COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATION AND CFCS

Copeland Corporation acknowledges the contribution of CFCs to the depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer. Copeland endorse the view that CFCs should be completely phased out by the year 2000 for new refrigerant applications and that the time schedule for phase out proposed in the Montreal Protocol should be accelerated. Copeland is taking a three-stage approach to the CFC problem, concentrating on the elimination of CFC-12 and CFC-502 and substituting HCFC-22 prior to the commercial availability of alternative refrigerants. The stages are as follows. (1) Eliminate CFC-12 by providing compressors which use HCFF-22 (down to -10°F) and CFC-402. (2) Modification of existing compressors to use HCFC-22 for applications down to -40°F evaporating temperature. This can be achieved by additional air-cooling on small compressors, demand cooling for large, single compressor units, or staging for multiple compressor applications. (3) Development of compressors for new refrigerants. The problems here include the high compression ratios required by HFC-134a, which result in a major loss in capacity compared to reciprocating compressors at medium and low temperatures. HFC-125 has a low critical temperature which limits its application and efficiency in high condensing temperature applications. Lubricating oils used with HFC-134a have a detrimental effect on some motor insulation materials and polymers; wear is also higher. Scroll compressor technology appears to have several advantages over reciprocating compressors in overcoming these problems in the long term. © 1990.