Two recent projects demonstrated successful retrofitting of HFC refrigerants into existing HCFC-22 systems. These projects, which were highlighted by Arkema, detail the processes with regard to HFC-427A in refrigeration and air conditioning applications.

Checking the acidity and/or moisture content of refrigerant oil is one of the methods used to test if a refrigeration system is clean and uncontaminated. But how can you take an oil sample without an oil plug?

While natural refrigerants start to slowly — and cautiously — gain a foothold in North America, their impact is more forceful almost everywhere else. What do other countries have to say about this?

One sector where CO2 is making the strongest inroads in the United States is in supermarkets as more stores and refrigeration manufacturers embrace its use. Where are two recent examples that make for good reading?

Two recent refrigerant developments focus on CO2 and HFOs. One relates to CO2 in refrigeration; the other is an announcement of an HFO in air conditioning.

Heatcraft has opened the state-of-the-art Heatcraft Innovation Center. According to the company, “The new center adds value to customer experience showcasing refrigeration solutions for supermarket, foodservice, cold storage, and industrial cooling applications with a high-tech laboratory and training facility.”

In response to the accelerated phaseout of HCFCs, Indianapolis-based refrigerant producer ICOR International has expanded its refrigerant reclamation operations.

Tecumseh Products Co., headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., said that it is focusing on increased technical training and support for its network of authorized North American wholesalers with the establishment of Tecumseh University.

Those of a certain age may remember the original editions of the young teen series such as The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. Since the early 1970s, the series still around have been updated and condensed. I mention that because in the original series more attention was paid to minor details that made for interesting reading.

Recently, there has been a lot of talk about natural refrigerants such as CO2 and hydrocarbons gaining a stronger foothold. Yet much of the talk is related to the possible phasedown of HFC production. And currently, while there may be some talk about a possible phasedown, no actual action seems to be taking place.