What is refrigerant?

You might have heard how important refrigerant is to cooling systems like commercial refrigeration equipment. Without this simple chemical, we would not even have refrigeration technology.

Being such an important substance, it deserves its explainer article. We will discuss the common properties of refrigerants and why they allow your fridge to cool.

Refrigerant is a liquid chemical substance that runs through heat pumps. It undergoes chemical changes and transfers heat without producing more energy.

This is extremely important because any extra heat will minimise the cooling function of your fridge, which will waste energy, cause wear and tear of parts and mitigate the overall function of your refrigeration equipment

Why you need it – Energy Efficiency and Cooling Function

Without refrigerant, the machine’s parts will heat more and more. When this happens, you will be stuck with a system that is supposed to cool, but the energy required to cool it is constantly increased because the machine is also heating up.

Refrigerant allows the machine to cool while removing heat.

How it works

The liquid boils into a vapour (which uses up the energy and heat) and then condenses back into a liquid. This needs to happen repeatedly without fail. Otherwise, overheating will occur, and the system will break down.

Types of refrigerants

Water is a basic form of refrigerant as it can heat up and cool quickly and easily. However, a more reliable and efficient liquid is needed for commercial refrigeration equipment that perform on a large and extensive basis.

Many refrigerants are a chemical mixture — and various laws and regulations surrounding them. These chemicals have extremely low boiling points compared to water, allowing them to extract heat better. But because the chemicals can be dangerous, the machine must be running perfectly.

Toxicity is not a real issue in commercial or food-based cold rooms, especially when installed and designed properly by professionals.

Responsible Handling and Maintenance of Refrigerants

Removal of refrigerants should be done legally and expertly so as not to expose the atmosphere to unnecessary toxins. Again, an experienced and expert refrigeration company could assist you with all your refrigerant needs, including disposal and maintenance.