R-410A The New Refrigerant for Air Conditioning

R-410A possesses excellent cooling capacity and operates at 50% higher pressure. R-410A is a mixture (blend) of refrigerants that create properties nearly identical to R-22, but are free of ozone depleting chlorine molecules. R-410A was developed in response to an agreement between numerous countries (known as the Montreal Protocol). That stated that those countries would move toward discontinuing the use of hydrochloro-fluorocarbon (HCFC)-based refrigerants. R-410A, chemically known as an HFC (hydrofluorocarbon), contains no chlorine and will not damage the ozone layer.

R-410A is an azeotrope mixture of R-32 and R-125. R-410A cannot be used to retrofit existing R-22 a/c equipment due to significantly higher operating pressures and much higher cooling capacity as outlined in the chart below. R-410A when operating at normal operating pressures and temperatures has higher pressures. R-410A cannot be used as a "drop-in" replacement for R-22; the higher operating pressures will damage R-22 compressors and components. Therefore the old R-22 refrigerant systems needed to be buffed up some to handle the higher pressures. Because of this R-410A and R-22 equipment cannot be cross matched.

R-410A has unique performance specifications and characteristics for oil, moisture indication, thermal expansion valves, compressors, filter driers and refrigerant handling. R-410A air conditioners use newer synthetic lubricants that are usually more soluble with the R-410A than the old mineral oils are with the older R-22 refrigerants. R-410A systems use mineral oils for lubrication. R-410A systems can be more reliable than R-22 systems. R-410A air conditioners and heat pumps are today's "state of the art" systems, and utilize the most current technology available for efficient and reliable operation.

R-410A was developed to replace the ozone depleting R-22 refrigerant now used in most residential and some commercial air conditioning equipment. R-410A has no ozone depletion potential but does have a higher global warming potential.

R-410A has quickly become the refrigerant of choice for use in air conditioning applications because the refrigerant delivers higher efficiency and better Total Equivalent Warming Impact (TEWI) than other choices. Make sure that if you are installing a new air conditioning system, that you specify that the new system uses R-410A. Not only is a R-410A system more reliable, but remember that R-22 use will be discontinued in 2010. An R-410A system will give you the best and most effective service for the foreseeable future.