As refrigeration and process cooling technology continues to change, the refrigerant used inside a chiller has become an increasingly important consideration. Newer refrigerants are being developed and adopted to provide reliable cooling performance while reducing their potential impact on the climate.

Two refrigerants receiving increased attention in the chiller industry are R454A and R454C. Both are classified as A2L refrigerants and have significantly lower global warming potential than many of the older refrigerants they are designed to replace.

For process cooling applications, Legacy Chillers offers equipment designed around these newer low global warming potential refrigerants, helping customers prepare for the changing refrigerant landscape while maintaining the cooling performance their applications require.

What Does Global Warming Potential Mean?

Global warming potential, commonly abbreviated as GWP, is a measurement used to compare the potential climate impact of a greenhouse gas with carbon dioxide.

Carbon dioxide has a GWP of 1. A refrigerant with a GWP of 1,000 has approximately 1,000 times the global warming potential of the same amount of carbon dioxide over the specified assessment period.

This does not mean that a refrigerant with a higher GWP automatically makes a chiller less energy efficient. GWP and energy efficiency measure different things. GWP describes the potential climate impact of the refrigerant itself if it is released into the atmosphere, while chiller efficiency depends on factors such as compressor technology, operating conditions, heat load, condenser design, controls, and system sizing.

The goal of low GWP refrigerants is to reduce the environmental impact associated with the refrigerant while still providing the thermodynamic properties necessary for effective cooling.

What Are R454A and R454C?

R454A and R454C are refrigerant blends developed as lower GWP alternatives for applications that have traditionally relied on higher GWP refrigerants.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, R454A has a GWP of approximately 240 and R454C has a GWP of approximately 148 under the EPA’s listed values for relevant refrigeration applications. Both refrigerants have an A2L safety classification, meaning they have low toxicity and lower flammability compared with refrigerants classified in higher flammability categories.

ASHRAE’s refrigerant factsheet lists R454A at a GWP of 238 and identifies R454C as an A2L refrigerant with an even lower GWP value. Slight differences in published GWP values can occur depending on the assessment methodology and source used.

The important distinction is that both refrigerants provide substantially lower GWP than many traditional refrigerants while remaining suitable for modern cooling equipment when the equipment is specifically designed and approved for their use.

What Does A2L Mean?

The term A2L describes a refrigerant safety classification.

The “A” indicates lower toxicity, while the “2L” indicates lower flammability. A2L refrigerants are mildly flammable under the applicable testing conditions, so equipment using them must be designed, installed, serviced, and operated according to the applicable safety requirements.

This is an important consideration when transitioning from older refrigerants to newer alternatives. A refrigerant cannot simply be substituted into an existing chiller without confirming that the equipment, components, controls, and safety systems are designed for that refrigerant.

Legacy Chillers designs its A2L-compatible equipment with these requirements in mind.

Why Are Low GWP Refrigerants Important for Chillers?

Process chillers are often expected to operate for many years. When selecting a new chiller, the refrigerant used by the system can therefore have long-term implications for maintenance, servicing, equipment availability, and environmental considerations.

Lower GWP refrigerants such as R454A and R454C are important for several reasons.

Reduced Refrigerant Climate Impact

One of the primary advantages is their substantially lower GWP compared with many older refrigerants.

If refrigerant is released during equipment operation, servicing, or an accidental leak, a lower GWP refrigerant has a lower potential climate impact than a higher GWP alternative, assuming the same quantity is released.

Adapting to Changing Refrigerant Requirements

Refrigerant regulations and industry standards continue to evolve. Choosing equipment designed for newer refrigerants can help businesses avoid investing in equipment based on refrigerant technologies that are becoming less suitable for new installations.

The EPA lists R454A and R454C as acceptable substitutes in several refrigeration and chiller applications, subject to the applicable use conditions.

Supporting Long-Term Equipment Planning

A process chiller is often a significant investment. Selecting a system that uses a current-generation refrigerant can be part of a long-term equipment strategy.

For facilities that rely on continuous cooling, this can be particularly important. The chiller needs to provide dependable process temperatures while also fitting the facility’s long-term maintenance and replacement plans.

How R454A and R454C Relate to Legacy Chillers

Legacy Chillers manufactures process chillers for industrial and commercial fluid cooling applications. Its product line includes air-cooled and water-cooled systems designed for a wide range of process requirements. Legacy currently offers R454A and R454C configurations across its chiller products.

For example, Legacy’s published product information includes R454A and R454C options for packaged process chillers, with different models available for varying cooling capacities and applications.

The refrigerant is only one part of the complete chiller system. Compressor selection, heat exchangers, controls, refrigerant circuit components, operating temperatures, ambient conditions, and the application’s actual heat load all contribute to the final chiller selection.

That is why selecting the correct refrigerant should be considered alongside properly sizing and specifying the complete chiller.

Choosing the Right Refrigerant and Chiller

Not every cooling application has the same requirements. Required fluid temperatures, heat load, operating environment, available space, water availability, and other application conditions can all affect which chiller configuration is appropriate.

Customers also may not have all of the technical information needed to select a chiller on their own. Legacy Chillers works directly with customers to understand their application and help determine an appropriate chiller configuration.

This is particularly important when selecting A2L equipment because the refrigerant, system design, installation requirements, and applicable safety considerations need to work together.

The Future of Process Cooling

The transition toward lower GWP refrigerants is changing the way new refrigeration and process cooling equipment is designed.

R454A and R454C are examples of refrigerants that combine significantly lower GWP with the A2L classification used by many newer refrigerant technologies. For businesses investing in new process cooling equipment, understanding these refrigerant options can help with both immediate equipment selection and long-term planning.

Legacy Chillers offers process chillers using R454A and R454C for customers looking for modern low GWP refrigerant options without sacrificing the importance of reliable process cooling.

When selecting a new chiller, the refrigerant is only one piece of the decision. Proper system sizing, operating conditions, application requirements, and equipment configuration are equally important to achieving reliable long-term performance.