R-123 vs R-22: what is the difference?
Servicing an R-22 system or an R-123 chiller? We supply both as a registered ODS seller.
Side by side
| R-22 | R-123 | |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical | Chlorodifluoromethane, CHClF2 | 2,2-dichloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane, CHCl2CF3 |
| Boiling point at 1 atm | −40.8 °C | 27.8 °C |
| Working pressure | Well above atmospheric | Evaporator below atmospheric |
| Typical equipment | Split and packaged AC, screw chillers, commercial refrigeration | Water-cooled centrifugal chillers; fire-extinguisher blends |
| ASHRAE safety class | A1 | B1 |
| ODP | 0.055 | 0.02 |
| GWP (IPCC AR4) | 1,810 | 77 |
| Lubricant | Mineral oil | Mineral oil |
| Produced in India | Yes, India's only domestically produced HCFC | No, imported |
| India status | New equipment prohibited since 1 January 2025; servicing supply continues to 2040 | |
What they share: the regulation
Both are listed in Annex C Group I of the Montreal Protocol and controlled in India under the ODS (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. Sellers of either must be registered, and the 2025 prohibition on using HCFCs in new equipment applies to both. They also draw on one allowance: India's HCFC phase-out is measured in ODP tonnes across all HCFCs together, and HCFC-22 is by far the largest part of it (602.00 of the 1,608.20 ODP-tonne baseline, against 3.50 for HCFC-123).
Our guides on R-22 and R-123 cover each in detail.
Where they differ: pressure and equipment
R-22 boils at −40.8 °C, so an R-22 system runs well above atmospheric pressure everywhere, and a leak pushes refrigerant out. R-123 boils at 27.8 °C, so the evaporator of an R-123 chiller runs below atmospheric pressure, and a leak there pulls air and moisture in. That is why R-123 machines carry a purge unit and R-22 systems do not.
The machines follow from the pressures. Centrifugal compressors move large volumes of vapour at low pressure ratios, which suits a low-pressure fluid like R-123. The rotary, scroll, reciprocating and screw compressors in split ACs, packaged units and screw chillers were built around R-22.
Why one can never replace the other
A compressor, heat exchangers and controls are designed around one refrigerant's pressures and vapour density. R-22's working pressures are many times higher than R-123's, so the fluids are not alternatives in any sense: putting one into equipment built for the other is unsafe and will not work. When either machine needs a new refrigerant, the choice is a manufacturer-approved retrofit or a replacement. See R-22 retrofit options and R-123 replacements.
Safety: A1 versus B1
Neither burns. The difference is toxicity. R-22 is class A1, the lower-toxicity group. R-123 is class B1, with a workplace exposure limit of 50 ppm, which is why R-123 plant rooms need refrigerant detection and ventilation designed for it. Both decompose into acids, including hydrogen fluoride, in a flame or on a hot surface. ASHRAE safety classes explains the lettering.
Supply in India
R-22 is made in India and still services a very large installed base of air conditioners, so it remains a mainstream servicing gas, sold by registered sellers for servicing existing equipment. R-123 is imported in small volumes, 47.2 tonnes in 2021, for a much smaller fleet of centrifugal chillers. Both come out of the same shrinking HCFC allowance, which reaches zero on 1 January 2040.
Each seller's registration names the substances it covers, so one that names only HCFC-22 does not cover R-123. We hold one for each and supply R-22 and R-123 from Hyderabad.
Quick answers
Is R-123 the same as R-22?
No. Both are HCFCs under the same ODS Rules, but R-22 is a high-pressure refrigerant for split, packaged and screw-chiller systems, while R-123 is a low-pressure refrigerant for centrifugal chillers.
Can R-123 replace R-22?
No. Their pressures are completely different, and neither can be used in equipment designed for the other.
Are R-123 and R-22 banned in India?
Neither is banned outright. Since 1 January 2025 HCFCs cannot be used to manufacture new equipment, and servicing supply for existing equipment continues until 1 January 2040.
Does an R-22 ODS registration cover R-123?
Only if the certificate names HCFC-123 as well. Each registration lists the substances the seller may sell.
- Montreal Protocol, Annex C Group I (HCFCs and their ODP values) · ozone.unep.org.
- IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (2007), Working Group I, Table 2.14: HCFC-123 100-year GWP 77, lifetime 1.3 years · ipcc.ch.
- Ozone Cell, MoEFCC · HCFC Phase-out Management Plan Stage-III (2023–2030): India's HCFC-123 imports 2016–2021 from Article 7 data; baseline starting points; Stage-III covers HCFC-22, HCFC-142b, HCFC-123 and HCFC-124.
- Ozone Cell, MoEFCC · HCFC Phase-out Management Plan Stage-II (2017): India produces only HCFC-22 and imports all HCFC-123; HCFC-123 applications in centrifugal chillers and portable fire-extinguisher blends.
- Ozone Cell, MoEFCC · A Handbook for HCFC Phase-out and Energy Efficiency in Buildings: centrifugal chillers of 300 TR and above commonly use low-pressure HCFC-123.
- R-123 Safety Data Sheet (National Refrigerants): boiling point, AIHA WEEL of 50 ppm TWA, health effects and decomposition products · PDF.
- Ozone Cell, MoEFCC · ozonecell.nic.in: “From 1st January 2025, use of HCFCs in manufacturing of all new equipment is prohibited under the Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Amendment Rules, 2014.”
This guide is general information compiled from the cited sources, not legal, safety or engineering advice. Read our full disclaimer.
Related: R-123 supply · What is R-123? · Is R-123 banned in India? · R-123 replacements · R-22 servicing supply · CFC, HCFC, HFC and HFO