Next Generation Environmentally Sustainable Refrigeration System

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This research program will investigate the use of low global warming potential refrigerants in automotive as well as residential applications. Ozone depletion potential (ODP) and global warming potential (GWP) are the two well known indicators of the direct environmental impact of the release of refrigerants. Recently, the European Union has announced a directive that bans refrigerants having a GWP exceeding 150 in mobile air conditioners (MAC). The MAC directive will phase out the use of fluorinated greenhouse gases, such as R-134a (GWP=1410) in all vehicles by 2017. A preference for low GWP refrigerants has led to recent interest in such alternatives as the hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) refrigeration system. The US Environmental Protection Agency has issued final approval for the use of HFO-1234yf (GWP=4) in MAC. The key advantages of this refrigerant include zero ODP, low GWP, and low flammability with similar pressure curves to R-134a. Initial research has identified the applicability of HFOs as a potential global automotive refrigerant alternative.