AC 冷媒について知っておくべきことと、冷媒の問題を解決する方法

AC 冷媒は、エアコンの動作の背後にある目に見えない力です。エアコンの冷却能力はそれに依存しています。冷媒は熱を吸収し、圧縮機と蒸発器を通過する際に冷たい空気を提供します。

HVAC のメンテナンスでは、多くの場合、HVAC システムの冷媒レベルを確認する必要があります。冷媒レベルが十分でない場合、システムはよりハードに動作する必要があり、必要に応じて冷却することができません.

エアコンやヒートポンプに依存している場合は、HVAC の知識をブラッシュアップすることをお勧めします。 AC 冷媒を読んで理解し、潜在的な問題をすぐに特定して修正できるようにします。

エアコン冷媒とは?

ご想像のとおり、AC 冷媒は、エアコンだけでなく、冷蔵庫、冷凍庫、または冷却を使用するその他の機器の冷却機能にも役立ちます。

AC 冷媒の機能について詳しく知るには、エアコンの仕組みを知ることが重要です。エアコンは、蒸発器と凝縮器の銅コイル内にある冷媒を使用して、室内の熱を吸収し、外部環境に排出します。この過程で、冷媒は低圧の気体から高圧の液体に変化します。

これは、冷凍サイクルの最も簡単な説明です。次に、高圧の液体がファンで吹き飛ばされ、周囲に熱が放出されます。次のサイクルを開始するために、この液体はさらに圧縮され、特殊なノズルから急速に噴出し、再び気体に変換されます。次に、この冷たいガスが別のファンで吹き飛ばされて部屋に冷たい空気が注入され、このサイクルが続きます。

エアコン冷媒の歴史

AC 冷媒の最初の試みは、1928 年に Thomas Midgley、Albert Henne、Robert McNary の共同作業によって行われました。彼らは、ゼネラルモーターズの空調部門で働いていたときに、これらの化合物を発見しました。ゼネラルモーターズは、二酸化硫黄やアンモニアなど、当時の他の冷媒に代わる無毒で不燃性の代替品を製造しようとしました。彼らの冷媒は、フロンというブランド名で知られるクロロフルオロカーボン (CFC) クラスの冷媒でした。

発見された主要な AC 冷媒は、ハイドロフルオロカーボン (HCFC) である R-22 でした。それは、その好ましい特性のために選択された冷媒として、今後数十年間、冷媒として広く使用されています.

1980 年代後半、世界が地球温暖化やその他の環境要因の増加率に注目するようになると、CFC と HCFC がより精査されるようになりました。それらはオゾン層にダメージを与えており、その壊滅的な影響のために禁止されました. 1987 年にモントリオール議定書の禁止物質リストに掲載され、徐々に廃止されました。

AC冷媒の種類

クロロフルオロカーボン (CFC)

フロンとも呼ばれる CFC の生産は、1995 年までに段階的に廃止されました。これらの冷媒の例としては、R11、R12、R115 があります。それらは、オゾン層の破壊と温室効果の原因となる環境にとって安全ではないと見なされました.

R22 冷媒

R22 またはフレオン 22 は HCFC 冷媒であり、基本的にはクロロフルオロカーボンですが、環境内での寿命を縮めるために水素原子が含まれています。 CFC の後、1960 年から 2010 年に新しいエアコンでの使用が禁止されて完全に段階的に廃止されるまで、それらはエアコンでの標準的な使用になりました。

エアコンが 2010 年 1 月 1 日より前に設置された場合、おそらく R22 を使用していましたが、以前はコストが増加して入手できた可能性がありますが、2020 年には完全に廃止されます。

R22 is also linked with environmental damage which is the reason behind its ban by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

R410A Refrigerant

The ban on R22 necessitated the introduction of a new AC refrigerant R410A, also known as Puron. R-410A is a chlorine-free refrigerant making it much less harmful to the environment without losing its cooling characteristics.

It is essential to be careful since HVAC appliances intended for R-22 cannot be used with R-410A, considering its higher operating pressures.

Moreover, R-410A permits higher for an HVAC system, as compared to one using R-22 as well as better air quality and comfort. With higher SEER and lower power consumption there is an added benefit of lowering the total demand for power plants, thus reducing greenhouse emissions.

