Natural refrigerant

Natural refrigerants are substances that are viable, environmentally sustainable, natural substitute refrigerants, used in refrigeration systems (including refrigerators, HVAC, and air conditioning). They are alternatives to hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) and chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) based refrigerants. Unlike other refrigerants, they are not synthetic chemicals that are not ever found in nature.

HFC, HCFC, CFC classes of chemicals are all potent greenhouse gases. HCFC and CFC classes of chemicals are damaging to the ozone layer, with CFCs being a primary culprit. Natural refrigerants, though they may exist in nature, are not in themselves harmless or nontoxic.

Natural refrigerants

• Carbon dioxide ( CO₂ ) [R-744] used in the automotive industry, an asphixiative gas and greenhouse gas
• Ammonia ( NH₃ ) [R-717] the refrigerant most used in industrial refrigeration, formerly the primary refrigerant in home refrigerators, a highly toxic gas
• Hydrocarbon-based (HC) refrigerants
  • Propane ( CH₃CH₂CH₃ ) [R-290] a flammable hydrocarbon
  • Isobutane ( CH₃CH(CH₃)CH₃ ) [R-600a] a flammable hydrocarbon
  • Propylene ( CH₃CHCH₂ ) [R-1270] a flammable hydrocarbon

External links

• Refrigerants, Naturally
• Greenpeace, Natural Refrigerants: The Solutions

See also

• List of refrigerants
• Sustainable automotive air conditioning, also covering the Alliance for CO₂ Solutions
• eurammon, a European non-profit initiative for natural refrigerants