Chladiva

Chladiva, or refrigerants, are working fluids used in cooling systems to absorb heat by changing phase or by compression and expansion. They enable heat transfer in domestic refrigerators, air conditioners, and industrial cooling equipment. In vapor-compression cycles, a refrigerant is compressed into a high‑pressure gas, condensed into a liquid, expanded to a low pressure, and evaporated to absorb heat from the environment.

Refrigerants are classified by chemical composition. Historical groups include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), later replaced by hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). HFCs have zero ozone depletion potential but can have high global warming potential. Natural refrigerants such as carbon dioxide (R-744), ammonia (R-717), and hydrocarbons (for example propane R-290 and isobutane R-600a) offer low or zero ozone impact and lower or moderate GWP, but they pose safety considerations: ammonia is toxic, hydrocarbons are flammable, and CO2 operates at higher pressures in many systems. More recently, hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) and low-GWP blends have been developed as alternatives to high‑GWP HFCs.

Environmental and regulatory context has shaped chladiva use. The Montreal Protocol phased out ozone-depleting CFCs and many HCFCs; the Kigali Amendment targets phasedown of HFCs. In many regions, the EU F‑gas Regulation and similar policies promote leakage reduction, recovery, and the adoption of low‑GWP refrigerants.

In practice, the choice of chladivo balances thermodynamic performance, safety, energy efficiency, cost, and environmental impact. Ongoing development aims to reduce global warming potential while maintaining effective cooling performance.