The Difference Between R134 and R22 Air Conditioner Refrigerants

Description

• The primary difference between R22 and R134 refrigerant is what each contains. R22 refrigerant is a single hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) compound that contains hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine and carbon. R134 refrigerant is a single hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant that contains hydrogen, fluorine and carbon. It does not contain chlorine, which makes it more environmentally-friendly than R22 refrigerant.

Environmental Impact

• R22 is less stable than R134 because, when the hydrogen compound breaks down in the atmosphere, it releases chlorine before it reaches the stratosphere. The chlorine then reacts with the oxygen molecules in the ozone to create new molecules that result in ozone depletion. Because of this, R22 is considered a greenhouse gas, and the EPA is working to phase it out in the United States before 2030. Because it doesn’t contain chlorine, R134 is considered safer to use and was designed to replace chlorine-containing refrigerants, such as R22, because it is less damaging to the ozone.

The Montreal Protocol and The Clean Air Act

• In 1987, the United States and several other countries agreed to control the amount of air conditioner refrigerant produced in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the subsequent depletion of the ozone layer. This agreement, called the Montreal Protocol, led to the eventual phase-out of all CFC production in developed nations by 1996. The EPA’s Clean Air Act implements the phase-out of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as part of this agreement, which was amended in 1992 to include HCFCs. According to the EPA, for more than 40 years R22 was the most commonly used refrigerant in residential HVAC systems until the development of the Montreal Protocol and the EPA’s Clean Air Act. As an HCFC refrigerant, R22 is no longer considered safe to use. The Clean Air Act also makes it illegal to dispose of any air conditioner or refrigerant in a way that allows coolant to enter the environment. Doing so carries a fine of up to $500,000 and possible jail time. Non-chlorine refrigerants, such as R134, have replaced HCFC and CFC refrigerants to meet the terms of the Montreal Protocol.

Use and Availability

• Although scheduled by the EPA for phase-out, R22 refrigerant may still be used in small refrigeration systems manufactured before 2003. As of 2010, recycled or saved stores of R22 are also available for use, but R22 is no longer produced or imported by chemical manufacturers in developed countries, such as the United States and Canada. R22 may be used in older refrigeration and air conditioning units as well. R134 was designed to replace HCFC refrigerants used in automotive air conditioning, refrigeration and air conditioning units to replace R22.