McLinden, M.
(2026),
Thermodynamics of Refrigerants: Or Why Did We Ever Go With the F-gases?, International Journal of Refrigeration, [online], https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2026.107033, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=961715 (Accessed October 10, 2026)
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Thermodynamics of Refrigerants: Or Why Did We Ever Go With the F-gases?
Published
Author(s)
Abstract
This review considers the evolution of refrigerants and the ever-changing constraints that have driven the need to consider new refrigerant molecules. Recent regulations limit future refrigerant choices, particularly in Europe where the fluorinated refrigerants ("F-gases") will be severely restricted. Here we consider the "why" behind fluorine. What did fluorine bring to the party, and what are the trade-offs in moving away from fluorine? The role of fluorine in reducing flammability is well known. Less appreciated is the ability to "tune" the thermodynamic properties of a fluid by adjusting the fluorine content. Historically, the halogenated fluids came to dominate refrigeration for very good reasons related to safety and performance, and these reasons remain valid. While limiting the halogenated refrigerants would be workable, it would require that systems be designed to match the refrigerant rather than being able to choose a refrigerant to best fit the requirements of the application.Citation
International Journal of Refrigeration
Volume
190
Pub Type
Journals
Download Paper
Keywords
refrigerants, thermodynamics, hydrofluorocarbons, hydrofluoro-olefins, natural refrigerants
Citation
Issues
If you have any questions about this publication or are having problems accessing it, please contact [email protected].
Created June 28, 2026, Updated October 9, 2026