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A refrigerant is a working fluid that undergoes phase changes (liquid to vapor and back) to absorb and transfer heat. In the evaporator, liquid refrigerant absorbs heat from indoor air and evaporates. The compressor raises that vapor's pressure, then the condenser rejects heat outdoors as vapor condenses back to liquid. The refrigerant is not consumed -- it circulates continuously in a sealed loop.
The ozone layer sits in the stratosphere, 15-35 km above Earth. Ozone (O3) absorbs 93-99% of UV-B and UV-C solar radiation. Without it: dramatic increases in skin cancer and cataracts, immune system damage, crop failures, and disruption of marine food chains from phytoplankton loss.
The ozone layer is in the STRATOSPHERE -- not the troposphere (where weather occurs, 0-12 km). Ground-level ozone is a harmful smog component. Stratospheric ozone is essential. This distinction appears on the exam.
CFCs are stable at low altitudes but drift into the stratosphere where UV radiation breaks them apart, releasing free chlorine atoms. The destruction is catalytic -- the chlorine atom is not consumed, it keeps reacting:
Each chlorine atom can destroy an estimated 100,000 ozone molecules before deactivation. R-12 persists in the atmosphere approximately 100 years, continuing damage long after its release.
HFCs (R-410A, R-134a, R-32) contain no chlorine or bromine -- only hydrogen, fluorine, and carbon. Without chlorine, there is no ozone-destroying catalyst. ODP = 0 exactly. However, HFCs are potent greenhouse gases due to high GWP.
| Class | Contains Cl? | ODP | GWP Range | Key Examples | US Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CFCs Chlorofluorocarbons |
Yes (high) | 0.6-1.0 | 4,750-10,900 | R-11, R-12, R-113 | Banned 1996 |
|
HCFCs Hydrochlorofluorocarbons |
Yes (low) | 0.01-0.11 | 77-2,310 | R-22, R-123 | Production ended 2020 |
|
HFCs Hydrofluorocarbons |
No | 0 | 675-3,922 | R-134a, R-32, R-410A, R-404A | Active; AIM Act phasedown |
|
HFOs Hydrofluoroolefins |
No | 0 | 1-7 | R-1234yf, R-1234ze | Emerging standard |
| Natural | No | 0 | 1-2,500 | R-717 (NH3), R-744 (CO2), R-290 | Industrial/specialized |
| Refrigerant | Class | ODP | GWP | Atm. Lifetime | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-11 | CFC | 1.0 (reference) | 4,750 | 45 years | Low-pressure chillers (historical) |
| R-12 | CFC | 1.0 | 10,900 | 100 years | Automotive, old refrigerators (historical) |
| R-22 | HCFC | 0.05 | 1,810 | 12 years | Residential AC (legacy) |
| R-123 | HCFC | 0.012 | 77 | 1.3 years | Low-pressure centrifugal chillers |
| R-134a | HFC | 0 | 1,430 | 14 years | Automotive AC, medium-temp refrigeration |
| R-32 | HFC | 0 | 675 | 5.2 years | Mini-splits; R-410A replacement candidate |
| R-404A | HFC blend | 0 | 3,922 | -- | Commercial/transport refrigeration |
| R-410A | HFC blend | 0 | 2,088 | -- | Residential/commercial AC (current standard) |
| R-454B | HFO/HFC | 0 | 466 | -- | R-410A replacement in new equipment 2025+ |
| R-1234yf | HFO | 0 | 4 | 11 days | Automotive AC (replacing R-134a) |
The most successful international environmental treaty in history. Ratified by all 197 UN member states. Key milestones:
The American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act of 2020 gives EPA authority to phase down HFCs. Unlike the CFC/HCFC phaseout (about ozone), the HFC phasedown is about climate change. New residential and light-commercial equipment must use refrigerants with GWP below 700 starting January 1, 2025. R-454B (GWP 466) is the primary replacement for R-410A.
CFCs = "Completely Forbidden Compounds" -- banned, highest ODP.
HCFCs = "Half-Chlorine, Fading Completely" -- lower ODP, production ended 2020.
HFCs = "Harmless to Ozone, Frying the Climate" -- zero ODP, high GWP, now being phased down.