REFRIGERANT

REPORTED BY:
DOREEN ANN P. MONTANO
The working agent in a refrigerating system that
absorbs, carries or releases heat from the place
to be cooled or refrigerated can be termed as a
refrigerant.

• This heat transfer generally takes place through

a phase change of the refrigerant
“Refrigerant is the fluid used for heat transfer in a
refrigerating system that absorbs heat during
evaporation from the region of low temperature
and pressure, and releases heat during
condensation at a region of higher temperature
and pressure.
 Properties of Refrigerants

1) Thermodynamic Properties:

a.Boiling Temperature: The boiling temperature of the refrigerant

should be low to reduce the capacity of the compressor.

b. Freezing Temperature: The freezing temperature should be below the

evaporative temperature to prevent the refrigerant from freezing
during operation
 Properties of Refrigerants

c.Evaporator and Condenser pressure: Both Evaporator and Condenser

pressure should be above slightly above the atmospheric level.
Positive pressure required to prevent leakage of air and moisture into
the refrigerant system.

d.Compression ratio: It should be as small as possible.

e. It should have a high latent heat of vaporization.
f.It should be above the condensing temperature & pressure.
 Properties of Refrigerants

2.Chemical Properties:
a) It should not be Poisonous or injurious. It should not be non-
irritating to eyes.
b) It should not be corrosive & should not have any effect on materials
used in equipment.
c) It should have fewer tendencies to leak & if it is leaking it should be
easily detectable.
d) It should not be Inflammable.
 Properties of Refrigerants

3. Physical properties:
a. It should have low viscosity.
b. It should have high thermal conductivity.

4. Other Properties:-
a) It should be easy & safe to handle.
b) It should be readily available at a low cost.
c) It should have a high COP & low power requirements.
 Classification of Refrigerants
• Fluids suitable for refrigeration purposes can be classified into
primary and secondary refrigerants.
• Primary refrigerants are those fluids, which are used directly as
working fluids, for example in vapor compression and vapor
absorption refrigeration systems.
1) Primary Refrigerant
2) Secondary Refrigerant
 Classification of
Refrigerants
Primary Refrigerants:
• The refrigerant which takes part in the refrigeration cycle is
known as the primary refrigerant.
• The refrigerants which directly take part in the refrigeration
system are called primary refrigerant.
• Primary refrigerants are used in domestic refrigerator and Air
conditioning system etc. Primary refrigerants are R-11, R-12, R-
21, R-143a, etc.
 Classification of Refrigerants
They are classified as
a) Halocarbon compounds
e.g R -11 – Trichloromonofluromethane
R – 12
R – 13
R -21 etc.
b) Azeotropes:Mixture of different refrigerant

c) Hydrocarbons:Methane, Ethane, Propane, etc.

 Classification of Refrigerants
They are classified as
1. Halocarbon compounds
e.g R -11 – Trichloromonofluromethane
R – 12
R – 13
R -21 etc.
2. Azeotropes:Mixture of different refrigerant
3. Hydrocarbons:Methane, Ethane, Propane, etc.
4.Inorganic compounds:- Ammonia, carbon-di-oxide, Sulfur dioxide, Air, etc.
5.Unsaturated organic compounds:– Refrigerant with ethylene and propylene
base.
Classification of Refrigerants
 Classification of Refrigerants

Secondary Refrigerants:
1. The refrigerants which are first cooled by primary refrigerant and then
used for cooling purpose are called as secondary refrigerant.
2. Secondary refrigerants allow the amounts of environmentally harmful
primary refrigerants to be minimized and contained in a restricted area.
3. Examples of secondary refrigerants include water, air, hydrocarbons,
ammonia, and carbon dioxide, which are more environmentally benign
than traditional refrigerants such as HCFCs. They are safer and generally
suitable for refrigeration systems.
 Classification of Refrigerants

