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Evaluation of propane as an alternative to HCFC-22 in residential applications.

Author(s) : DOUGLAS J. D., GROLL E. A., BRAUN J. E., TREE D. R.

Summary

Propane would be an ideal refrigerant, except for its flammability. When dealing with a flammable refrigerant, the manufacturers of systems and equipment have two options: either install the necessary safety features or mix the flammable refrigerant with a non-flammable one to obtain a non-flammable mixture. This article examines both options for residential applications and compares them on a first cost basis with systems that utilize R22 and many of the leading replacements for R22. All the optimal costs fell within more or less 5% of the R22 baseline costs and six of the refrigerants were within more or less 1.5% of the baseline. The optimal costs of the two leading R22 candidates, R407C and R410A, were within more or less 1%. Aside from the flammable refrigerants, only one mixture, R32-R134a (30-70%), exhibited an optimal cost less than R407C and R410A. The small differences between the refrigerants is good news for manufacturers, since the choice of specific refrigerant will not affect the system cost significantly.

Details

  • Original title: Evaluation of propane as an alternative to HCFC-22 in residential applications.
  • Record ID : 1997-0070
  • Languages: English
  • Source: Proceedings of the 1996 Purdue International Refrigeration Conference.
  • Publication date: 1996/07/23
  • Document available for consultation in the library of the IIR headquarters only.

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