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In 2006 the EU handed down a resolution to ban the auto coolant R134a. R134a was the replacement for R12, which was banned around the world during the 1990s. However, one of the problems with R134a is that it is not an efficient coolant.
This is part of the European Union’s efforts to integrate efficient technologies by banning inefficient ones. Currently, there is no replacement for R134a in automotive applications, but there has recently been some experimentation with compressed carbon dioxide gas.
CO2 has notably been used for cooling in some Coca-Cola machines, so the technology is already viable. The problem with this technology, however, is that it needs to be compressed to an extremely high pressure.
So, with two years left before the deadline, we’ll see what the European automakers come up with as a solution to meeting the 2011 R134a ban requirements.
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This banning of things that have no replacement always cracks me up. It rarely works out. Look at the history of R134a. It was “experimental” when it was deemed a replacement for R12 and look how well that’s worked out.
Soon we’ll be using compressed air or liquid nitrogen to run the A/C in our cars. Sheesh.
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