Air-conditioning without ozone depletion on the horizon

The American Society for Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) is researching a promising new refrigerant that would minimize damage to the environment. The organization, based in Kansas City, is giving $55,000 to a Russian researcher, Alexandre Grebenkov, P.h.D. of Minsk to investigate the thermophysical properties of R-245fa. The coolant is suitable for low pressure water chillers that are typically used in large building air conditioning equipment. Equipment is also being developed to use R-245fa in other building heat transfer and working fluid applications.
Unlike the traditional coolants, R-245fa has zero potential for depleting the ozone layer, and a low potential for causing global warming.
Since the traditional coolant – CFCs – are now being banned because of their harmful emissions which destroy the ozone layer in the atmosphere, the air-conditioning industry has been searching for alternative coolants.
www.ashrae.org