Environmentally Friendly Refrigerants

The refrigeration process works due to the physical process of evaporation in which a liquid (a refrigerant) absorbs heat from its environment as it evaporates. The amount of heat removed, and how efficiently it is done, depends on factors such as the compressor, evaporator, insulation, and in large part, the type of refrigerant used. 

A Brief History of Refrigerants

The earliest chemical refrigerants commonly used were generally toxic and often dangerous.

Sulfur Dioxide 

Used primarily to create sulfuric acid, as a preservative, and as a laboratory reagent, in the environment, sulfur dioxide is a major air pollutant. Familiar from the smell of burnt matches, in larger amounts, long-term exposure, especially by those allergic to it, can have serious health consequences.

Methyl Chloride (R40)

Also known as chloromethane, methyl chloride is produced as part of some natural processes, but more commonly for industrial and commercial uses. Contributing substantial chlorine to air pollution, it is banned as a refrigerant but is still used in some chemical processes, including with some plastics and herbicides.

Ammonia (R717)

Ammonia is, of course, a common household and manufacturing chemical which is still used for industrial and commercial refrigeration, naval and marine applications, and even on the International Space Station. Unfortunately, its flammability and toxic nature limit its widespread use.

R12 and R22 -- Early Commercial Refrigerants

R12 (Freon-12, or dichlorodifluoromethane) and R22 (chlorodifluoromethane) were two of the first widely used hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerants, introduced in the 1930s and popular for being nonflammable and very stable. These HCFC refrigerants became so popular because they are generally only broken down by exposure to ultraviolet light. A great benefit to refrigeration technology, they were go-to compounds for refrigeration and air conditioning for decades. 

Refrigerants and Environmental Concerns

The chemical nature of hydrochlorofluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons that makes them excellent candidates for refrigeration purposes is also their greatest drawback. Unfortunately in the 1970s and 1980s, it became clear that  the chlorine in CFCs and HCFCs was critically damaging Earth's ozone layer and contributing to global warming by retaining additional heat in the Earth's atmosphere. In response, the Montreal Protocol of 1987 and subsequent agreements set a schedule to phase out these chlorine-based refrigerants. The Global Warming Potential (GWP) tool was developed to measure and compare the impact of refrigerants and other chemicals on the atmosphere and subsequent global warming. Rating refrigerants for their GWP values allows offending gases with high GWP values to be phased out and those with lower GWP values to be encouraged as substitutes. The system is based on carbon dioxide (CO2) which has a GWP value of 1, indicating the amount of heat 1 unit of CO2 would add to the atmosphere over a set amount of time (typically 100 years). Other chemicals and compounds are compared to CO2 over the same time period, so, for example, a compound with a GWP of 12 would heat the atmosphere 12 times as much as CO2 would over that 100-year period. 

Refrigeration's Next Generation -- R134A and R404A

Arriving as plans were put in place to ban HCFCs for refrigeration needs, and specifically designed as a replacement for R12, R134A, also known as 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane or norflurane, is a hydrofluorocarbon compound that lacks chlorine, one of the most damaging compounds in HCFC refrigerants. With a GWP of 1,430, it's a definite improvement over R12 (GWP 10,200) and R22 (GWP 1,760). It rapidly became a popular substitute in refrigerators and vehicle air conditioners, as well as finding applications in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and a variety of consumer compressed air products. Developed around the same time as R134A, R404A (GWP 3,922) is a blended HFC mixture, widely adopted for use in commercial and industrial refrigeration, despite its relatively high GWP. 

R290 and R600A -- Environmentally Friendly Refrigerants

Poor energy efficiency, high GWP values, and an increased concern for environmental impacts, including awareness that fluorines are nearly as damaging to the atmosphere as chlorines, has encouraged the development of new refrigerants. Striving for GWP values of zero, two hydrocarbon refrigerants have come to the forefront as effective, safe, relatively inexpensive compounds that can be used in many existing refrigeration systems with minimal modifications. 

Isobutane (R600A)

Stable and performing similarly to its predecessors, R600A is a massive improvement on environmental impacts with a very low GWP value of only 3. It has become one of the most popular refrigerants used today for domestic, commercial, and industrial refrigeration. Because it is flammable, it isn't necessarily suitable for retrofitting older refrigeration systems, but it's an excellent choice for systems designed specifically to use R600A, and is comparable to R12.

Isopropane (R290)

A combination of Isobutane and familiar, inexpensive, and readily available propane, isopropane (GWP 3) is becoming a standard refrigerant for use in commercial and industrial refrigeration as well as specialty applications for camping, recreational vehicles, and laboratory and medical refrigeration. In general, R290 is a good replacement for R22. 

Benefits of Using Environmentally Friendly Refrigerants

Not only do these newer, hydrocarbon refrigerants have lower environmental impacts, they offer a variety of other benefits and savings.

Faster Temperature Recovery

Increased thermodynamic efficiency means that hydrocarbon refrigerants enable refrigerators and freezers to recover temperatures more quickly, making it easier to maintain crucial steady temperatures.

Lower Energy Consumption 

Hydrocarbons provide cooling with nearly twice the efficiency of CFC refrigerants, and can perform well with a much lower charge than earlier, chemical refrigerants. These efficiencies allow for smaller compressors running with less power. All combined, these features can result in dramatically lower energy consumption. 

Readily Available

Already extracted along with oil and readily available, hydrocarbons offer a relatively easily obtained replacement for less-desirable chemical refrigerants. 

