Refrigerants expand rapidly from liquid to gas back to liquid again. During the expansion phase, there is a cooling effect. Refrigerants must have good thermodynamic properties, noncorrosive and safe. Refrigerants consist of either HFC- for hydrofluorocarbons, CFC- for chlorofluorocarbons, and HCFC- for hydrochlorofluorocarbons. The most widely used refrigerants in the past were the halomethanes R-12 and R-22, with R-12 being more common in automotive air conditioning and small refrigerators, and R-22 being used for residential and light commercial air conditioning, refrigerators, and freezers. R-134a and certain blends are now replacing chlorinated compounds.

Water must be removed from the refrigerant to prevent icing in the system. Water is removed by utilizing molecular sieves capable of withstanding the vibrational forces of an air conditioning unit.

Throughout many cycles, organic acids are formed which cause the degradation of the cooling system by corrosion. Organic acids must be removed to maintain the integrity of the system. Alumina effectively removes organic acids.

SEPCOR provides various sized aluminas and molecular sieves of high physical strength capable of meeting the rugged demands of refrigeration. Whether it is a refrigerant core or refrigerant dryer utilizing beaded materials, SEPCOR can provide the adsorbent to meet your refrigeration needs.