China interested in R32 as R22 alternative

At the end of April, China took its first step in the quest for next-generation refrigerants. Instead of switching from R22 (HCFC) to high global warming potential  R410A, the country is exploring the viability of low-GWP HFC refrigerant R32 (HFC) as well as natural refrigerants (NH3/CO2).

The Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) and the China Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Industry Association (CRAA) have successfully obtained financial support to implement two pilot HCFC phase-out projects from the Multilateral Fund under the Montreal Protocol. The two projects are ‘Cascade refrigeration system with NH3/CO2 instead of R22,' proposed by Yantai Moon, and ‘Light commercial air-source heat pump systems with R32 instead of R22,' proposed by Tsinghua Tongfang Artificial Environment.

Both projects will last for 18 months. The impetus comes from a proposal to accelerate the freeze and phase-out of HCFCs by about a decade, which was approved at the 19th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol in September 2007. As the largest manufacturer and consumer of HCFC products in the world, (more than 60,000 MT were used in 2008 for new and existing equipment) China is currently facing the challenge of freezing its HCFC production levels in 2013 and reducing them by 10% in 2015.

http://www.ejarn.com/

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