According to the International Energy Agency, the number of air conditioning units installed globally is set to rise from 1.6 billion today to approximately 5.6 billion by 2050—and some of the most common refrigerants used in air conditioners and refrigeration systems are thousands of times more polluting than cars. Fortunately, new fluid technology for refrigeration and air conditioning systems is enabling the adoption of low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants that can help keep the planet cooler, too.

Some of the topics I discuss in this article include:

• Environmental impact of refrigerants v. vehicles
• Chemical interactivity of lubricants for refrigeration
• Today's refrigerants, proposed replacements and compatibility considerations with different lubricant formulations
• Types of compressors in refrigeration technology that must be properly lubricated

Click here to read the complete article in Lubes 'n' Greases.