CFC-Free Refrigeration at American Biotech Supply

At American Biotech Supply, we believe in doing our part to care for the planet by using these CFC-free, low-GWP refrigerants which our EPA-SNAP-compliant refrigerator and freezer units are custom-designed to use. Savings in power consumption and the satisfaction of having equipment using environmentally friendly refrigerants, instead of some of the greatest contributors to global warming, should easily sway you to purchasing our CFC-free units. If not, our expertise, commitment to superior quality and customer satisfaction guarantee you refrigeration and freezer units to meet all of your cold storage needs. Contact  us today to discuss your needs with one of our refrigeration specialists.

A specialized and dedicated pharmaceutical refrigerator is a necessary piece of equipment in most medical practices. Whether they are used for storing vaccines as per the CDC guidelines or removing blood samples, medical grade refrigerators have several essential usages. If you are in this field of work, then it is important that you choose the right kind of pharmaceutical refrigerator for your needs. Often, people have been known to opt for the wrong kind of refrigerator or freezer for storing their medical supplies. This can result in the spoilage of the supplies, thus leading to huge losses.

There is an array of available options at American Biotech Supply when it comes to pharmaceutical refrigerators. To choose the right kind of unit for your requirements, there are certain points that you need to know. In this article, we present you with a detailed guide for choosing a pharmaceutical refrigerator. Read on to learn more.

1. Consider The Price

One of the major deciding factors that come up when buying a medical grade refrigerator is the price and whether that suits your budget or not. The pricing is influenced by several factors like adherence to the regulatory guidelines, cooling options, temperature control, size of the equipment, and additional features. Bigger standalone units usually cost more than the compact refrigerators. Similarly, a pharmaceutical refrigerator with freezer will be available at a higher cost than a separate refrigerator or freezer unit. 

At American Biotech Supply, we offer competitive pricing on a range of models of pharmaceutical refrigerators. Hence, you are sure to find something that is both within your budget and meets all your requirements.

2. Pharmaceutical Refrigerator Features 

Of course, it is crucial to know what features you are looking for in your pharmaceutical refrigerator to make an informed choice. Some salient features that you should consider before buying a medical grade refrigerator are as below-

●       The temperature control mechanism in the unit should be capable of providing and maintaining the required temperature range. For example, vaccines must be stored between 36℉ and 46℉ in the refrigerator section and between -58℉ and 5℉ when in the freezer. Most medical refrigerators come with a microprocessor-controlled temperature maintenance system along with digital thermostats and alarms. 

●       The dimensions and size of the unit so that it fits the available space while serving your needs. Getting a refrigerator that is too small to hold all the supplies or too big to be installed completely defeats the purpose.

●       The kind of shelving and storage space inside the unit. Wire shelves are considered to be suitable for storing most vaccines and medicines like insulin. Also, most refrigerators do not have any door shelving to protect the supplies from frequent temperature fluctuations.

●       A proper locking mechanism that prevents any unauthorized personnel from accessing the refrigerator and its contents. 

●       VFC guidelines mandate that the power source used for medical grade refrigerators are not used for other purposes. As a result, most refrigerators come with a power cord alarm that alerts people to the fact that the power cord is connected and providing electricity to the unit.

●       Presence of internal fans that circulate the cool air effectively within the unit, thus ensuring proper storage.

These are some of the basic features that come with most pharmaceutical refrigerators. There are certain additional upgrades that you can opt for if they are necessary for your particular storage needs. 

3. Particular Usages And Benefits

Apart from the basic features that are common to most pharmaceutical refrigerators, there are some very specific usages and benefits that you may be looking for in your unit. Some of these are as follows-

●       Consider what the refrigerator will be used for storing- vaccines, medicines, medical supplies and equipment, or samples. Different materials have specified required temperature ranges that must be maintained for proper storage. Thermal probes in glycol bottles are provided within the units to keep track of the internal temperature fluctuations.

●       Built-in front ventilation systems can help you save space by doing away with the need of having a separate ventilation system on the top or side of the refrigerator.

●       Continuous air circulation system that prevents heating up every time the door is opened.

●       A unit or a designated area within the unit that is dedicated to the storage of only vaccines. This is particularly essential to store vaccines as per the guidelines laid down by the CDC.

4. Unit Size

As mentioned before, pharmaceutical refrigerators come in various sizes. Knowing which size unit to get depends mainly on the available space for installation and the amount of material that you need to store. Keeping this in mind, we offer several options when it comes to the size of the pharmaceutical refrigerators. From under-counter refrigerators of a capacity of 4.6 cubic feet to large freezers with a capacity of 15 cubic feet- we have something for your every need.

5. Adherence To Regulations

When it comes to the storage of medical supplies and equipment, there are some stringent guidelines laid down by the CDC (especially the VFC when it comes to vaccines). These guidelines refer to the temperature at which the medicines can be stored, the cooling mechanism that must be installed, the power requirements, etc. Failure to comply with these regulations can lead to the stored materials from getting spoiled. Hence, it is essential that while buying a pharmaceutical refrigerator, you take care to choose a unit that complies with all the necessary rules. 

At American Biotech Supply, we take these guidelines very seriously and ensure that all our units are designed to meet them.

Our Services

When you buy a pharmaceutical refrigerator from American Biotech Supply, we guarantee that you will receive the best quality product for your specific needs. And that is not all. We offer our customers superior support for the lifetime of the unit. We make it a point to share our knowledge and expertise with our valued customers so that they can find a solution that fits their business needs. Our experienced customer support team is there with you in every step of the process, ready to assist you with queries on issues like warranty, troubleshooting, installation, and service requests. Thus, if you are looking to acquire a pharmaceutical refrigerator, then we are here to help you with your needs.

We have more than 25 years of experience in the field and take great care to offer compelling solutions to our customers at competitive prices. For more information about our products and solutions, please get in touch with us today.