Articles Tagged with ''natural refrigerants''

Utilities representatives and supermarket end-users recently met to develop solutions for incentivizing the use of natural refrigerants in supermarkets and convenience stores. More than 35 participants came together on Aug. 4, at the National Grid corporate offices in Waltham, Massachusetts.

As hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs), hydrocarbons (HCs), and natural refrigerants are set to replace HFCs, their often-overlooked partners — lubricants — are rarely mentioned. As the industry prepares to adhere to mandated refrigerant transitions, a common question is: “Can I use my old lubricants with new refrigerants?”

The supermarket industry realized a long time ago that it is impossible to solve environmental problems related to refrigerant leaks using a repair-based approach (i.e., with policies that focus on leak repair and record-keeping). Yet, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) main regulatory program to address harmful refrigerant emissions reflects a repair-based policy.

What long-term implications will this have on the refrigerant-recovery industry, which has been built on recovering chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) — refrigerants that are increasingly being phased out? The answer: Change is on the horizon, but demise is not imminent.

As manufacturers research the viability of low-GWP and other natural refrigerants, they face the concurrent challenges of ensuring compressors are efficient, safe, and reliable.