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> get one that uses ammonia ... or CO2, or hydrocarbons. The general term is "natural working fluids". But yes, a thousand times this.
by semi-extrinsic 8y ago
> get one that uses ammonia
... or CO2, or hydrocarbons. The general term is "natural working fluids". But yes, a thousand times this.
- userbinator 8y agoAmmonia is toxic, hydrocarbons are flammable, and CO2 requires extremely high working pressures meaning more expensive equipment and lower efficiency. It's not surprising that before ozone depletion and global warming were known, CFCs became the refrigerant to use, since they're almost completely inert and work at low pressures.
- semi-extrinsic 8y agoI agree that the CFCs have some nice properties. But the new generation of synthetic refrigerants like R1234 are not nice, they are flammable AND they form nice things like hydrofluoric acid when they burn. CO2 is widely used in Japan in vending machines you find everywhere, it's widespread in supermarket refrigeration systems, and it's looking to be the refrigerant of choice for next-gen EVs. It's already what Mercedes use for the AC i the S-class. Hydrocarbons are flammable, yes, but the amount used for a residential unit like a refrigerator is less than what's in your can of lighter fluid in the cupboard. For a commercial kitchen, people have no problem with multiple 10 kg cylinders of hydrocarbon for cooking, but a few hundred grams in the refrigeration system is very dangerous?