Low GWP refrigerants for refrigeration and air conditioning systems in Japan
The type of refrigerants used for air conditioning and refrigeration purposes have changed significantly over the years, for environmental reasons. In Japan, this conversion started early. There, legislation dealing with global warming has been in place since 1988, also affecting regulation on refrigerants, since they historically have a high global warming potential. Currently, the step is taken toward refrigerants with low global warming potential. Unfortunately, these types of refrigerants present a new kind of challenge: they are often flammable and combustible. This safety risk can be handled for some applications, but for others, more expertise and analysis are needed.