Preliminary evaluation of potential substitutes for chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Technical Report · Sat Dec 30 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:6943179

Rogozen, M B ^[1]

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1. MBR Environmental Corp., Culver City, CA (USA)

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are organic compounds composed of carbon, chlorine and fluorine. CFCs are widely used as refrigerants, solvents, and blowing agents, and, although they are chemically inert in the lower atmosphere, CFCs break apart upon reaching the stratosphere and release chlorine, which destroys ozone molecules that serve as the earth's natural barrier to harmful ultraviolet radiation. Growing concern about the damage to stratospheric ozone has led to an international treaty to limit production and use of certain chlorofluorocarbons. Since the use of CFCs is so extensive, major efforts are under way to identify, test, and commercialize CFC substitutes. The objectives of the preliminary investigation reported here were to identify likely substitutes for CFCs used a refrigerants at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), and to evaluate current information on their feasibility and health effects. Section 2 contains a brief discussion of the regulatory background. Section 3 describes the chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants currently used at LLNL. Substitutes are identified and discussed in Section 4. Section 5 contains recommendations for further research, and references are presented in Section 6. 29 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA); MBR Environmental Corp., Culver City, CA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/DP
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6943179
• Report Number(s): UCRL-CR-103416; ON: DE90015611
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400201 -- Chemical & Physicochemical Properties
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FLUIDS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
LAWRENCE LIVERMORE LABORATORY
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
REFRIGERANTS
REGULATIONS
SYNTHESIS
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WORKING FLUIDS