Last December, EPA proposed to modify the use conditions required for use of three flammable refrigerants — isobutane (R-600a), propane (R-290), and R-441A — in new household refrigerators, freezers, and combination refrigerators and freezers under the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program to reflect an updated standard from Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

Danfoss’ latest “Engineering Tomorrow” Application Development Center in Tallahassee, Florida, will be able to test mildly flammable refrigerants at global nameplate voltages, with real-time data acquisition and performance.

The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Technology Institute (AHRTI) — the research arm of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) — released the first research report as part of its ongoing testing of flammable refrigerants, many of which were identified as possible replacements to high-GWP (global warming-potential) hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) that will be phased down under the Montreal Protocol.

NIST’s study, entitled “Limited options for low-global warming potential [GWP] refrigerants,” focused on residential and small-commercial single-package and split air conditioning systems, but the authors said their conclusions also generally apply to room air conditioning units and other refrigeration and heat-pump systems currently using common, ozone-depleting refrigerants such as R-410A or R-22, which are still used in some developing countries today. “The takeaway is there is no perfect, easy replacement for current refrigerants,” NIST chemical engineer Mark McLinden said.

Incorporating flammable refrigerants into manufacturing processes can have a dramatic impact on your facility from testing procedures to reclassification as a hazardous location to modifying or building new labs.