CO₂ vs A2L refrigerants: Choosing the right refrigerant

CO₂ vs A2L refrigerants: Choosing the right refrigerant

From Taking the Temperature on HVACR by Danfoss Climate Solutions

January 27, 2026 · 41 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the comparison between CO₂ and A2L refrigerants, highlighting their applications and tradeoffs.

Host Jamie Kitchen and guest Jorg Saar compare CO₂ with A2L/HFO-HFC blends and A3 options like propane (R290), explaining why CO₂ isn’t new, what transcritical operation means, and why CO₂ can excel at heat recovery (especially in supermarkets). They also cover the tradeoffs—high pressures and added complexity for CO₂ versus flammability considerations for A2Ls/hydrocarbons—concluding there’s no one-size-fits-all refrigerant; the best choice depends on the application.

People in this episode

Host: Jamie Kitchen

Guest: Jorg Saar

Topics covered

  • refrigerants
  • heat recovery
  • HVACR
  • transcritical operation
  • flamability
  • supermarkets

Keywords

  • refrigerants
  • CO₂
  • A2L
  • HFO-HFC blends
  • propane
  • heat recovery
  • transcritical operation
  • flamability

Mentioned in this episode

Products: CO₂, A2L, HFO-HFC blends, A3, propane (R290)

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