The Chiller with R-123 is mainly a low-pressure centrifugal chiller with a water-cooled condenser, used for industrial air conditioning and climate control of large buildings.
What should you know about R-123 in chillers?
- Along with another hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerants, R-123 is being phased out through control measures specified in the Montreal Protocol.
- For example, in the United States, R-123 should have been discontinued in new equipment as of January 1, 2020.
- The recycled R-123 is expected to be available for service in the foreseeable future (EPA 2014).
- R123 was introduced in the early 1990s as an alternative to R11 in centrifugal chiller applications.
- Although r-123 is enormously effective and popular in large refrigerators around the world, it was largely rejected in Europe due to its B1 toxicity, after prolonged inhalation was found to cause an increased incidence of benign tumors in the rat liver, pancreas, and testes.
- In keeping with the R-123 phase-out dates, alternative low-pressure refrigerant candidates have been used, proposed, evaluated, and in some cases, qualified for use in new and existing equipment designs. Two of these are alternates, R-514A and R-1233zd (E).
- A possible direct replacement for R123 in existing chillers is the Chemours blend, originally known as DR-10 and now Opteon XP30. called R-514A.
- The R-514A refrigerant mixes HFO 1336mzz (Z) (74.7%) with trans-1,2-dichloroethene (25.3%), a gas not previously used in refrigerants.
Where to learn all about chillers?
We have prepared a complete training in chilled water installations with chillers.
