A quick review of how the next generation of refrigerants came to be
Having options can be a good thing. We have options for everyday things from where we get our coffee to the type of car that we drive to the cities that we live in. And our choices are primarily influenced by cost and convenience. But when it comes to refrigerants, too many options for a contractor can get confusing fast.
Historicialy, the industry settled on refrigerants based on application. OEMs then typically decided on a select few refrigerants and designed equipment for them. A few standards included R-404A for low temperature refrigeration; R-134a for medium temperature refrigeration and car air conditioning; and R-410A for residential air conditioning. When the AIM Act was passed in 2020, each of these refrigerants were identified as having a high global warming potential (GWP) and the EPA put a plan in place to phase some refrigerants down. The gap in standardized refrigerant options created an opportunity for equipment OEMs and refrigerant manufacturers to come up with the next best product by application. And every group focused on their priorities.
In the field, two types of scenarios emerged. There are customers who had top of the line equipment that was just redesigned during the last refrigerant change over. And customers that just made minor adaptations are waiting for an opportunity to come up with a full new design. Each of their needs are different and each manufacturer has continued to work on options for them.
When the dust settles down and choices are made, yet again, only a few refrigerants will prevail in the field and will be used for the vast majority of systems. The choices made will be based on a number of reasons such as:
- Availability: Refrigerants will be expected to be available within the necessary timeframe, from more than just one supplier, and made with relatively common components. No OEM will want to be forced to buy from a single supplier since that could affect the balance of the offer/demand dynamics. OEMs will also likely avoid refrigerants with exotic components that could be difficult to procure and expensive. Read about Forane® R-32's global availability and other benefits.
- Suitability: The refrigerants selected will be the best compromise for the application. No refrigerant can be the best in all categories. For example, the highest capacity refrigerant may have too high of a discharge temperature, or the best efficiency is from a refrigerant highly flammable and/or toxic. OEMs will prioritize their needs and choose the best option based on the necessary compromises.
- Environmental Impact: OEMs have already been forced to change refrigerants because of ozone depletion, and now they need to change due to global warming. They will be looking for the best possible alternatives that offer the lowest environmental impact based on what we know today. Read more about the sustainability benefits of Forane® R-32.
While those may be the primary reasons driving refrigerant selection, many other factors such as timing, perceived costs, reputation of suppliers, regulations, among many others, will also play a role in the final decision of what to use.