Replacing R-22 With R-410A

With R-410A being mandated by the government, the phase-out for R-22 has been a concern for many homeowners. If you already have an air conditioning system using R-22, worry not; you won’t have to throw it out.

The government protocols only concern manufacturers and bans them from making R-22 compatible air conditioners or R-22 itself after January 2020. You can keep on using your old air conditioner as it is. If there is a need to recharge it with refrigerant after 2020, your HVAC technician will have to source recycled R-22 for replenishment.

At the end of your old conditioner’s lifecycle and when the time comes to replace it, you will be restricted to only buying R-410A compatible air conditioners.

But it might just be better to make the switch early. R-410A is safer for the environment and gives you much greater energy efficiency as compared to R-22 thus reducing your energy bills.

Refrigerants are not the only way of saving energy, though. Read on about the 101 tips through which you can reduce your energy expenses.

R32 – The Future of Refrigerants

With time, refrigerants have been making progress, and now it is time for a new class of AC refrigerants, known as R-32.結果？ Lower energy consumption and even lower environmental impact. Let’s see how.

R-32 is the talk of the town these days, and for a good reason. For one, it has a Global Warming Potential (GWP) which is 32% that of R-410A. The GWP is a measure of how much emissions a chemical substance is contributing to the environment. A lower GWP means fewer emissions and more environmentally friendly refrigeration.

Moreover, systems that use R-32 consume up to 20% less refrigerant in the system, saving up on costs even further.

Even though there is still some time in the widespread adoption of R-32, the future is very bright for this class of refrigerants. With countries such as Japan and China already implementing it, it is only a matter of time before the world at large moves towards these higher efficiencies. In the US reports suggest half of window ACs sold in 2018 used R32.

Which Refrigerant Does My Air Conditioner Use?

If your air conditioning system was built before 2010, there is a high chance that your AC has R-22. But there’s an even more authentic way to find out. You can look at the appliance description sticker on the side of the air conditioner’s outdoor unit. The type of AC refrigerant is written there. You can find it on the user manual, or you can contact your HVAC service representative and find out!

How Do I Tell If My AC Refrigerant Needs Work?

Now that you have a brief background on refrigerants and what they do, it helps be aware of some of the . The refrigerant in an AC is not something that you should generally worry about. They are built to outlast your air conditioner. But in rare cases, there can be a leak of the refrigerant, and you would need to top it up. We’ll go over some of the common problems below:

• Cool Air Not Coming Out of AC Vents:

If your AC is in cool mode, but there is room temperature air being blown out, you need to look at your refrigerant. This is by far the most common problem. An AC refrigerant is required to provide cooling, and without a refrigerant, it would not be able to do so.

There can be other causes for such a problem too, but a sudden shift from cool air to room temperature air is a tell-tale sign that your AC refrigerant leaks.

• Frozen Coils:

If you take a glance within your ductless indoor unit, you will see a network of copper coils, dark gold in color. The refrigerant flows to provide cooling within these coils. These coils are very icy to touch, but they should not be having frost over them in regular operation. If you see signs of frost on the coils, there is a high chance that the refrigerant could be leaking.

• Scheduled Maintenance:

It is better to have , especially before the start of a busy season. For air conditioners, this is just before summers start. At this time, a good HVAC technician can spot an AC refrigerant leak, and propose remedial measures.

The cause of leaks can be various. It can be a manufacturing defect, which has surfaced after prolonged usage, or because of damage encountered during use.

What Is the Solution to an AC Refrigerant Leak?

AC refrigerant leaks can be worrying, but they are extremely common. Let’s look at how to solve this common issue and keep your air conditioner running in top shape.

Recharging Your Refrigerant

Recharging means to top up your air conditioner with more refrigerant. If your system is low on refrigerant, you won’t get enough cool air coming out of your vent. Thus, the recharge is imperative.

A recharge should only be done by a professional contractor, due to the high levels of pressure involved. Moreover, there is increased risk of damage to your air conditioner, which can result in an even higher bill.

Your professional contractor will also find out any major underlying problem, such as a much larger leak, or loose fittings. These can cause problems further down the road as well. He will fix any minor leaks or issues on the spot, and recharge your air conditioner with refrigerant. Your AC will be functional in no time again!