:
X+1
X+1 indicates the number of Carbon (C) atoms
Y-1 indicates number of Hydrogen (H) atoms, and
Z indicates number of Fluorine (F) atoms

The balance indicates the number of Chlorine atoms. Onlyy 2 digits

g indicates that
the value of X is zero.

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Chapter 3 Designation of refrigerants
Exemple : R 22 x=0,y=2,z=2

(letter a stands for isomer, e.g. molecules having same chemical composition but 
different atomic arrangement, e.g. R134 and R134a) 

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Chapter 3 Designation of refrigerants
ii) Inorganic
I i refrigerants:
fi t

These are designated by number 7 followed by the molecular weight of the refrigerant
(rounded off)
(rounded-off).
NH3

Co2

H2o

iii) Mixtures:

Azeotropic mixtures are designated by 500 series

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Chapter 3 Designation of refrigerants

Zeotropic mixtures:
zeotropic refrigerants (e.g. non-azeotropic mixtures) are designated by 400 series.

iv) Hydrocarbons:

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Chapter 3 Environmental and safety properties

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Chapter 3 Environmental and safety properties
Process of ozone layer depletion
Process of ozone layer depletion

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Chapter 3 Environmental and safety properties
The important
p environmental p
properties
p are:

a) Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP):

According to the Montreal protocol
protocol, the ODP of refrigerants should be zero
zero, ii.e.,
e
they should be non-ozone depleting substances. Refrigerants having non-zero
ODP have either already been phased-out (e.g. R 11, R 12) or will be phased-out
in near-future(e.g.
near future(e.g. R22). Since ODP depends mainly on the presence of chlorine or
bromine in the molecules, refrigerants having either chlorine (i.e., CFCs and
HCFCs) or bromine cannot be used under the new regulations

b) Global Warming Potential (GWP):

Refrigerants should have as low a GWP value as possible to minimize the
problem of global warming. Refrigerants with zero ODP but a high value of GWP
(
(e.g. R134
R134a)) are likely
lik l to b
be regulated
l d iin ffuture.

c) Total Equivalent Warming Index (TEWI): The factor TEWI considers both direct
(due to release into atmosphere) and indirect (through energy consumption)
contributions of refrigerants to global warming. Naturally, refrigerants with as a low a
value of TEWI are preferable from global warming point of view.

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Chapter 3 Environmental and safety properties

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Chapter 3 Safety group classifications
This classification consist of two alphanumeric
p characters ((e.g.
g A2););
the capital letter corresponds to toxicity and the digit to flammability.

1- Toxicity
y classification
Refrigerants are divided into two groups according to toxicity:

• Class A signifies refrigerants for which toxicity has not been identified at
concentrations less than or equal to 400 ppm;
• Class B signifies refrigerants for which there is evidence of toxicity at
concentrations below 400 ppm.

2- Flammability classification
Refrigerants are divided into three groups according to flammability:

• Class 1 indicates refrigerants that do not show flame propagation when tested
in air at 21°C and 101 kPa;
• Class 2 indicates refrigerants having a lower flammability limit of more than 0.10
0 10
kg/m3 at 21°C and 101 kPa and a heat of combustion of less than 19 kJ/kg;
• Class 3 indicates refrigerants that are highly flammable as defined by a lower
flammability limit of less than or equal to 0.10
0 10 kg/m3 at 21
21°C
C and 101 kPa or a heat
of combustion greater than or equal to 19 kJ/kg.
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Chapter 3 Safety group classifications

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Chapter 3 Safety group classifications
Classification of a few refrigerants
g

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Chapter 3 Safety group classifications

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