In air source heat pump systems, R32, R290 and R410a are three common refrigerants, each with different characteristics and application advantages. The following is a detailed analysis of the difference between these three refrigerants:
1. The physical properties and environmental protection
| Refrigerant | Molecular Formula | Chemical Formula Physical State | Environmental Protection (ODP / GWP) |
| R32 | CH2F2 | gas | GWP=675 |
| R290 | C3H8 | gas | GWP=3 |
| R410A | CH2F2/CHF2CF3 | refrigerant blend ODP | ODP=0, GWP higher |
R32: colorless and odorless, slightly soluble in water, non-flammable but combustible, has a certain global warming potential (GWP), but compared to traditional refrigerants such as R22, its GWP value is lower, better environmental protection.
R290: also colorless and odorless, but slightly soluble in water, soluble in ether and ethanol, and flammable and explosive, its global warming potential (GWP) is extremely low, almost negligible, is one of the best refrigerants for environmental protection.
R410A: A refrigerant blend composed of HFC-like substances, it does not contain ozone layer depleting substances (ODP=0), but its global warming potential (GWP) is higher, and its impact on the environment is relatively larger.
2.Cooling performance
| Refrigerant | Cooling efficiency | System pressure | Charge |
| R32 | Higher | Higher | Less |
| R290 | Good | Good | Less |
| R410a | Stable | Higher | Good |
R32: Higher refrigeration efficiency and relatively higher system working pressure, but with a relatively small charge. Its thermodynamic performance is similar to that of R410A, but the cooling capacity and energy efficiency ratio are higher.
R290: excellent refrigeration performance, large refrigeration capacity per unit volume, and high heat transfer performance, which helps to shorten the refrigeration time of the air-conditioning compressor. Its system pressure is moderate and the charge is small.
R410A: Stable refrigeration performance and large cooling capacity per unit volume, but its charge is moderate compared to R32 and R290.
In summary, R32, R290 and R410a have their own characteristics in terms of physical properties, environmental protection, cooling performance and safety. When choosing the refrigerant for air source heat pump system, it is necessary to make comprehensive consideration according to specific application scenarios, environmental protection requirements and safety and other factors.