Overview of AHRI Research on LowGWP Refrigerants

James Walters
Vice President, International Affairs
Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute

New Reality

CFCs

HCFCs

HFCs

??

Things to think about

Maintaining refrigerant choice
Evaluating refrigerant characteristics for
informed choices
Making transition predictable, smooth,
and informed
Educating policy makers and training
technicians

Choosing a Refrigerant
Refrigerants have unique operating characteristics Choice
not based on one factor, but an analysis of factors:

Safe
Energy efficient
Widely available
Economical
GWP

Operating factors can be different:

Pressures
Incompatible lubricants
Incompatible metals and alloys
Flammability levels

Needs will be different for each application

AHRI Research on Low-GWP

Refrigerants
Recently completed projects:

Review of Regulations and Standards for the Use of Refrigerants with

GWP Values Less than 20 in HVAC&R Applications
Defining the Configurations of Residential Air-Conditioning and Heat
Pump Systems Using Hydrocarbons, Ammonia, Carbon Dioxide, and
HFO-1234yf as Refrigerants and Meeting Previously Defined Safety
Requirements
Material Compatibility & Lubricants Research for Low GWP
Refrigerants Phase I: Thermal and Chemical Stability of Low GWP
Refrigerants with Lubricants
Risk Assessment of Residential Heat Pump Systems Using 2L
Flammable Refrigerants

Ongoing projects:

Material Compatibility & Lubricants Research for Low GWP Refrigerants

Risk Assessment of Refrigeration Systems Using A2L Flammable
Refrigerants (contractor selection in progress.)

Ongoing program: Low-GWP AREP

Low-GWP AREP Introduction

Cooperative research program to identify suitable
alternatives to high GWP refrigerants
Research strongly desired by OEMs
assess research needs
accelerate industrys response to environmental
challenges
avoid duplicative work

The program is NOT to prioritize refrigerants,

rather test and present results in a consistent
manner
The program started in March 2011
All final reports will be available to the public in
3rd quarter of 2013

Low-GWP AREP Introduction

Solicited the industry for a list of low-GWP
refrigerant candidates
Solicited OEMs for test plans
Testing companies propose test plans according to
their individual interest
Testing companies directly report test results to
AHRI Low-GWP AREP Technical Committee

Acknowledgments
U.S. Testing Entities:

Carrier Corporation
Climate Master
Emerson Climate Technologies
Follett Corporation
Goodman Manufacturing

Hussmann (share results)

Johnson Controls, Inc.
Lennox Industries Inc.
Manitowoc Ice, Inc.
McQuay International

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Tecumseh Company Co.
Thermo King / Ingersoll Rand
Trane/ Ingersoll Rand
University of Maryland

International Testing Entities

ARMINES-MINES ParisTech
Daikin Industries Ltd

Embraco Brazil
Embraco Slovakia Sro

GD Midea Air-conditioning Equipment Co.,Ltd

Shanghai Hitachi Electrical Appliances CO.,LTD

Mexichem Fluor, Inc

National Refrigerants, Inc

Refrigerant Suppliers

Arkema, Inc.
Daikin Industries Ltd

E.I.du Pont de Nemours&Co

Honeywell International, Inc

Identified Alternative Refrigerant

Candidates
Baseline Refrigerant
Composition
(Mass%) Classification GWP100
AC5X
R-32/R-134a/R-1234ze(E)
(7/40/53)
A1*
622
ARM-41a
R-32/R-134a/R-1234yf
(6/63/31)
A1*
943
D-4Y
R-134a/R-1234yf
(40/60)
A1*
574
N13a
R-134a/R-1234yf/R-1234ze(E) (42/18/40)
A1*
604
N13b
R-134a/R-1234ze(E)
(42/58)
A1*
604
XP-10
R-134a/R-1234yf
(44/56)
A1*
631
R-134a
AC5
R-32/R-152a/R-1234ze(E)
(12/5/83)
A2L*
92
ARM-42a
R-134a/R-152a/R-1234yf
(7/11/82)
A2L*
117
R1234yf
R1234yf
100
A2L
4
R1234ze
R1234ze
100
A2L
6
R600a
R600a
100
A3
<20
R290/R600a
R290/R600a
(40/60)
A3*
<20
*estimated safety group rating, a safety group has not yet been assigned by ASHRAE in accordance with requirements of
ASHRAE Standard 342010.

