With the phaseout of HCFC refrigerants such as R-22 and the impending phasedown of HFCs such as R-404A and R-507, food retailers are looking at lower-GWP solutions for their refrigeration equipment. Retrofitting an entire store with refrigeration equipment that uses ultra-low GWP options such as CO2 or ammonia can be prohibitively expensive, which is why many food retailers are choosing to transition their existing units to HFO blends, such as R-448A and R-449A.
With GWPs under 1300 and an A1 classification, R-448A and R-449A are not drop-in refrigerants, and modifications have to be made to the refrigeration equipment before they are used. In the latest webinar from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) GreenChill program, industry experts offered advice on how to properly retrofit a system with HFO blends.