Organic Refrigerants

[Fridgy Dave]

If anyone knows about these refrigerants i would like to know what the benefits of these are? And what is involved in retrofitting of existing R134a systems.

[NoNickName]

All halogen-free refrigerants are ORGANIC. By definition, organic is a compound who comprises one or more of these atoms: C, H, O, and N.
What exactly are you looking for? Ammonia, hydrocarbons, co2, n2o, else?

[Fridgy Dave]

Hydrocarbons i believe. I just wanted to know if old systems could be retrofitted?

[NoNickName]

They may or may not, depending on the actual system. But more important is to assess:
1) why would one want to retrofit R134a with hydrocarbons, as R134a is perfectly legal for decades to come
2) hydrocarbons are flammable. Have an assessment been made on possible compliance to such risks?

[Fridgy Dave]

Simply a hypothetical. I was asked by someone who is interested in changing systems not R134a but R404a for reasons that are unknown to me yet but they are large commercial and industrial systems.

[US Iceman]

...R404a for reasons that are unknown to me yet but they are large commercial and industrial systems.


I suspect someone is faced with either the phase-out rules for refrigerants or they have an environmental concern they are dealing with.

If the system is existing and has copper pipes this will limit your choices to one of the commercially available refrigerants (not organic).

You also have to be aware of any local safety codes that may determine which refrigerant you can use in a specific area of classification. The classification may be industrial, which then might allow the use the ammonia. Ammonia is relatively cheap per pound (kg). Some of the other non-organic refrigerants would be extremely expensive in a large system charge.

This is not an easy answer to provide...