Thermal Management Simulation Helps Auto A/C Shift to Alternative Refrigerants
Air conditioning is essential for new cars. But the fluorocarbon refrigerant HFC-134a — the global standard — is considered an ozone-depleting substance and the European Union passed regulations phasing out the refrigerant and mandating the use of alternatives with less environmental impact. By 2018, HFC-134a is to be totally banned in new cars sold in the European Union. Japan is expected to follow suit.
One of the top alternatives is the refrigerant CO2, also known as R-744. This gas is a natural refrigerant and provides 25 percent faster cool-down. Moreover, CO2 systems can be reversed and thereby serve as a passenger cabin heater in cold weather — a definite plus in electric cars that otherwise drain power from batteries as well as internal-combustion engines (particularly diesels) that need high operating temperatures to run efficiently.