Refrigerants

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As hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs), hydrocarbons (HCs), and natural refrigerants are set to replace HFCs, their often-overlooked partners — lubricants — are rarely mentioned. As the industry prepares to adhere to mandated refrigerant transitions, a common question is: “Can I use my old lubricants with new refrigerants?”

Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)-134a replaced chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-12. Now, 134a is on its way out, too. The July 2, 2015, ruling from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set forth the time frames for the phasedown of certain HFC refrigerants in specific applications.

At a recent International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR) meeting, Mark S. Dreux, a partner and head of the OSHA group at the Washington, District of Columbia, law firm Arent Fox LLP, gave a presentation on how facility personnel can manage the biggest challenges associated with an OSHA inspection.

All refrigerant containers should have one uniform paint color, a light green/gray (RAL 7044), and existing individually assigned container paint colors should be transitioned to that color by 2020. That’s the word from the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), which announced changes to its Guideline N.

In March, Airgas Refrigerants began operating an Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI)-accredited refrigerants testing lab after nearly a year of design and construction. The sophisticated testing lab is housed in Airgas Refrigerants’ Atlanta filling and reclamation facility.