Classification of Compressor Refrigerants

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Date: 2025-12-09Read: 2

Refrigerant, also known as refrigerant or refrigerant, is the core medium for energy conversion and heat transfer in refrigeration systems through its own phase change. Its application spans multiple fields and has undergone multiple stages of development. The following is detailed information about it:

Core classification

Classification method	specific category	Related instructions
According to chemical composition	Inorganic compound refrigerant	The earliest applied categories include ammonia (R717), carbon dioxide (R744), water (R718), etc. This type of refrigerant is partially toxic or corrosive, such as ammonia having a pungent odor that can harm human health if leaked. However, it has good environmental friendliness and is still used in industrial refrigeration today.
	Halocarbon Refrigerants	Containing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), etc., it was once the mainstream refrigerant. Like R12, which belongs to CFCs and causes serious damage to the ozone layer; R22 belongs to HCFCs and is less destructive; R134a belongs to HFCs and does not damage the ozone layer, but some substances have greenhouse effect issues.
	Mixed refrigerant	Composed of a mixture of two or more single component refrigerants, it is divided into azeotropic and non azeotropic categories. The azeotropic type, such as R502, maintains a constant temperature during evaporation and condensation, resulting in high refrigeration efficiency; Non azeotropic types such as R410A experience temperature changes during phase transition, making the heat transfer process more in line with actual needs. They are commonly used in household air conditioners.
	Hydrocarbon refrigerant	Such as propane (R290), isobutane (R600a), environmentally friendlygood， ODP is 0 and GWP is extremely low, but it is flammable and explosive, requiring safety protection design, and is mostly used for small refrigeration equipment.
According to the condensation pressure	High temperature (low pressure) refrigerant	Centrifugal refrigeration compressors suitable for air conditioning systems can achieve condensation in low-pressure environments, matching the working characteristics of centrifugal compressors.
	Medium temperature (medium pressure) refrigerant	Such as ammonia (R717), R22, etc., are commonly used in ordinary single-stage or two-stage piston refrigeration compressors, suitable for most civilian and small industrial refrigeration scenarios.
	Low temperature (high pressure) refrigerant	Such as R13, carbon dioxide, etc., are suitable for low-temperature devices or cascade refrigeration systems below -70 ℃, and can meet low-temperature refrigeration needs in high-pressure environments.

Key characteristic requirements

Thermodynamic propertiesLow standard boiling point, capable of rapid vaporization and heat absorption at low temperatures; The critical temperature is higher than the condensation temperature to ensure liquefaction and heat release in the refrigeration cycle; The unit volume has a large cooling capacity, which improves the efficiency of the refrigeration system.
chemical stabilityAt the working temperature of the refrigeration system, it does not decompose and does not corrode the metal components inside the system. At the same time, it has good compatibility with the lubricating oil in the refrigeration system, ensuring the lubrication and heat transfer effect of the system.
Safety and Environmental ProtectionPriority should be given to non-toxic, non flammable, and non explosive types; Minimize the ozone depletion potential (ODP) and global warming potential (GWP) to minimize the impact on the atmospheric ozone layer and global climate.

Main application scenarios

civil sectorHousehold air conditioners and refrigerators are common application scenarios, such as R600a commonly used in refrigerators and R410A environmentally friendly refrigerants commonly used in household air conditioners; In addition, household heat pump water heaters also use refrigerants for heat transfer.
Commercial and Industrial FieldsCentral air conditioning systems in shopping malls, refrigerated trucks in cold chain logistics, and food cold storage facilities all rely on refrigerants to maintain a low-temperature environment; In industrial production, processes such as chemical reaction cooling and electronic component heat dissipation also require refrigerants to ensure stable process temperature.
other fieldsCommon refrigerants for automotive air conditioning include R134a and HFO-1234yf; Some special equipment such as low-temperature laboratories and medical refrigerators will use specialized refrigerants according to their low-temperature requirements.

Development History

1830-1930In the era of fluorine free refrigerants, represented by ammonia, carbon dioxide, and others. At this stage, refrigerants often have problems with toxicity, flammability, and frequent accidents, and are only suitable for early simple refrigeration equipment.
1930-1990In the era of the rise of halogenated hydrocarbons, CFCs refrigerants were developed in 1926. Their non-toxic, non flammable, and efficient characteristics quickly popularized them. DuPont named them Freon and produced them in large quantities, but later discovered that these substances would seriously damage the ozone layer.
1991-2010In the standardized substitution stage, CFCs are gradually phased out under international conventions such as the Montreal Protocol and Kyoto Protocol, while HCFCs are used as transitional products, and HFCs are widely used.
From 2010 to presentDuring the environmental upgrade phase, natural refrigerants such as R290, carbon dioxide, and new HFOs refrigerants have become the focus of research and development. In 2022, solid refrigerant cooling systems will emerge, and in 2023, countries such as Germany will introduce policies to subsidize the use of natural refrigerants in heat pump products, promoting the development of refrigerants in a more environmentally friendly and diversified direction.

Environmental Impact and Industry Trends

environmental issuesEarly refrigerant leaks of CFCs and HCFCs can damage the ozone layer; Although some HFCs do not pose a risk of ozone depletion, they have a significant greenhouse effect. In addition, improper discharge and disposal of refrigerants may also cause local environmental pollution.
industry trendsOn the one hand, the world continues to promote the replacement of environmentally friendly refrigerants, and the proportion of natural refrigerants and low GWP synthetic refrigerants will continue to increase; On the other hand, with the development of industries such as air conditioning, industrial refrigeration, lithium batteries, and photovoltaics, the demand for refrigerants continues to grow. It is expected that the annual demand for refrigerants in China's air conditioning, industrial, and commercial refrigeration sectors will exceed 750000 tons by 2024. At the same time, the development of new technologies such as solid-state refrigerants is expected to bring revolutionary breakthroughs to the refrigerant industry.

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