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Freon™ Refrigerants for Very Low Temperature Refrigeration

Preserving Medical Samples, Specimens, and Pharmaceuticals

Very low temperature (VLT) refrigeration systems offer reliable, efficient protection for medical freezers and environmental chambers that store temperature-sensitive samples, specimens, and pharmaceuticals.

Many factors—including size, ambient environmental temperature, and airflow around units—impact the performance of VLT refrigeration systems. Ultimately, the refrigerant that each system uses will have the greatest impact on its effectiveness.

The Value of Freon™ 23 and Freon™ 95 Refrigerants in VLT Refrigeration

While older VLT systems used R-13 and R-503 refrigerants, stricter global regulations mandated by the Montreal Protocol and other legislations are phasing out these refrigerants because of their ozone-depleting potential (ODP).

Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have since switched to Freon™ 23. Both new and retrofitted existing systems can use this hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), which works as retrofit refrigerant for medical freezers and environmental chambers applications requiring very low temperatures (VLT)—below -40 to -73 °C (-40 to -100 °F).  Freon™ 95, a perfluorocarbon (PFC) refrigerant, can also be used in similar applications requiring temperatures below -40°C to -101°C (-40°F to -150°F).

Long-Term Use Considerations

Regulations on the long-term use of refrigerants vary by region and application, and may change over time. For the latest information, please visit the Regulations page.