ATMOsphere, publisher of R744.com, today announced the release of the “North American Guide to Natural Refrigerants in Ice Arenas,” including information on CO2 systems.
This 92-page guide, available as a free download here, provides arena owners and managers with information on why refrigeration systems using a natural refrigerant – CO2 or ammonia – are a better long-term choice from a business and environmental perspective than a system using an HFO blend like R513A or R449A.
Over the past few years, chemical producer Chemours and its marketing partner, the National Hockey League (NHL), have promoted HFO blends as “environmentally sustainable” for ice rinks. But HFO blends – consisting of an HFC and an HFO – represent a significant threat to the environment, the guide argues, adding that, by contrast, ammonia and CO2 are found in nature and, as refrigerants, are environmentally benign, as well as more efficient and less costly than HFO blends.
“Arena owners seeking to make a prudent investment in a refrigeration system need to consider the stark differences between natural refrigerants and HFO blends,” said Marc Chasserot, CEO of ATMOsphere.
While relatively new to the ice rink arena world, CO2 is starting to be chosen by some high-profile entities that are profiled in the guide. These include Nationwide Arena, the home of the Columbus Blue Jackets, which will be the first NHL arena to install a CO2 system, and the National Speed Skating Oval (the Ice Ribbon) at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
The guide also features other successful installations of CO2 and ammonia ice rinks, as well as the history of natural refrigerants in ice arenas, the basics of using natural refrigerants, the efficiency advantages of natural refrigerants, regulations impacting these refrigerants and the environmental and health impact of HFO blend refrigerants.
“Arena owners seeking to make a prudent investment in a refrigeration system need to consider the stark differences between natural refrigerants and HFO blends.”
Marc Chasserot, ATMOsphere
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