Identified Alternative Refrigerant

Candidates
Baseline Refrigerant

Composition

(Mass%)

ARM-32a

R-32/R-125/R-134a/R-1234yf

(25/30/25/20)

A1*

1577

DR-33

R-32/R-125/R-134a/R-1234yf

(24/25/26/25)

A1*

1410

A1*

1346

N40a
N40b
R744
R404A ARM-30a
ARM-31a
D2Y65
DR-7
L40
R-32
R-32/R-134a
R290

R-32/R-125/R-134a/R-1234yf/R-1234ze(E) (25/25/21/9/20)

Classification GWP100

R-32/R-125/R-134a/R-1234yf

(25/25/20/30)

A1*

1331

R-744
R-32/R-1234yf
R-32/R-134a/R-1234yf
R-32/R-1234yf
R-32/R-1234yf
R-32/R-152a/R-1234yf/R-1234ze(E)
R-32
R-32/R-134a
R-290

100
(29/71)
(28/21/51)
(35/65)
(36/64)
(40/10/20/30)
100
(50/50)
100

A1
A2L*
A2L*
A2L*
A2L*
A2L*
A2L
A2L*
A3

1
199
491
239
246
285
675
1053
<20

*estimated safety group rating, a safety group has not yet been assigned by ASHRAE in accordance with
requirements of ASHRAE Standard 342010.

Identified Alternative Refrigerant

Candidates
Baseline Refrigerant

R410A

Composition

(Mass%)

R-744

R-744

100

A1

ARM-70a

R-32/R-134a/R-1234yf

(50/10/40)

A2L*

482

D2Y60

R-32/R-1234yf

(40/60)

A2L*

272

DR-5

R-32/R-1234yf

(72.5/27.5)

A2L*

490

HPR1D

R-32/R-744/R-1234ze(E)

(60/6/34)

A2L*

407

L41a

R-32/R-1234yf/R-1234ze(E)

(73/15/12)

A2L*

494

L41b

R-32/R-1234ze(E)

(73/27)

A2L*

494

R32

R32

100

A2L

675

R32/R134a

R-32/R-134a

(95/5)

A2L*

713

R32/R152a

R-32/R-152a

(95/5)

A2L*

647

*estimated safety group rating, a safety group has not yet been assigned by ASHRAE in accordance with
requirements of ASHRAE Standard 342010.

Classification GWP100

Identified Alternative Refrigerant

Candidates
Baseline Refrigerant

R22

Composition

(Mass%)

ARM-32a
R-32/R-125/R-134a/R-1234yf (25/30/25/20)
LTR4X
R-32/R-125/R-134a/R-1234ze(E) (28/25/16/31)
R-32/R-125/R-134a/R-1234yf/R- (12.5/12.5/31.5
N20
1234ze(E)
/13.5/30)
D52Y
R-32/R-125/R-1234yf
(15/25/60)
L20
R-32/R-152a/R-1234ze(E)
(45/20/35)
LTR6A
R-32/R-744/R-1234ze(E)
(30/7/63)
R290
R290
100
R1270
R1270
100
R717
R717
100

Classification GWP100
A1*
A1*

1577
1295

A1*
A2L*
A2L*
A2L*
A3
A3
B2L

975
979
331
206
<20
<20
<1

*estimated safety group rating, a safety group has not yet been assigned by ASHRAE in accordance with requirements of
ASHRAE Standard 342010.

Low-GWP Alternative Refrigerant

Candidates
R-134a
(GWP=1430)
replacements

R-404A
(GWP=3900)
replacements

R-410A
(GWP=2100)
replacements

R-22
(GWP=1810)
replacements

1800
1600

GWP100 Value

1400

A1

1200

A2L

1000

A3
B2L

800
600
400
200
0

Alternative Refrigerant Candidates

Overview of Testing
Sixteen (16) U.S. companies/organizations and
five (5) international companies/organizations
are conducting tests
Six (6) refrigerant producers supplied thirtyeight (38) refrigerant candidates
Tests cover the following applications
Air-conditioners and heat pumps (air-source,
water-source, VRF, unitary, mini-split)
Chillers (screw, centrifugal)
Heat pump water heater
Refrigeration (commercial refrigerator, ice
machine)
Transport refrigeration
Bus air-conditioning

Tests being Conducted

Compressor calorimeter test
System drop-in test
only minor modifications are allowed

System soft-optimization test

systems are modified for the alternative
refrigerants using standard production
line components
Test Types

Number of candidates being

tested

Number of products being

tested

Compressor Calorimeter

28

35

Drop-in

27

30

Soft-optimization

18

19

Note: Number of candidates and product types in the table are based on approved test plans submitted by
testing entities. Actual numbers may vary due to testing entities schedule changes.

