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Emerson
Climate Technologies
Refrigerant Solutions
Refrigeration
Applications
Air
Conditioning Applications
Energy
Solutions
In the United States,
refrigeration and air conditioning manufacturers must
phase out all ozone-depleting, chlorine-based
refrigerants by 2010, in accordance with the Montreal
Protocol. Over the next two years, common
ozone-depleting hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC)
refrigerants like R-22 will transition to
hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants like R-410A for
air conditioning
and R-404A for refrigeration.
Emerson Climate Technologies is supporting customers
through this difficult change by assisting them with the
transition to these new refrigerants in advance of the
regulation while also helping to protect the
environment.
Today there is also
increased attention on global warming and the reduction
of greenhouse gases. Many scientists now believe
that greenhouse gases contribute to global warming; and
carbon dioxide – produced primarily by the combustion of
fossil fuels for electrical generation and by
transportation – is by far the most significant of these
gases.
Air conditioning and refrigeration systems
consume energy, so higher energy efficiency results in less carbon
dioxide production. Since refrigerant choice can greatly influence
energy efficiency, the industry has carefully investigated many
replacements for R-22, to identify the most environmentally friendly
alternative. For example, R-410A is a more efficient refrigerant
which can help to reduce the overall energy consumption and carbon
dioxide (CO2) emissions from power plants providing power to
R-410A-compatibile Copeland Scroll compressors. This improved
efficiency helps to reduce potential global warming emissions.
For an R-22 replacement refrigerant to be
considered a long-term option, several test criteria have been
established. New refrigerants must be safe to humans,
environmentally friendly and energy efficient. Leading
replacements include R-410A for air conditioning applications and R-404A
for refrigeration applications. Both of these are HFCs, which
means that they have no ozone depletion potential. They are also
energy efficient and nonflammable.
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