The natural refrigerant for the plug-in's commercial refrigeration systems
Kryon® 290 (propane) is an hydrocarbon HC belonging to the linear saturated alkanes.Hydrocarbons are refrigerants which are exclusively composed of carbon and hydrogen atoms; these compounds occur naturally in the earth’s atmosphere, therefore it does not represent an environmental risk (greenhouse gas emission and ozonedepleting).
Kryon® 290, as all other hydrocarbons, is a highly flammable gas (ASHRAE safety rating A3). For this reason the safety implications must be appropriately considered during operations of storage, handling and transport. In refrigeration “plug-in” systems (e.g. refrigerated showcases and cabinets) propane charge does not exceed 150 grams.
Kryon® 290 requires the use of mineral oil in cooling systems’ compressors, thus avoiding humidity problems relating to use of synthetic lubricants.
Applications
Kryon® 290 is mainly used in commercial refrigeration systems, (positive temperature): supermarket refrigerated display case, ice maker machines, vending machines.
Kryon® 290 is also used in some low temperature industrial system.
Performance
- The absence of ozone layer depleting substances and its extremely low greenhouse gas emission allowed Kryon® 600a to be used increasingly as refrigerant in low charge systems.
- Refrigerating systems with high gas charge can be only achieved when a confined cooling system and a transfer fluid are provided.
Recommended Lubricants
A distinctive feature of applications with hydrocarbon refrigerants, such as R290 and R600a, is the high solubility of the refrigerant in the lubricating oil. This strong dissolution can lead to significant dilution of the lubricant, reducing the thickness of the lubricating film under certain operating conditions. This may result in increased wear and a shorter compressor life. For this reason, it is essential to choose a lubricant with a higher initial viscosity, specifically formulated for applications with hydrocarbon refrigerants. The Kryonlube HC PAG series consists of synthetic PAG-based oils designed to offer low solubility with hydrocarbon refrigerants, helping to maintain an adequate lubricating film thickness and protect the compressor over time.
