How was HFC-134a selected as a replacement refrigerant for CFC-12 in automobile air-conditioning systems?
Engineers for automotive manufacturers conducted research and testing on many potential substitutes for CFC-12 before selecting HFC-134a. As part of this research and testing, they reviewed the potential health effects, toxicity, flammability, and corrosivity of each potential substitute, evaluated the effect of each compound on the life and performance of the air-conditioning components in the various models made by each manufacturer, and investigated the effect of each compound on the system’s cooling capacity. They determined that HFC-134a was the most suitable alternative. I know that the old refrigerant, CFC-12, does not pose cancer risks when used properly. Is this also true of HFC-134a? HFC-134a is regarded as one of the safest refrigerants yet introduced, based on current toxicity data. The chemical industry’s Program for Alternative Fluorocarbon Toxicity Testing (PAFT) tested HFC-134a in a full battery of laboratory animal toxicity studies. The results indicate that HFC-134a d
