R-32

There’s more than one good reason to choose R-32.

In fact, there are 32 of them.

1. Up to 12% more efficient.

Test data in Daikin’s labs of inverter-driven compressors for rooftop units and water-cooled chillers found that full-load and partial-load efficiency rating metrics can be improved by up to 12% using R-32 instead of R-410A.

2. Light weight units.

R-32’s excellent thermodynamic properties allow the HVAC system to use less refrigerant to accomplish the same heat transfer compared to blends for any efficiency level. Moving less refrigerant through the HVAC systems allows for design with smaller motors, smaller diameter piping and smaller heat exchangers to provide the same capacity and efficiency as blended refrigerants, resulting in lighter weight and more compact units.

3. Better for the planet.

Total life cycle refrigerant impact measures the direct emissions from refrigerant, as well as the indirect emissions from electricity consumption. Because R-32 has a GWP of 675 and requires less charge in certain systems, direct emissions from those systems can be up to 80% lower than similar R-410A systems. And because R-32 can obtain higher efficiencies than many blends, units can be designed to consume less electricity over the lifetime of the equipment. The result? Fewer carbon emissions that contribute to climate change.

4. Easy to work with.

As a pure, single-component refrigerant, R-32 can be topped off and recharged in the field, in both liquid and gas phases, without changes in composition. It is easy to clean and reuse on-site, and is easy to reclaim and recycle off-site with a simple cleaning process, particularly as compared to blends with HFOs that are typically reclaimed by being distilled to their pure compounds and then remixed.

5. Globally accepted.

Daikin has sold ~23M units of R-32 residential air conditioners and heat pumps in more than 90 countries and regions. See more below.

6. Non-proprietary.

R-32 is widely available, manufactured by numerous refrigerant producers, and distributed globally. There are no active patents on the basic molecule. Some alternative low-GWP blends can be proprietary to the companies that own the patents, potentially limiting access and supply.

7. Low price per pound.

R-32 refrigerant historically has a lower price per pound than R-410A, and a much lower price per pound than most available proprietary low GWP blends.

8. Pure, not blended.

As a pure, single-component refrigerant, R-32 can be topped up and recharged in the field, in both liquid and gas phases, without changes in composition. It is easy to clean and reuse on-site, and easy to reclaim and recycle off-site with a simple cleaning process, particularly as compared to blends with HFOs that are typically reclaimed by being distilled to their base components and then remixed.

9. Widely available.

R-32 is widely available, manufactured by numerous refrigerant producers, and distributed globally. There are no patents on the basic molecule. Certain alternative low-GWP blends can be proprietary to the companies that own the patents, potentially limiting access and supply.

10. Easy to install.

R-32’s excellent thermodynamic properties provide OEM engineers the opportunity to design systems that use less refrigerant to accomplish heat transfer compared to other blends, over a range of efficiency levels. Moving less refrigerant through the HVAC systems allows for designs with smaller motors, smaller diameter piping and smaller heat exchangers to provide the same capacity and efficiency as blended refrigerants.

GWP and ASHRAE safety classification for commonly used refrigerants in HVAC systems

¹Global Warming Potential (100 year), IPCC 4th Assessment Report, 2007 (Source)

²ASHRAE 34-2019 – Designation and Safety Classification of Refrigerants

Reducing the Environmental Impact of HVAC Systems by Using R-32 Refrigerant

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), as the name suggests, are compounds containing hydrogen, fluorine, and carbon. They are used for residential and commercial heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) as refrigerants, by firefighters as a fire suppressant, and in aerosols as propellants. HFCs are also greenhouse gases often described in terms of their Global Warming Potential (GWP), which is the tendency of a substance to persist in the environment while absorbing energy and, thus, retain higher energy and temperatures in the atmosphere. GWP ratings for substances and material that contribute to the potential of global warming are developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a United Nations body responsible for assessing the science related to climate change. GWP uses the same scale to evaluate all substances and materials, making comparisons of direct emissions of refrigerants easy. For example, R-410A—a commonly used HFC refrigerant over the past two decades—has GWP of 2088, which suggests that each kilogram of R-410A emitted to the atmosphere is equivalent to 2088 kilograms of CO2 emissions. Different refrigerants have different GWPs.

The Global Stance on R-32

Did you know it’s likely you’re already using R-32 refrigerant? For many years, R-32 has been a key component of many other blended refrigerants. Because of R-32’s availability, low cost, and excellent performance, it is used as a key ingredient in blends, including R-410A. In fact, R-32 is the pure, single-component refrigerant that helps make blends like R-410A so efficient.

Because of R-32’s excellent thermodynamic performance characteristics, an R-32 system could have up to 40% less charge than R-410A in certain applications, meaning you could reduce refrigerant usage in the equipment and potentially also reduce quantities leaking to the environment. R-32 can help us achieve the 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, a new reality in the industry. Being a pure, single-component refrigerant, R-32 can’t lose its composition like a blended refrigerant and is well suited to retain its quality over time. It can be topped off and recharged in the field in both liquid and gas phases; because the composition doesn’t change, it’s easy to clean and reuse on site. R-32 can be reclaimed and recycled with a simple cleaning process, as compared to blends with less stable HFOs that must be distilled to their pure compounds and then remixed.

What’s not new, though, is the adoption of R-32 across the world. Back in 2012, HVAC companies in Japan introduced R-32 in split systems, followed by VRF systems and chillers. Companies in other countries across Europe, as well as India, Thailand and Australia followed suit in 2014. In 2016, window air conditioners in the United States began to take advantage of R-32’s many benefits. With more than 100 million R-32 units already in operation worldwide and more than 20 million coming on line every year, R-32 has become the de facto global standard.

Driving the Next Generation of Refrigerants

The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) industry is about to go through another refrigerant transition. The world has become more aware of the environmental impacts of refrigerants used in air conditioning, household appliances, and other applications. And that awareness has driven the industry to develop new refrigerants. Over the years, the industry has produced several offerings: chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) like R-22, and now hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) like current industry standard R-410A. Recent international frameworks have spurred another transition. The market must now consider low global warming potential (GWP) alternative HFCs and hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) blends. R-32 is one such solution—a single-component, low GWP HFC that is easy to work with. It is globally accepted and is already used in the United States in self-contained room air conditioning. Daikin, Goodman, and Amana brand HVAC systems—along with systems from more than 40 manufacturers worldwide—have selected this refrigerant as the next-generation solution for select residential, light commercial, and applied products. R-32 is a strong choice to address the international, national, state, and jurisdictional changes.

The Refrigerant Transition: How Did We Get Here and Where Are We Going?

NOPE, EARTH ISN’T COOLING. Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have been rising steadily since the Industrial Age, contributing to global warming and putting the planet at risk. Independent research shows the role that HVAC plays in this equation: stationary air conditioning contributes nearly 20% of electrical consumption of buildings today, and the use of air conditioning is projected to triple by 2050.i If we continue developing the world as is, without controls, temperatures are forecasted to rise up to 0.6°C directly from HFC emissions. The good news, though, is that research shows that making the right refrigerant choices has the potential to limit the temperature rise due to HFC emissions to 0.06°C. That’s six one-hundredths of a degree.ii And that’s why our industry is striving for decarbonization and improved efficiency.

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