R32 Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) Solutions for Commercial Air Conditioning

The growing focus on the environmental effect of refrigerants has fuelled demand for sustainable commercial air conditioning solutions. The solutions are aimed to address environmental concerns over refrigerants’ potential to warm the planet or/and deplete the ozone layer. Government regulation has also affected the choice of gas used in air conditioning applications.

The HVAC&R industry has made great progress in making technical adaptations to address these environmental concerns. Today, many heating and cooling systems use HFCs such as R134a and R410A which release very low quantities of greenhouse gases.

In preparation for the phase-out of HCFCs, local companies have begun trialling R32, a more environmentally friendly refrigerant that has just arrived on Australian shores.

While numerous companies have installed R32 in room and packaged air conditioners, no company had yet introduced a model for use in large VRF systems – until now. The Hybrid VRF can be installed in almost any building including hotels and restaurants, showrooms, schools, hospitals, care homes and offices among other commercial buildings.

What is R32?

R32, also known as difluoromethane, is a single component HFC refrigerant. It has a low global warming potential (GWP) of 650, which is significantly less than the more commonly used R410A which is 1,980.

Improved Energy Efficiency

R32 refrigerant is the next generation refrigerant that boasts nearly 70% lower Global Warming Potential Rate than R410A. Due to its superior qualities R32 offers amazing energy efficiency benefits. It has a potential refrigerating effect 1.5 times that of R410A meaning it needs less energy to achieve the desired temperature and requires less refrigerant volume to operate.

Benefits of Using R32 VRF in Commercial Air Conditioning Systems

While there are a variety of low GWP refrigerants on the market, most air conditioning manufacturers prefer to use R32 in their products as it offers the following benefits:

• It is non-toxic making it ideal for use in many applications
• Is more energy efficient than R410A
• Has 25% smaller charge sizes further lowering CO₂e footprint
• Requires less refrigerant volume per Kw
• Is F-gas compliant
• Offers impressive performance
• Being a single component refrigerant, it is easy to handle and recycle

Call Lesside Services today and book an obligation free quote for a R32 VRF system for your premises.