Kingsman Engineering and Industrial insulation are the largest Stockiest and suppliers of refrigeration freon gases in Kenya and East Africa. We have among others:
- R11
- R22
- R134a
- R404
- R407c
- R410a
Refrigeration freon gas is a fluid that is usually used in air conditioners and refrigerators, to remove heat from the contents of a refrigerator or a room (in the cases where ACs are used) and throw the heat out in the atmosphere. The refrigerant gas(fluid) undergoes phase changes from a liquid to gas by absorbing heat) and back to liquid (when a compressor compresses it). The choice of ideal refrigerant is usually made based on its favorable thermodynamic properties, its non-corrosive nature, and its safety (non-toxic and non-flammable) when in use.
The most common refrigeration Freon gas in Kenya in the past was a CFC, most commonly known as Freon (“R-12”). In the 1990s and 2000s, the CFCs were replaced with HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocarbon) and the most common HCFC is “R-22”. 50-60% of Air Conditioners still (in 2016) use HCFCs although they have chlorine. With continued development in technology and knowledge, other refrigerant gases have been made known as HFCs. The most common HFC used in air conditioners is R-410A. A few more HFCs that are commonly used are: R-32 in Air Conditioners and R-134A in refrigerators.
Other refrigerants that are available in Kenyan market currently are:
“R-290” (propane)
“R-600A” (iso-Butane). These are completely halogen free, have no ozone depletion potential and are lowest in terms of global warming potential. They also have high-energy efficiency but are highly flammable as they are hydrocarbons. But they are the greenest refrigerants in the market. Manufacturers, who use these refrigerants, claim that they have taken good care in using these refrigerants and the appliances are absolutely safe.
