
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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