Propane refrigeration is a type of compression refrigeration.

Propane Propane () is a three-carbon alkane with the molecular formula . It is a gas at standard temperature and pressure, but compressible to a transportable liquid. A by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining, it is commonly used as ...

(R290) has been used successfully in industrial refrigeration for many years, and is emerging as an increasingly viable alternative for homes and businesses. Propane's operating pressures and temperatures are well suited for use in air conditioning equipment, but because of propane’s flammability, great care is required in the manufacture, installation and servicing of equipment that uses it as a refrigerant. Propane that is supplied for general use – such as in barbeques and patio heaters – is not suitable for use in refrigeration systems because it can contain high levels of contaminants, including moisture and unsaturated hydrocarbons. Only propane produced specifically for use in refrigeration systems – with a purity of at least 98.5% and moisture content below 10ppm (by weight) – should be used. With a

global warming potential Global warming potential (GWP) is the heat absorbed by any greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, as a multiple of the heat that would be absorbed by the same mass of carbon dioxide (). GWP is 1 for . For other gases it depends on the gas and the time ...

(GWP) of 0.072 and an ozone depletion potential (ODP) of 0, R-290 is of very little threat to the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has listed R-290 as an acceptable refrigerant substitute under its Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP), and recently exempted it from the venting prohibition in

Section 608 Section 608 (together with Section 609, which covers motor vehicles) of the Clear Air Act (promulgated as 40 CFR Part 82) serves as the main form of occupational licensure for technicians in the HVAC industry in the United States, and satisfie ...

of the Clean Air Act.United States Environmental Protection Agency, Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP), Substitutes in Household Refrigerators and Freezers
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References

{{technology-stub Thermodynamic cycles Chemical processes Cooling technology Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning Industrial processes Gas technologies

Refrigeration The term refrigeration refers to the process of removing heat from an enclosed space or substance for the purpose of lowering the temperature.International Dictionary of Refrigeration, http://dictionary.iifiir.org/search.phpASHRAE Terminology, ht ...