Carbon Dioxide as a Refrigerant
We are today witnessing the genesis of arguably the most important technological shift the $51B world-wide HVACR industry has ever experienced. Even a cursory review of research and development efforts will confirm that both global industry and the U.S. military are aggressively moving toward introduction of super efficient systems that utilize carbon dioxide (officially designated “R744”) as a refrigerant.
The replacement of FC refrigerants with natural atmospheric CO2 requires consideration of its unique physical properties. This presents some very difficult technological challenges due to its high-pressure environment, which may be four times higher than today’s systems. This is the causal root of the technical and production obstacles that must be overcome, and thus the applied science requires fundamental mechanical departure from convention. Notwithstanding these hurdles, the benefits of R744 are widely recognized and accepted, and are unquestionably superior relative to conventional systems.
Heating and cooling products that utilize carbon dioxide are only recently emerging in the market, evidenced by small water heating systems successfully introduced in Japan a few years ago. The European auto industry is preparing to convert air-conditioning by 2011, which is also the US Army target date for field deployment of certain larger capacity equipment. Several companies have already introduced first generation compressors, a primary component of both air-conditioning and heat pump systems.
Given the inevitable regulatory phase-out of FC refrigerants on the horizon, and the impending introduction of R744 systems, HVACR manufacturers must expand their product lines to include these systems if they are to remain competitive. This transition represents a truly disruptive technological shift in an enormous world-wide market and will create tremendous opportunities for companies with proven CO2 technologies.