Secondary Refrigerants:
4. Brines are often chosen as secondary refrigerants for large
refrigeration systems, such as those supplying supermarkets, the most
common brine being water-glycol solutions, water-ethanol solutions, and
acetate solutions.
5. It is used in ice plant and in big installation.
6. Secondary refrigerants are water, brine, glycol, etc.
Water: Used in Air conditioning systems for cooling, Dehumidification, etc.
Brine: Used in Ice plants to maintain temperatures lower than atmospheric
temperatures.
 Designation of Refrigerants
• The refrigerants are internationally designated as ‘R’ followed by certain
numbers such as R-11, R-12, R-114, etc. A refrigerant followed by a two-
digit number indicates that a refrigerant is derived from methane base
while a three-digit number represents ethane bases.
• The numbers assigned to hydro-carbon and halo- and refrigerants
have a special meaning. The first digest on the rightist the number of
fluorine (F) atoms in the refrigerant. The second digit from the right is
one more than the number of hydrogen (H) atoms present. The third
digit from the right is one less than the number of carbon (C) atoms,
but when this digit is zero, it is omitted.
 Designation of Refrigerants
• The general chemical formula for the refrigerant, either for
methane or ethane base, is given as CmHnClpFq in which n + p + q
= 2m + 2

Where m = number of carbon atoms,

n = number of hydrogen atoms,
p = Number of chlorine atoms, and
q = number of fluorine atoms.
 Designation of Refrigerants
• As discussed above, the number of the refrigerants is given by
R9m -1) (n + 1) (q). Let us consider the following refrigerants to find
its chemical formula and the number.
1. Dichloro-difluoro-methane
We see that in this refrigerant
Number of chlorine atoms, p = 2
Number of fluorine atoms q = 2
And the number of hydrogen atoms, n= 0
We know that n + p + q = 2m +2
0 + 2 + 2 = 2m +2 or m = 1
i.e Number of carbon atoms = 1

• Thus the chemical formula for discolor- difluoro-methane becomes CCl2F2 and the number of
refrigerants becomes R (1-1) (0 +1)(2) or R-012 i.e R-12
 Designation of Refrigerants
2. Dichloro-tetrafluoro-ethane
We see that in this refrigerant
Number of chlorine atoms, p = 2
Number of fluorine atoms, q = 4
And number of hydrogen atoms, n = 0
We know that n + p + q = 2m +2
0 + 2 + 4 = 2m + 2 or m=2
i.e Number of carbon atoms = 2
• Thus the chemical formula for Dichloro-tetrafluoro-ethane
becomes C2Cl2F4 and the numbers of Refrigerant becomes R(2-1)
(0+1) (4) or R-114.
 Application of Refrigerants
1. Air Conditioner – R-22, R-114
2.Domestic Refrigerator – R-12, R-143a
3.Ice Plant – In primary circuit Ammonia and secondary circuit Brine
solution.
i4. Water cooler – R-12, R-143a
 Refrigerants Commonly Used in
Practice

1) NH3 (Ammonia)

Properties – Highly toxic, flammable, good thermal properties, highest

refrigerating effect per kg of refrigerant.

Uses – It is widely used in large industrial and commercial refrigeration systems.

It is mostly used with the Vapour absorption refrigeration cycle like ice plants,
cold storage, packing plants, etc.
 Refrigerants Commonly Used in Practice

2) CO2 (Carbon dioxide)

Properties – Colorless, non-toxic, non-flammable, and non-corrosive gas.

It gives a low refrigeration effect.

Uses – It is used in the marine refrigeration system.

 Refrigerants Commonly Used in Practice

3) Air

Properties – Easily available without cost, non-toxic, completely safe

refrigerant, low COP.
Uses – It is used in an aircraft air-conditioning system.
 Refrigerants Commonly Used in Practice

4) R-11 (Trichloro mono fluoro methane) or Freon-11

Properties – Non-toxic, Non-flammable, and Non-corrosive.

Uses – It is used in small office buildings and factories for
refrigeration.
 Refrigerants Commonly Used in Practice

5) R-12 (Dichlaro – difluro methane) or Freon -12

Properties – Non -toxic, Non-flammable, Non-explosive, high COP,

and most suitable refrigerant.
Uses – It is used in domestic vapor compression refrigeration.
 Refrigerants Commonly Used in Practice

6) R-22 (Monochloro – difluro methane) or Freon -22

Properties – Non-toxic, Non-flammable, Non-explosive Required

less compressor displacement.
Uses – It is used in commercial and industrial low-temperature
applications (in air conditioning).
 Advantages of R134a refrigerant over R-12.

• Refrigerant R134a is a hydro fluorocarbon (HFC) that has zero potential to

cause the depletion of the ozone layer and very little greenhouse effect.
• R134a is the nonflammable and non-explosive, has toxicity within limits
and good chemical stability.
• It has a somewhat high affinity for moisture.
• The overall physical and thermodynamic properties of refrigerant R134a
closely resemble with that of refrigerant R12.
• Due to all the above factors, R134a is considered to be an excellent
replacement for R12 refrigerant.
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