The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute is looking for help with an industry-wide project.

The Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute is looking for help with an industry-wide research project.

As part of its evaluation of alternative HVAC refrigerants with low global warming potential, the institute would like manufacturers and research laboratories to test the products it has identified as the most promising.      

"The intent of the program is to help industry select promising low GWP refrigerants, understand technical challenges, avoid duplicative efforts, and efficiently use industry resources," said AHRI’s vice president of regulation and research, Karim Amrane.

Tests are to be done in three categories: compressor calorimeter tests, drop-in system tests and soft-optimized system tests. Companies interested will be required to perform all tests at their laboratories with at least one candidate refrigerant compared to its baseline, using its own resources, at the company’s expense. Participants will have early access to results.

The results will eventually be released to the public, the AHRI said.

Interested companies should email AHRI research manager Xudong Wang at xwang@ahrinet.org for the testing protocols.