ATLANTA — Alternative low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants will be presented at the ASHRAE/NIST 2012 Refrigerants Conference: “Moving toward Sustainability,” Oct. 29-30, at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, Md.

Papers from leading global experts will be presented on refrigerant alternatives and technologies, environmental effects of refrigerants, new refrigerant performance considerations, and natural refrigerants. All papers at the conference are presented by invited speakers.

“The goal of the conference is to provide new information on the technologies, methods and means that will be used in the future to accommodate the imminent phase-down of high-GWP refrigerants,” said Piotr Domanski, conference co-chair. “International concerns about the impact of refrigerants on climate change inevitably lead to increased focus on refrigerants with a low GWP applied in high-efficiency systems. This includes a new generation of unsaturated fluorochemicals and the expanded use of natural refrigerants.”

A number of papers will address the new generation of low-GWP fluorochemicals for air conditioning, heating and refrigeration applications, chillers, and residential and small commercial unitary. Complete information on new low-GWP refrigerants according to ASHRAE designations, including blend compositions, will be presented.

Papers will also address risk assessments for applications with 2L refrigerants and the expanded use of natural refrigerants.

Conference registration fees through Oct. 17 are $475 ($425, ASHRAE members). Registration closes Oct. 18, and there will not be any onsite registration because of security requirements at the government facility.

This is the fourth jointly sponsored refrigerants conference organized by ASHRAE and NIST. For more information or to register, visit www.ashrae.org/refrigerants2012.

Publication date: 10/8/2012