Current Status
Testing near completion
Test reports approval status
Submitted
Reports

Approved

Available to the
Public

40

26

25

Test Results-Residential Heat Pump

Residential Heat Pump-Cooling Mode

8%
6%

COP Relative to R-410A

4%
R-32, 3-ton Soft- R-32, 3-ton Softoptimized, A
optimized, B
condition
condition

2%

5-ton, R-32/R152a (95/5),

Drop-in, B
Condition

5-ton, R-32/R152a (95/5),

Drop-in, A
Condition

0%
Capacity Relative to R-410A
R-32, 3.5-ton
Drop-in, B
condition

-2%

-4%
R-32, 3.5-ton
Drop-in, A
condition

-6%
-8%
0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

[Data sources:
AHRI Low-GWP AREP
Reports 003, 004, and
005, 2012]

Test Results-Residential Heat Pump

Residential Heat Pump-Heating Mode
10%

5-ton, R-32/R152a (95/5),

Drop-in, H3
Condition

9%

COP Relative to R-410A

8%
7%

R-32, 3.5-ton
Drop-in, H1
condition

2%

5-ton, R-32/R152a (95/5),

Drop-in, H1
Condition

R-32, 3-ton Softoptimized, H3

condition

6%
5%

4%

R-32, 3.5-ton
Drop-in, H3
condition

3%

[Data sources:
AHRI Low-GWP AREP
Reports 003, 004, and
005, 2012]

R-32, 3-ton Softoptimized, H1

condition

1%
0%

-2%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

Capacity Relative to R-410A

10%

Test Results-Residential Heat Pump

HSPF Relative to R-410A

Residential Heat Pump-Seasonal Performance

5-ton, R-32/R152a (95/5),
Drop-in

10%

9%
8%

R-32, 3-ton Softoptimized

7%
6%

R-32, 3.5-ton
Drop-in

5%

4%
3%
2%
1%
0%
-2%

0%

2%

4%

6%

SEER Relative to R-410A

19

[Data sources:
AHRI Low-GWP AREP
Reports 003, 004, and
005, 2012]

Test Results-Chiller
20%

Relative Performace to R-134a

15%
10%

230-ton Water-cooled Screw Chiller (R-134a)

T_chilled water, outlet=44 F
T_cooling water, inlet=85 F
mfr_chilled water=550 gpm
mfr_cooling water=700 gpm

Capacity
COP

5%
0%
-5%
-10%

-15%
-20%
-25%
-30%
ARM-42a

N-13a

N-13b

R-1234ze(E)

XP-10

[Data source: AHRI Low-GWP AREP Report 007, 2012]

20

Test Results-Chiller
20%

Relative Performace to R-410A

15%
10%

5-ton Air-cooled Chiller (R-410A)

Capacity

T_ambient=95 F
T_water, outlet=45 F
mfr_water=14 gpm

EER

5%

0%
-5%

-10%
-15%
-20%
-25%
-30%
ARM-32a ARM-70a

DR-5

HPR1D

L-41a

L-41b

R-32

[Data source: AHRI Low-GWP AREP Report 001, 2012]

21

Test Results-Chiller
5-ton Air-cooled Chiller (R-22)

15.0%

Capacity

Relative Performace to R-22

10.0%

EER

5.0%

T_ambient=95 F
T_water, outlet=45 F
mfr_water=14 gpm

0.0%
-5.0%

-10.0%
-15.0%
-20.0%
-25.0%
ARM-32a

DR-7

L-20

LTR4X

[Data source: AHRI Low-GWP AREP Report 006, 2012]

LTR6A

D52Y

AHRI Low-GWP AREP Next Steps

Conference on January 16, 2014 in New
York City
Testing results will be presented
Conference open to the public

Second round of testing to start in Fall

2013
Testing at high ambient conditions
Additional refrigerants

Summary
The program is an ongoing industry effort to identify low-GWP
refrigerants
Thirty-eight low-GWP candidates are being evaluated by twenty-one
entities domestically and internationally
The program is to evaluate the refrigerant candidates, and present
their performance in a consistent manner
The program is not to prioritize alternative refrigerants
Twenty-two test reports have been made available to the public, and
all the results will be released to the public at the completion of the
program
Reports can be downloaded from AHRIs website

http://www.ahrinet.org/ahri+low_gwp+alternative+refrigerant
s+evaluation+program.aspx

Thank you for your attention!