Recently there have been reports of “fake refrigerants” and the dangers associated with these counterfeit refrigerants distributed as 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane R134a. These reports would suggest that the danger arises out of the substitution of chloromethane (R40) for R134a apparently due to a price spike for R134a and a glut of HCFCs.1 In the scientific literature, R40 as a refrigerant has been assessed as a poison,2,3 and its fire and explosion hazard effects are also detailed.4 Interestingly, there is one report of death but this was from repeated exposure of a refrigerant worker to several different refrigerants including R40.5 There is also another report on the explosive nature of the vapor of R40.6 There does appear to be conflicting reports on exactly what can occur if R134a is contaminated with R40. For example, R40 was suggested to react with R134a producing HF which could then cause a compressor to explode.1 More likely is the reaction between R40 and the aluminum dust in the compressor to produce trimethylaluminum (TMA) which is pyrophoric.7 In light of these concerns, we decided to investigate under what conditions monochlorotrifluoroethane, R133a, R40, and 1-chloro-1,1-difluoroethane, R142b would react with Al, the nature of the reaction between TMA and various commercially available refrigerant oils and safe methods to deactivate TMA. (1) In ACR News. The website for air conditioning and refrigeration professionals; ACR News.: 2012. (2) Vilches, A. M. Dia Med 1948, 20, 2921. (3) Loizaga, C. A.; De, L. J. R. Dia Med 1954, 26, 1230. (4) Nuckolls, A. H.; et, a. Miscellaneous Hazards 1933, No. 2375, 118 pp. (5) Mendelhoff, J. Arch. Ind. Hyg. Occup. Med. 1952, 6, 518. (6) Lindborg, A. DKV-Tagungsber. 2003, 30th, 301. (7) Peter, P. In Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration News; John R. Schrei: http://www.achrnews.com/publications/3/editions/1734, 2012; Vol. 2012.

Consequences of chloromethane (R40) mixed in with tetrafluoroethane (R134a); production of trimethylaluminum, reactivity of TMA and various refrigerant oils and methods to deactivate trimethylaluminum

249th National Meeting (2015)

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