Choosing the right refrigerant for your cold storage is really significant with respect to efficiency, safety, and sustainability. Refrigerants are directly involved in the cooling process, which means choosing the right type will, therefore, significantly affect the performance of your storage. In this blog, we shall learn about the most common refrigerants in manufacturers’ cold storage systems and which one will be best suited for you.
Purpose of Refrigerants
Refrigerants in cold storage are used to provide desired low temperatures in reefer containers in India. These refrigerants flow through custom-designed pipe systems, under various pressures of compression, expansion, and distribution for cooling. For enterprises or companies that rely on refrigerated companies in India, choosing the right refrigerant significantly helps control the costs and effectiveness of the process.
Popular Refrigerant Used in Cold Storage
Ammonia (R717)
One of the commonly used refrigerants in the cold storage industry is ammonia, particularly for more industrial-scale facilities. This has excellent cooling efficiency and GWP is quite low. Thereby, ammonia-based systems are applied largely in the cities such as Mumbai due to their energy efficiencies. However, ammonia is slightly flammable and toxic, so it should be handled carefully. Refrigerated truck manufacturers normally employ ammonia systems when there is an amicable high volume cooling demand. Though much more hazardous, ammonia is widely used in the industry since it’s relatively cheaper and reliable.
CO2 (R744)
CO2 is rapidly replacing other gases in modern cold storage due to its very low environmental impacts. CO2 is considered a natural refrigerant with negligible impact on the ozone layer and GWP levels. It is also employed in cascade systems, where it functions on the side of low temperatures, while ammonia serves on the side of high temperature. CO2 systems are becoming increasingly adopted by cold storage manufacturing companies for freezing as well as low-temperature purposes. The technology of CO2-based refrigerants has matured by a fair amount and hence, application of CO2 is considered to be of reliable as well as safe nature for cold storage facilities.
HFC/HFO Refrigerants
Synthetic variants of HFC and HFO refrigerants are mostly used by refrigerated companies in India. They are well available and have a better cooling effect. However, HFCs have relatively higher GWP than natural refrigerants, which has been the pretext for regulatory pressure to phase out. The newer HFO blends have lower GWP but have not yet touched the same environmental-friendliness threshold as their natural counterpart CO2 or ammonia. These synthetic refrigerants are widely used in smaller cold storage units and old systems.
Choosing the right cold storage system
Choosing a refrigerant for your cold storage system should take more than just the installation cost into consideration. Their longevity efficiency, environmental ramifications, and safety should be at the forefront of your mind. For instance, ammonia-based systems are reasonably inexpensive initially and more efficient than other types; however, they do provide an extra hassle of safety as ammonia is a toxic gas.
CO2, on the other hand, provides lower operating costs in the long term and is much safer, thus making it very apt for new facilities and large operations. Many cold storage manufacturers have opted for the CO2 systems for being ecologically friendly, and because of advances in technology.
For new small cold stores, HFCs will likely not be appropriate because, globally, they are being phased out due to their environ-mental impact. It’s therefore smart to plan for a transition toward natural refrigerants in the future.
Considerations for Refrigerants in Transport
In refrigerated transportation within India, the kind of refrigerant used will significantly affect the quality and safety level of transported goods. Inside the refrigerated truck production, the manufacturers frequently have to balance efficiency with safety, especially in long-distance transport of perishable products. Reefer trucks and refrigerated containers all through India primarily depend on synthetic or natural refrigerants for the type of cargo being transported or how far it travels.
For a company that looks to reduce its costs and also be environmental friendly, the reefer container price in India may vary since it depends on the type of refrigerant system used. Natural refrigerants, such as CO2 or ammonia, though up-front expensive, will save money in the long run through efficient energy usage and lesser regulatory concerns.
Conclusion
Right choice of refrigerant is a big decision well impacting both the environment and your operational efficiency. In particular, when considering the refrigerated containers in India and developing your cold storage in Mumbai, to the long-term sustainability and cost-effectiveness offered by natural refrigerants such as CO2 and ammonia. Still, there exists a niche for synthetic refrigerants in smaller or older systems, though with the regulatory burden to the environment, it is slowly being phased out.
However, through partnerships with cold storage manufacturers and proper refrigerant selection, you will ensure your cold storage or transportation system installed in a reefer truck or static facility is safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly.
