What are the advantages of R32 gas?

Society has advanced, bringing many conveniences into our daily lives, such as air conditioning. Many of these are currently causing adverse effects, such as the destruction of the ozone layer in the case of air conditioning. In an effort to find environmentally harmless substitutes, R32 gas emerges. Discover with us the advantages of R32 gas, the new trendy refrigerant.

What is R32 gas?

Before outlining all the advantages of R32 gas, it is necessary to understand what it is. R32 gas is a refrigerant gas from the Hydrofluorocarbon or HFC group. This gas has been used as a refrigerant for many years, though not on its own: it was used mixed with R125 gas in a 50%-50% composition to form the internationally known R410A gas.

It wasn’t until 2018 that R32 gas began to be used on its own in air conditioners. To complete the technical specifications of this gas, it is worth mentioning that its name and chemical formula are Difluoromethane (CH2F2), a molecular weight of 52.02 kg/kmol, a boiling point of -51.63ºC, and a GWP of 625, which is key, as we will see below.

Advantages of R32 Gas

It is time to break down the advantages of R32 gas, to understand why its use is being standardized internationally across all air conditioners.

The first and most obvious advantage, already mentioned in the introductory paragraph of this post, is that the use of this gas represents a considerable improvement for the environment. This can be seen in the GWP statistic, which measures the global warming potential of many elements.

In English, this term is known as Global Warming Potential, or GWP. The GWP of R32 gas is 625, more than three times less than that of its predecessor, R410A gas. But it is not only positive for the environment; it is also beneficial for the Ozone layer. And significantly so. Its Ozone Depletion Potential level is zero.

Being a pure gas, not created by mixing other gases, installations working with R32 gas require much less refrigerant, up to 30% less. This leads to much greater efficiency, along with clear savings. Proof of this is its A+++ energy certification. There is no higher value energy label.

We cannot overlook the economic factor, the price. While its average cost of approximately 18 euros per kilogram is already much lower than that of other refrigerant gases, the economic advantage is further amplified by not being subject to taxes, as it is an environmentally positive gas.

As a final advantage of R32 gas, we take the opportunity to debunk a common misconception about this new gas: its flammability. According to ISO 817:2014, R32 gas belongs to the A2L group of gases, which means it is slightly flammable, but no more so than any of the gases we use today, such as natural gas.

Regulations

International concern for the environment is a very positive development, but it holds no value if not reflected in international regulations. This has not been the case for R32 gas, whose use has expanded thanks to environmentally conscious regulations that have positioned this gas as the most optimal on the market.

Until 2010, R22 gas was used, but the European Parliament banned it due to its damage to the ozone layer. This was replaced by R410A. Four years later, the key regulation that significantly expanded the use of this gas arrived: the European Regulation CE 517/2014. This prohibited gases with high GWP, such as R410A.

In 2020, the regulation established a GWP limit of 2,500. The problem arises when the regulation mandates that from next year, 2025, the limit cannot exceed 750, meaning that the widespread R410A refrigerant gas will no longer be legal for use.

R32 vs. R404A Gas Comparison

Another gas that has been widely used in the refrigerant market is R404A gas. Despite having very advantageous conditions for its use in the refrigerant sector, it has a high Global Warming Potential (GWP). Specifically, the Global Warming Potential of R404A is 3,943.

With this GWP level, R404A refrigerant has been prohibited for any new installations in Europe since 2020. This prohibition led to a sharp increase in the price of this refrigerant, by more than 500%, due to decreased production caused by the ban.

We hope you enjoyed this post on the advantages of R32, but above all, that you have understood why its use is becoming increasingly widespread. Now, do you want to make the switch to R32 yourself? If so, the opportunity is within your reach. A simple click will redirect you to our air heaters, equipped with the new R32.