Briefs: China interested in NH3/CO2 and R-32 as HCFC alternatives

Late April 2010, China took a step in the quest for alternative refrigerants in the context of the HCFC phase-out under the Montreal Protocol (freeze of HCFC production in 2013 and complete phase-out in 2030). Instead of switching to high-GWP refrigerants such as R-410A (GWP = 1725), the country is exploring the viability of NH3/CO2 (negligible GWP) and HFC-32 (GWP = 550). The Chinese Ministry of Environment Protection and the Chinese Association of Refrigeration have obtained financial support from the Multilateral Fund for the implementation of the Montreal Protocol to implement 2 projects aiming at progressive phase-out of HCFCs. One concerns NH3/CO2 cascade refrigeration proposed by Yantai Moon and the other concerns light commercial air-source heat pump systems with replacement of HCFC-22 with HFC-32 proposed by Tsinghua Tongfang Artificial Environment. Source: www.ejarn.com