Natural, Low-GWP Refrigerants for Light Commercial Refrigeration: Examples of Successfully Converted Applications Using R290, R600a and R744

Presented are a number of light commercial applications that were successfully converted for use with natural, low-GWP refrigerants. Among them are a chilled juice dispenser, originally designed for R134a, that was redesigned for use with transcritical carbon dioxide (R744). Another system successfully converted for use with a natural refrigerant was a platelet incubator typically used in pharmaceutical laboratories. The original R134a refrigeration system was redesigned to accommodate isobutane (R600a). Finally, several glass door merchandisers have been converted successfully to both propane (R290) and carbon dioxide. The technical challenges of each of these conversions will be presented and discussed in detail.