Refrigerant FAQs & guides
114 plain-language answers, written from the trade floor and checked against primary sources — the Ozone Cell’s own documents, the Montreal Protocol texts, PESO’s rules, AHRI and ASHRAE standards. Every guide opens with the answer, then shows the working, then names its sources.
New to refrigerants?
Refrigerant Basics: a beginner's guide
What refrigerant gas is, how it works, what the R-numbers mean, whether it runs out, and how to buy genuine gas — in plain English, with links to deeper guides.
Refrigerant glossary
Plain definitions of the terms that matter in Indian practice — GWP, ODP, glide, A2L, ODS registration, PESO Form F, AHRI 700 and Scope 1.
Regulatory & legal
Is R-22 banned in India in 2026?
No — what ended on 1 January 2025 is manufacturing new HCFC equipment. Sale and servicing continue through registered sellers under declining quotas.
R-22 phase-out timeline in India (HPMP)
Every milestone from the 2013 freeze to the 2.5% servicing tail ending 2040, against the 1,608.20 ODP-tonne baseline.
When did manufacture of new R-22 equipment become banned in India?
From 1 January 2025, use of HCFCs in manufacturing any new equipment is prohibited in India under the ODS Amendment Rules, 2014. What changed, what remains legal, and what it means for buyers.
Who must register as a seller of ozone-depleting substances in India?
Under Rule 6 of the ODS Rules 2000, nobody may sell, stock or distribute R-22 without registration. Who needs it, how Form 10 works, and what records registered sellers must keep.
What buyer verification and returns are required when selling R-22?
Rule 7 of the ODS Rules requires buyer declarations (Schedule XII) for regulated end-uses, and sellers report sales via Form 4. How the paper trail works on both sides of an R-22 sale.
What is the Kigali Amendment and India's HFC phase-down schedule?
India ratified Kigali in September 2021 as an Article 5 Group 2 party: freeze in 2028, then 10% by 2032, 20% by 2037, 30% by 2042 and 85% by 2047. The full schedule and baseline formula.
Are HFCs like R-32 and R-410A banned in India?
No — HFCs are being phased DOWN under Kigali from 2028, not phased OUT like HCFCs. Why the distinction matters and what remains fully legal to buy and use in 2026.
What are the GWP values of R-22, R-32, R-410A, R-134a and R-404A?
R-22 = 1,810 (AR4); R-32 = 675; R-410A = 2,088; R-134a = 1,430; R-404A = 3,922. Why AR4 and AR5 differ, which regulators use, and how blend GWPs are calculated.
What is the ODP of R-22 versus HFC refrigerants?
R-22 has an Ozone Depletion Potential of 0.055 under Montreal Protocol Annex C; R-32, R-410A, R-134a and R-404A are all zero-ODP because they contain no chlorine.
What is the difference between CFC, HCFC, HFC and HFO refrigerants?
Four chemical families, four regulatory fates: CFCs banned, HCFCs phasing out, HFCs phasing down, HFOs emerging. The chemistry that decides each one's status.
Is there an anti-dumping duty on imported R-134a in India?
Yes — a definitive five-year anti-dumping duty on R-134a from China took effect 24 December 2025, with per-producer reference values from US$4,423 to US$5,251/MT. Full details and buyer impact.
What PESO licences apply to storing, filling or transporting refrigerant cylinders in India?
Refrigerants are compressed gases under the Gas Cylinders Rules 2016: Form E licenses filling and storage, Form F licenses storage, applications go via Form C, and licences run up to 10 years.
What are your legal duties when buying refrigerant?
The ODS purchase declaration for R-22, the PESO storage thresholds that apply to every gas, and the supplier checklist to run before your first order.
How refrigerant leaks become Scope 1 emissions
Kilograms leaked times GWP equals CO2e. The conversion table, the reporting frameworks that ask for it, and what your supplier should give you.
HPMP Stage III explained
Stage III of India's HCFC Phase-out Management Plan runs 2023 to 2030 and sets the servicing quota that decides R-22 availability.
Is R-123 banned in India?
R-123 is not banned outright in India. New HCFC equipment ended on 1 January 2025; existing chillers can be serviced while HCFC supply winds down to 2040.
The India Cooling Action Plan
ICAP sets 20-year targets for cooling demand, refrigerant demand and technician training. What the plan actually commits India to.
Can R-22 be imported into India?
HCFC import is controlled by quota and licensing under the ODS Rules. How the import regime works and why feedstock is treated differently.
