Refrigerants
 
 
 
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Refrigerants

CO2 to fight global warming

A 60% reduction in CO2 equivalent emissions can be achieved in food retailers’ refrigeration systems by replacing HFC (hydrofluorocarbons) refrigerants such as R404a with natural CO21. Even so, over 99% of grocery stores are yet to make the switch. 50 million tons of CO2 could be avoided annually if grocery stores globally switched from high GWP (Global Warming Potential) to low GWP refrigerants such as CO22.
Today, high GWP (Global Warming Potential) gases are used as refrigerants in refrigeration systems throughout the world, contributing significantly to the CO2 emissions and global warming due to leakage. Danfoss is a market leader within solutions that make it possible to replace these high GWP greenhouse gases with the natural CO2 refrigerant in a number of sectors.

It can sound strange that CO2 is used to fight global warming. However, CO2 is a by-product of many industries. Instead of just throwing it out to the atmosphere, one can contain it in the refrigeration system.

In Europe, approximately 5% of the food retail stores have partly or fully replaced the high GWP refrigerants with CO2. In the rest of the world, only very few have done it yet.

Denmark is a remarkable example – here all new and rebuilt stores use CO2 refrigerant. Danish legislation on refrigerants has forced the change.

Danfoss is front-runner
With more than 10 years of experience in developing CO2 solutions, Danfoss has provided solutions for a majority of the CO2 systems that have been installed in food retail stores worldwide. As well as supplying components, Danfoss is also contributing with building up industry knowledge about the CO2 technologies. On top of the reduction in CO2 emissions, the new CO2 systems have proved to be on pair or even more energy efficient than systems with synthetic refrigerants.

The main limitation for the slow adoption of the CO2 systems is the higher first cost compared to traditional technologies. However, when life-time costs are taken into account, the difference is minimized due to reduced expenses for filling up leaking refrigerants. Moreover, CO2 is a sustainable choice that is strengthening the companies’ green image and that is not threatened by future legislation changes.

Did you know?
A supermarket that uses 500 kg of the HFC refrigerant R404a and has an annual leak rate of 20% will have a carbon footprint equal to driving 3,000,000 km in an average family car or 100 cars driving continuously through a full year.


Sources: 1) IPPC report (2007) and Danfoss (2010). 2) Danfoss (2010). 
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Danfoss has 78 years of experience within the field of energy efficiency through optimized utilization of resources.
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