How ready are contractors to embrace refrigerant reclamation? The answer depends on who you talk to. But some contractors are already plugged into the reclamation option — and hoping their colleagues, who might not be doing so, will soon join them.
From a global perspective, there is a lot of interest in the wider use of R-744 (CO2), especially in supermarket refrigeration. Recently, a number of international studies and seminars have reported some of the latest developments regarding R-744.
This issue of The NEWS has an extended focus on refrigerant reclamation in the context of the announcement that it appears there will be a significant drop-off in supplies of virgin R-22.
The terminology may have changed from ‘global warming’ to ‘climate change’ and the debate may still rage as to how much ‘change’ is man-caused versus naturally occurring as part of historic weather cycles. But whatever the term and whatever the reason, ‘climate change’ can pack an emotional punch.
Move over compression ratio, ring valve, and reciprocating compressors. There are two new terms to add to your refrigeration terminology: ‘bi-volt’ and ‘spool.’ The words relate to some of the newest developments in compressor applications.
As Europe goes, so goes North America. That was a proven adage when it came to the phaseout of CFCs and HCFCs. Even these days, the North American HVACR market closely monitors developments in Europe for signs of what eventually may cross the Atlantic Ocean.
I’m not sure many people in the HVACR industry started 2012 with a New Year’s resolution that went something like, “I want to be totally confused over the cost and availability of R-22.”
It did not take long for the HVACR industry to respond to reports from overseas about rogue refrigerants used in hundreds of transport HFC-134a refrigeration systems, which allegedly were responsible for a number of explosions and at least three deaths.
Now that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has greenlighted the use of a number of hydrocarbon (HC) refrigerants in certain refrigeration applications, many in the industry have questions about these refrigerants and their potential uses.
Now that the industry is all confused about HCFC refrigerants, it might be time to pay a bit more attention to another refrigerant that has been around a long time, doesn’t cost all that much, and has a solid track record.