Is there a licence for refrigerant technicians in India?
There is no handling licence for individuals in India, but there is a national certification framework: ITI, NSQF levels and the ESSCI qualification packs.
Is R-410A being phased out in India?
R-410A is not banned and has no end date for servicing. It is being phased down by quota under Kigali from 2028. What that means for equipment owners.
Is R-134a being phased out in India?
R-134a is not banned in India. It is phasing down under Kigali, and separately faces an anti-dumping duty on Chinese imports. What each means.
Is R-404A being phased out in India?
R-404A is not banned, but at a GWP near 3,922 it consumes the most Kigali quota per kilogram. Why it tightens first and what replaces it.
Selection & comparison
R-22 vs R-32 vs R-410A vs R-134a vs R-404A: what does each do?
Five refrigerants, five jobs: legacy ACs, modern splits, the 2006–2024 installed base, automotive and appliances, and cold chain. Properties, safety classes and where each belongs.
What can replace R-22 in an existing system?
Three mainstream retrofit paths out of R-22 (R-407C, R-427A and R-438A/MO99) plus R-407A for low-temp refrigeration. Oil requirements, capacity trade-offs, and the rules that make or break a retrofit.
Why are manufacturers switching from R-410A to R-32?
GWP of 675 vs 2,088, about 20–30% less charge, up to 12% better efficiency in Daikin testing, and ~370 million units sold globally — the numbers behind the R-32 transition.
Which refrigerant do new air conditioners in India use in 2026?
New Indian split and window ACs predominantly ship on R-32, with some R-410A models and a growing set of R-290 window units. Why R-32 won, and what it means for service stock.
Can you mix refrigerants or top up with a different refrigerant?
Mixing refrigerants creates an unidentifiable blend with unpredictable pressures, defeats superheat/subcool diagnostics, and can kill the compressor. What the rules are and why they exist.
What is the difference between single-component, zeotropic and azeotropic refrigerants?
Single-component fluids boil at one temperature; zeotropic blends glide across a range and must be liquid-charged; azeotropes behave like single fluids. Why the 400/500-series numbering tells you how to handle a gas.
R-22 vs R-410A: which for servicing?
Two different pressure regimes, two oils, zero interchangeability — how to service each side of the installed base.
What can replace R-404A in an existing system?
R-448A, R-449A and R-452A compared — what each suits, why none is a drop-in, and when converting is the wrong call.
Which refrigerant does your chiller run on?
Centrifugal, screw and scroll chillers run different refrigerants. R-134a, R-410A, R-407C and legacy R-22, and the low-pressure fluids we do not stock.
R-123 vs R-22: what is the difference?
R-123 and R-22 are both HCFCs controlled by India's ODS Rules, but they are not interchangeable. Pressure, equipment, safety class and supply compared.
What replaces R-123 in centrifugal chillers?
There is no drop-in for R-123. How R-1233zd(E), R-514A and other options compare for low-pressure centrifugal chillers, and what to check first.
Refrigerant for VRF systems
VRF systems run mainly on R-410A, with R-32 on newer platforms. Charge sizes, why top-up is not a top-up, and what a VRF job needs.
Refrigerants used in heat pumps
Heat pumps run R-32, R-410A and increasingly R-290 or R-1234ze. Why high-temperature output changes the refrigerant choice.
Refrigerant for ductable and packaged AC
Ductable splits and packaged units run R-410A and R-32 on newer plant, with a large installed base still on R-22 serviced under existing-equipment rules.
Refrigerant for deep freezers and ice plants
Blast freezers, ice plants and deep freezers run mainly on R-404A, with R-448A as the lower-GWP route and R-23 for ultra-low temperature.
Ultra-low-temperature cascade systems
Below minus 40 degrees a single stage runs out. How cascade systems work, where R-23 and R-508B each fit, and what handling them requires.
Safety, handling & storage
What do ASHRAE refrigerant safety classifications (A1, A2L, A3, B1) mean?
ASHRAE Standard 34 grades refrigerants by toxicity (A/B, 400 ppm OEL threshold) and flammability (1, 2L, 2, 3). What each class means and where the common gases sit.
Which refrigerants are flammable and which are non-flammable?
R-22, R-410A, R-134a and R-404A are non-flammable A1; R-32 is mildly flammable A2L; R-290 is highly flammable A3. What the classes require, and why 'non-flammable' still doesn't mean flame-safe.
What is an A2L refrigerant and what special handling does it need?
