Have you noticed the increase in demand for nitrogen from your HVAC customers? You should have. As of January 1, 2010, HVAC manufacturers are no longer permitted to produce or import residential air conditioning units designed to use R-22, the refrigerant most commonly used in residential HVAC units since the 1940s.
With the refrigerant change came a few design changes to the AC units themselves, including an increased need for proper brazing techniques during installation. The installation process is a critical factor in determining the life span of an air conditioner unit. Every reputable air conditioner OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) and industry training authority include in their AC installation manuals the importance of using nitrogen to purge the line-set prior to, and also during, the brazing process. Newer HVAC units, which your customers are now installing, should have an impact on your nitrogen business.
The EPA has declared R-22 an ozone-depleting substance and banned its use as a refrigerant. The new refrigerant of choice is R-410A, a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), deemed safer for the environment. The units that use R-410A operate at pressures roughly 60 percent higher than the older R-22 units. Higher pressures make the installation process more complicated, and proper installation is a critical factor in determining the life span of an air conditioner unit.
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