In accordance with the Montreal Protocol international treaty and the Clean
Air Act, the refrigerant R-22 is being systematically phased out. As a hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC), R-22 is less destructive to the ozone layer than chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) refrigerants like R-12. However, R-22 still has an ozone depletion potential (ODP) of .055, whereas the goal is to change to sustainable hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants with an ODP of zero, such as R-410A.
R-22 is the ASHRAE designation for chlorodifluoromethane. This widely used single-component HCFC refrigerant is found in residential and commercial air-conditioning, refrigeration and many other cooling applications. It has an A1 safety rating. Mineral, alkylbenzene and polyester oils may all be used with R-22. The refrigerant has a boiling point of -41.3 F and a critical temperature of 204.8 F. It is charged into systems as a vapor or liquid.
R-410A was developed as a replacement for R-22. It is a blend of the ozone-friendly HFC refrigerants difluoromethane and pentafluoroethane, ASHRAE designations R-32 and R-125 respectively. The resulting blend is considered near azeotropic, meaning that it behaves almost like a single-component refrigerant. It can be used in many of the same applications as R-22, but is not a retrofit replacement for existing systems. R-410A has an A1 safety rating. Polyester oils are used for system lubrication. The refrigerant has a boiling point of -61.9 F and a critical temperature of 162 F. R-410A must be charged as a liquid to avoid changing the composition of the blend.
Although it was developed as a replacement for R-22, R-410A should not be used in equipment designed for R-22. R-410A has a higher working pressure and refrigerating capacity. In fact, R-410A should only be used with systems specifically designed for it, including service equipment.