R-15

Classification of refrigerants

This text is based on the American standard ANSI/ASHRAE 34 published in 2001 and entitled “Designation and Safety Classification of Refrigerants”.
This classification makes it possible to designate all refrigerants used in a clear and internationally recognized manner by classifying them according to their chemical composition.

1 - Numbering of Refrigerants

An identifying number shall be assigned to each refrigerant. It consists of a prefix made up of letters and a suffix made up of digits.

1.1 Prefixes

The prefix is composed of the letter R (for refrigerant).

Examples: R22, R134a, R600a, R717

Sometimes, the letter C is used in the prefix to denote carbon, preceded by B, C or F (or a combination of these letters in the same order) to indicate the presence of bromine, chlorine or fluorine. Compounds containing hydrogen must be preceded by the letter H.

Examples: HCFC22, HFC134a

These prefixes must only be used in non-technical publications.
Note: the name of the brand or of the manufacturer is also used sometimes; these names must not be used in official documents (identification labels, etc.).

1.2 Suffixes

Hydrocarbons and derivatives

The first digit on the right (units) is the number of fluorine (F) atoms.
The second digit on the right (tens) is one more than the number of hydrogen (H) atoms.
The third digit on the right (hundreds) is one less than the number of carbon (C) atoms (when the digit is zero, it is omitted from the number).

The third digit on the right (thousands) is equal to the number of unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds (when the digit is zero, it is omitted from the number).

For refrigerants that contain bromine (Br), the letter B is added after the identification number, followed by the number of atoms present. These refrigerants are no longer manufactured in developed countries since the application of the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete