Boiler and distribution system inefficiencies increase energy consumption and operating costs. Natural gas chillers reduce energy consumption, operation and maintenance costs and reduce summertime steam usage. To reduce CFC emissions and the rate of ozone depletion and global warming, the federal government has passed a new law - Title VI of the Clean Air Act Amendment of 1990. The law eliminated the production of CFC refrigerants on December 31, 1995. Although HCFCs are less harmful to the ozone and have a much shorter atmospheric life than CFCs, the current plan to phase-out HCFCs is projected for the year 2020.
Absorption chillers use refrigerants that produce no ozone depletion effects.
Water or ammonia is used as the refrigerant rather than CFC, HCFC, or HFC refrigerants. A lithium bromide solution or water is used as the absorbent material. Desiccant dehumidification systems typically use ammonia or no refrigerant to dehumidify air. Each technology will reduce or eliminate the use of environmentally harmful refrigerants to produce comfort and cooling. The remaining 20 percent of large water chillers use HCFC-22.