Natural Refrigerants

Hamilton-Clark fully endorse the use of natural refrigerants.

Natural refrigerants are transforming the face of refrigeration globally.  Traditional fluorine and chlorine based refrigerants are considered ‘Greenhouse gasses’ and ‘ozone depleting’ respectively, both having an incredibly negative  impact on the environment.

The worst offending CFC (Chlorine) refrigerants have already been banned; with a ban on HCFC refrigerants coming into force soon, a ban on the remaining environmentally impacting refrigerants known as HFC’s is looking increasingly likely.  This will have far reaching implications on the food and leisure industries; in our opinion, further investments in equipment operating using HFC refrigerants should be considered very carefully.

Options:

Using Carbon Dioxide as a refrigerant.  Initially this sounds a little confusing; we all know the human population should be reducing their Carbon Diode (CO2) emission, however traditional refrigerants are so bad for the environment that using CO2 as a refrigerant is an infinitely more considerate solution.  CO2 is an excellent refrigerant, however the pressures it operates at initially presented the refrigeration industry with a challenge, which has now been met.  The temperatures and the way in which CO2 gives up its heat, also make it an ideal refrigerant for Heat Recovery.

Ammonia is the most widely used natural refrigerant, it is often applied in the industrial food and air conditioning sectors.  It is too an excellent refrigerant, however it is complexed to work with due to it being corrosive to some elements, it can also cause asphyxiation in concentrated quantities and can be flammable in certain circumstances.  These factors have prevented Ammonia from becoming a viable main stream refrigerant.

Hydrocarbon refrigerants are organic compounds similar to that of propane and butane, consequently they are highly flammable.  This is a negative aspect to their use and tight regulation surrounds the use of hydrocarbons (HC’s) as refrigerants.  Nevertheless hydrocarbons have excellent properties as refrigerants.  If hydrocarbon refrigeration systems are applied and designed correctly, they can offer an excellent alternative to other refrigerants.