A2L means lower-toxicity, mildly flammable, burning velocity ≤10 cm/s. The tools, leak-detection, ventilation and IEC 60335-2-40 charge-limit rules R-32 work requires.
What are the refrigerant cylinder colour codes — and are they still valid?
R-22 green, R-410A rose, R-134a sky blue, R-404A orange — historically. AHRI Guideline N moved all containers to one grey-green (RAL 7044) from 2020: colour is no longer identification.
How should refrigerant cylinders be stored safely?
Upright, secured, ventilated, fire-resistant, away from heat and sun, below marked temperature limits, never repainted — the Gas Cylinders Rules 2016 storage duties in practice.
What happens if refrigerant is exposed to a flame?
Halogenated refrigerants decompose in flames and on hot surfaces into hydrogen fluoride — and, for chlorinated gases like R-22, hydrogen chloride and phosgene. The mechanism, symptoms and safe practice.
What is a refrigerant Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and why do buyers need it?
The SDS documents hazards, handling, storage, first aid, exposure limits and decomposition products. Why legitimate suppliers provide it, and how procurement teams should use it.
What are the transport rules for refrigerant cylinders in India?
Delivery only to licensed or exempt holders, cylinders supported and never dropped or rolled, competent personnel, valve protection — the Gas Cylinders Rules 2016 transport duties.
Is R-32 flammable?
R-32 is A2L: mildly flammable, hard to ignite, with a low burning velocity. What the classification means for storing and working with it.
Is refrigerant gas toxic?
Most common refrigerants are class A, lower toxicity. The real hazards are asphyxiation in confined spaces and decomposition near a flame.
Checking a cylinder's net weight
Tare, gross and net weight explained, and how a two-minute check on a scale catches short-filled cylinders before they reach a system.
Product & technical
Why do R-410A and R-32 run at higher pressures than R-22?
R-410A runs roughly 50–60% higher pressure than R-22 — about 125–145 psig suction and 350–410 psig discharge on a 95°F day. Why the difference exists and why gear is never interchangeable.
Why can't you use mineral oil with R-410A or other HFCs?
Mineral oil doesn't dissolve in HFCs, so it never returns to the compressor — starvation and bearing failure follow. Which oil goes with which refrigerant, and the retrofit flushing rule.
What is the AHRI 700 standard and why does it matter?
AHRI 700 specifies acceptable contaminant levels for fluorocarbon refrigerants regardless of source (new, reclaimed or repackaged) and the test methods to verify them. Why it protects your equipment.
What purity does AHRI 700 require — what does “99.5% purity” mean?
For a single-component fluorocarbon: impurities capped at 0.5% by weight, water at 10 ppm, non-condensables at 1.5% by volume, R-40 at 300 ppm. What each number protects against.
What cylinder sizes and formats is refrigerant sold in?
Three container families (disposable cans/cylinders, refillable cylinders, and large bulk containers) and the GCR 2016 rule that non-refillables must never be refilled. Pack sizes vary by brand.
Why evacuation decides whether a system survives
Air raises head pressure permanently; moisture forms acids. Triple evacuation, micron targets, and why POE oil made this far less forgiving.
How to find a refrigerant leak
Nitrogen standing-pressure tests, electronic detectors, bubble solution, ultrasonic and dye — what each finds, what it misses, and where leaks actually are.
How to clean up after a compressor burnout
A burnout contaminates the whole circuit. Telling mild from severe, the clean-up sequence, and why the follow-up acid test is the step that matters.
Charging a chiller
Why a chiller charge is weighed rather than guessed, when a top-up is acceptable, and why a zeotropic blend has to be charged as a liquid.
Topping up an R-32 inverter air conditioner
R-32 is a single component so it can be vapour charged, but an inverter unit that is low has leaked. What the trade should check first.
What is Freon gas?
Freon is a trademark, not a type of gas. What people mean when they say it, and which refrigerant your air conditioner actually contains.
What is R-123 refrigerant?
What R-123 (HCFC-123) is, where it is used in India, its properties and safety class, and why it is controlled under the same ODS rules as R-22.
What is chlorodifluoromethane?
Chlorodifluoromethane is the chemical name for R-22 (HCFC-22): its formula and CAS number, its refrigerant and feedstock uses, and how it is sold in India.
Buying & authenticity
How can you tell genuine refrigerant from counterfeit?
Buy branded product from registered sellers; verify SDS, batch and AHRI 700 conformity; inspect for scraping, repainting and tampered labels; check brand authentication features. Labels alone are not proof.
