Environmental preferences in refrigerant selection for domestic air conditioning

Abstract

A life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to evaluate the influence of choosing refrigerants R22, R407C or R410A for domestic air conditioners. Other than the chemical characteristics of R22, the other key factor was the operating pressure. Due to high pressure operation, the R410A system experienced the highest leakage rate, energy consumption and global warming potential (GWP). Sensitivity analysis was used to examine the influence of leakage and to show that, compared with the unit’s lifespan, setpoint and efficiency, the climate in different Australian locations and the load profile have significant effects on the energy use and GWP.