AIR CONDITIONING REFRIGERANTS AND OZONE PROTECTION

Until recently, CFC-11 and CFC-12 were the most widely used refrigerant gases in air conditioning systems. Environmental agencies around the world, however, have specifical concern for these gases as a direct cause of the depletion of the Earth's ozone layer. Consequently, the world's industrial nations are taking concerted action to decrease the use of CFCs, calling for attention of the engineers and designers involved in the manufacture and application of refrigeration systems for air conditioning. This paper analyses the available alternatives of CFCs in the industry and examines the problem found in process application.