Why is fake or contaminated refrigerant dangerous?
Counterfeits often carry R-40 (methyl chloride), which reacts with aluminium to form spontaneously flammable trimethyl aluminium — the mechanism behind fatal reefer explosions. Even 2% of the wrong chemical can destroy a compressor.
What documentation should a legitimate refrigerant supplier provide?
Manufacturer SDS, GST tax invoice naming brand and product, batch number or COA where applicable, and for R-22, evidence of ODS seller registration. The complete paper set and what each item proves.
How to verify a licensed R-22 (ODS) seller
The four-step check: registration number, Form 4 discipline, branded SDS-backed product, and the paper trail that proves it.
How to read a refrigerant cylinder label
Batch number, test date, tare and gross weight, valve type and brand marks. What is stamped on a refrigerant cylinder and what each part tells you.
COA, batch numbers and traceability
What a certificate of analysis is, who issues it, what a batch number traces, and which documents should travel with a refrigerant cylinder.
The refrigerant brands we stock
We stock Stallion and Refron (GFL). Why an independent stockist carries two brands, and what that means for availability and documentation.
Stallion refrigerants
Stallion covers ten of our twelve lines, including R-448A, R-23, R-508B, R-1234yf and R-1234ze. What we stock and the documents that come with it.
Refron (GFL) refrigerants
Refron is Gujarat Fluorochemicals' refrigerant brand. The lines we hold, and the manufacturer Safety Data Sheets you can download here.
Refrigerant buyer FAQ
The questions we answer most at the counter: licences, documents, cylinder sizes, mixing, retrofits and what a legitimate supplier provides.
Availability & market
Will R-22 still be available for servicing after 2025?
Yes — India permits a 2.5% annual-average servicing allowance through 2030–2040, supplemented by reclaimed gas. What the supply curve looks like and how equipment owners should plan.
Why is R-22 still produced if it's being phased out?
R-22 used as feedstock to make other chemicals, chiefly TFE for PTFE fluoropolymers, is exempt from Montreal Protocol controls. India is the world's second-largest HCFC producer and makes only HCFC-22.
What is the A2L transition and what do technicians need to know?
As R-410A phases down, the industry moves to mildly flammable A2L fluids — R-32 today, R-454B globally. Training, tools, charge limits and habits that separate A2L-ready shops from the rest.
Does refrigerant reclamation, recovery or buyback happen in India?
Recovery, recycling and reclamation are built into the Montreal Protocol servicing strategy; the ODS Rules register reclaimers and destroyers (Form 14), and reclaimed gas must meet AHRI 700 to be reused.
What refrigerant should I use for cold storage or commercial refrigeration?
R-404A has been the fluorocarbon standard for low-temperature and commercial refrigeration; its 3,922 GWP is driving migration to R-407A/R-407F. How the choice actually gets made, and where ammonia rules.
Which refrigerant does automotive air conditioning use?
Indian automotive AC runs on R-134a (GWP 1,430), with newer global platforms moving to R-1234yf. Why the duty on Chinese imports matters, and what workshops should stock and verify.
Will India's HFC phase-down affect refrigerant prices?
Likely yes, over time: Kigali caps supply from 2028, the R-134a anti-dumping duty already firms one gas, and CO₂e quota maths squeezes high-GWP fluids first. Directional analysis, not a forecast.
How other countries run refrigerant take-back
The US, EU, Australian and Japanese systems, what they actually recover, and why India has the legal framework but no commercial reclaim market.
Why refrigerant prices move
Duty, quota, exchange rate, season and cylinder size all move refrigerant pricing. What drives it, and why no supplier can publish a rate that stays true.
HSN classification for refrigerant gases
Single-component refrigerants sit in Chapter 29 and blends in Chapter 38. Why the split matters on a purchase order and a GST invoice.
Ordering & documents
How to place a refrigerant order
Send the gas, the quantity and the delivery location. We confirm against current stock, raise a GST invoice and dispatch from Hyderabad.
What does refrigerant gas cost in Hyderabad?
Why we quote refrigerant rates rather than publish a list, what decides your rate, and how to get today's price for any gas we stock in one call.
How do you dispatch and deliver refrigerant?
In-stock refrigerant is ready for immediate dispatch in working hours. Collect in Ranigunj, Secunderabad, or we arrange transport across India at actual cost.
What we need from you to supply R-22
R-22 is a controlled substance. The buyer declaration, GST details and servicing purpose we record before supplying R-22 for existing equipment.
