R23 gas is an HFC refrigerant for extremely low temperatures. The refrigerant R23 is used in ultra-low-temperature refrigeration systems. It is also used as a pure flame retardant to replace Halon 1301. R23 gas is most commonly used in cascade systems at an evaporating temperature of -40 °C – -80 °C and condensing temperatures of approx. -10 °C – -40 °C.
R23 gas use and regulations
R23 gas is one of the HFC refrigerants (hydrofluorocarbons, fluorinated gases) that pose no threat to the ozone layer (ODP = 0) but have a significant global warming potential. The GWP of R23 is as high as 18,400.
The use of refrigerants with a GWP > 2,500 for servicing will be prohibited from 1 January 2020 for the servicing of refrigeration equipment with a charge size of at least 40 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. In terms of charge size, this corresponds, for example, to 2.7 kg of R23 and 10.7 kg of R404A.
This banned refrigerant can therefore no longer be added to systems from 1 January 2020. However, the use of reclaimed or recycled fluorinated gases for servicing will be permitted until 31 December 2029 (Article 13 of the Regulation). Reclamation refers to the processing of used refrigerant at a treatment facility so that it is almost equal to its original quality.
Applications and replacement refrigerants
R23 is mainly used in industrial refrigeration systems, such as medical freezers and environmental chambers. As opposed to R23, R13 and R503 were previously used as ultra-low-temperature refrigerants. In future, there will be a transition to carbon dioxide.
