We are going to develop a comparison between TWO refrigerant gases. We’re talking about R22 and R32 refrigerant.
- Let’s start by saying that both R22 and R32 are internally composed of a single component, with no internal presence of gas mixtures, allowing both to be loaded in both liquid and gaseous phases.
- The main drawback of R22 is that it damages the ozone layer, which is why it is affected by environmental restrictions. Additionally, R22 has a global warming potential (GWP) of 1760, whereas R32 does not damage the ozone layer and has a GWP of 675.
- R32 is primarily used in air conditioning, while R22 is used in freezing, refrigeration, and air conditioning.
- Another significant difference between the two gases is their compatibility with different types of oil. R22 is compatible with mineral oil and alkylbenzene but not with POE oil, whereas R32 is compatible and used with POE oil.<break time=”2
- R32 is a substitute refrigerant for air conditioning, only suitable for new equipment. This means that R22 should not be replaced by R32 in existing equipment.
- R22 is non-toxic and non-flammable, with classifications A1 and L1, whereas R32 is a non-toxic gas with a slight flammability, classified as A2L.
- The amount of R32 required for air conditioning is much lower, around 60%, compared to that of R22.
- The temperature of R32 at the compressor outlet is much higher than that of R22, making it ideal for applications with low compression ratios, such as air conditioning.
- Due to the thermodynamic properties of R32, it consumes less electricity compared to R22.