Documents we provide for vendor registration
GSTIN, Udyam registration, ODS seller registration, manufacturer Safety Data Sheets and a printable company profile. What our documents pack contains.
Bulk and multi-cylinder refrigerant supply
Multi-cylinder and repeat refrigerant supply from Hyderabad: how bulk orders are quoted, documented and dispatched across India.
Paperwork that travels with a refrigerant order
GST invoice, e-way bill, safety data sheet and, for R-22, the ODS record. What should accompany a refrigerant consignment in India.
Visiting the shop in Ranigunj
Where to find us in Ranigunj, what to bring for an R-22 purchase, opening hours, and what you can collect on the spot.
Industries & applications
Refrigerant supply for pharmaceutical plants
Chillers, cleanroom AHUs, stability chambers and cold rooms run on R-134a, R-407C, R-410A and legacy R-22, with GMP-grade documentation.
Refrigerant for chemical plants and process cooling
Process chillers, brine loops and reactor cooling run R-134a, R-407C and legacy R-22. What a chemical plant needs from a refrigerant supplier.
Refrigerant supply for data centres
Chilled-water plant and CRAC units cool continuously, so refrigerant continuity is an uptime issue. What Hyderabad data centres run on.
Refrigerant for dairy, ice cream and frozen food
Bulk milk coolers, blast freezers, ice plants and deep freezers run mainly on R-404A, with R-134a and R-407C in mid-temperature duty.
Refrigerant for supermarkets and retail display
Supermarket refrigeration runs R-404A on the installed base, moving to R-448A and R-449A. What a retail chain needs to plan for.
Refrigerant for reefer transport and cold chain
Truck refrigeration units and reefer containers historically ran R-404A and are moving to R-452A. What that means for servicing and charging.
Refrigerant for hotels, hospitals and malls
Chillers and VRF under AMC contracts run on R-410A, R-32, R-134a and legacy R-22. What building operators need from refrigerant supply, and why.
Refrigerant supply for HVAC and MEP contractors
Contractors buy two ways: project purchasing against a BOQ, and AMC servicing supply. Bulk gas, accessories on one dispatch, handover documents.
Supply for AC service technicians and the trade
Counter supply for the trade in Hyderabad: stock lines in working sizes, accessories on the same visit, and gas that comes with its paperwork.
Supply for car AC workshops
Indian car air conditioning runs on R-134a, with R-1234yf on newer platforms. What a workshop should stock, and why the two must never be mixed.
Refrigerant supply across Telangana's industrial clusters
Where refrigerant demand sits in Telangana: the pharma belt, Genome Valley, Pharma City, cold chain and Hyderabad's data centres.
Reference tables & tools
GWP table: every common refrigerant
Global warming potential and ozone depletion potential for 25 refrigerants, on IPCC AR4, the basis India uses under the Kigali Amendment.
Refrigerant blend compositions
What is actually inside R-410A, R-404A, R-407C, R-448A and R-508B, whether each blend glides, and why composition decides how you charge it.
Refrigerant and oil compatibility
Which lubricant goes with which refrigerant, why HFCs need ester oil, and the residual mineral oil limit that decides whether a retrofit survives.
How to read a pressure-temperature chart
What a PT chart is for, why blends show two columns, and how to use dew and bubble point correctly for superheat and subcooling.
What the R-numbers mean
The ASHRAE numbering scheme is not arbitrary. What R-22, R-134a, R-410A and R-717 each tell you about the molecule before you look anything up.
Cylinder sizes we stock, gas by gas
The cylinder and drum sizes we hold for each of our twelve refrigerant lines, and why the size you choose changes more than the price.
Refrigerant retrofit selector
A side-by-side comparison of the established retrofit routes out of R-22 and R-404A, what each suits and what each costs you in work.
Refrigerant leak to CO2e calculator
Convert kilograms of refrigerant lost into tonnes of CO2 equivalent, the figure Scope 1 and BRSR reporting asks for.
For AC owners
AC gas refill: what it actually involves
What an AC gas refill actually involves, what a proper job looks like, and the questions worth asking before anyone touches your unit.
Does your AC actually need gas?
Poor cooling usually is not low refrigerant. How to tell the difference before you pay for a refill you may not need.
Fake AC gas and how to avoid it
Counterfeit refrigerant is a real problem in India. What it does to a compressor, why R-40 is dangerous, and how to check what goes into your unit.