Natural refrigerant projects — ammonia, CO₂ and propane systems
Regulation (F-gas, AIM Act, Kigali) is pushing operators to natural refrigerants. ColdMatch sources ammonia (NH₃), CO₂ transcritical and propane (R290) refrigeration plants — new-build and HFC conversion — from specialist OEMs and EPC contractors worldwide.
What ColdMatch delivers
- NH₃ industrial plants — low-charge, packaged and central systems
- CO₂ transcritical and subcritical racks for retail, cold storage and industrial
- Propane (R290) chillers and self-contained units
- HFC-to-natural refrigerant conversion projects
- Compliance support: F-gas, AIM Act, Kigali, local safety codes
Compare refrigerants side-by-side
ColdMatch helps buyers prepare cold chain RFQs and source suitable suppliers.
Directory pages are for discovery and SEO. ColdMatch is not an automatic marketplace and does not directly connect buyers with refrigeration manufacturers — supplier matching and introductions are managed manually by ColdMatch.
- 1. You submit a cold room, cold storage, industrial refrigeration, pharma cold chain, food logistics or mobile cold room request.
- 2. ColdMatch reviews your request and prepares the project brief — temperature range, product type, country, size, budget and operational needs.
- 3. Only after the brief is understood, ColdMatch searches for suitable suppliers.
- 4. David continues with you personally and introduces suppliers only when relevant.
Supplier and manufacturer listings are provided for research, transparency and discovery only. ColdMatch Group does not provide automatic buyer-supplier introductions. Every cold chain project request is reviewed manually by David / ColdMatch Group, and supplier introductions are made only after internal approval.
R404A, R134a, R410A and R22 — replacement paths, dated deadlines, retrofit cost and payback ranges in one place.
When should ammonia refrigeration be considered?
Ammonia (R717) is the efficiency benchmark for large, concentrated industrial loads — typically above roughly 300 kW on a single site with a dedicated machinery room, trained operators, gas detection and a safety regime. It is toxic and regulated, so it is rarely appropriate for unattended plant, occupied retail space or sites without a competent maintenance team.
When is CO2 the better choice?
Transcritical CO2 (R744) suits mid-size and distributed systems, sites where ammonia is restricted by planning or occupancy, and low-temperature duty in cooler climates. In hot ambients transcritical operation costs efficiency unless parallel compression, ejectors or adiabatic gas coolers are specified. CO2 runs at high pressure, so pipework, components and technician training must be rated accordingly.
Where do hydrocarbons fit?
Propane (R290) and similar hydrocarbons deliver excellent efficiency at low GWP in small charges — packaged chillers, modular cold rooms, mobile units and off-grid systems. Charge limits and flammability classification govern how and where they can be installed, so they suit compact self-contained plant rather than large field-erected systems.
How does refrigerant choice affect project cost and compliance?
Natural refrigerants usually raise capital cost through safety systems, higher-rated components and specialist installation, and lower lifetime cost through efficiency and freedom from future phase-down pricing. Synthetic HFCs face progressive quota reduction and rising prices in many markets, so a system specified today should be assessed on the refrigerant's expected availability across its full service life.
- •Country, project location and site status (greenfield or existing building)
- •Application and product stored or processed
- •Required temperature range and any humidity requirement
- •Storage capacity (m², m³ or pallet positions) and daily throughput
- •Ambient/design climate conditions at site
- •Available power supply and backup or redundancy requirement
- •Preferred refrigerant, if already defined by policy or regulation
- •Indicative budget range and target commissioning date
- •Any refrigerant restriction from site policy, insurer or regulator
- •Availability of trained operators and a machinery room
- •Design ambient temperature and heat-rejection method
- •Expected service life and refrigerant phase-down exposure
Frequently asked questions
How ColdMatch Group works — independent B2B procurement and sourcing platform — ColdMatch Group is an independent B2B procurement and sourcing platform for industrial refrigeration, cold storage and cold-chain projects from USD $250K+, connecting buyers with qualified third-party suppliers, EPC contractors and independent financing providers.
Explore every ColdMatch buying guide
RFQ checklist, cost benchmarks, and country-by-country buying guides — all in one hub.
Back to Guides HubTake this to a structured refrigeration RFQ
Refrigeration bids are only comparable when refrigerant, duty, evaporating temperature, redundancy and controls are specified. Qualify the design intent, then issue one RFQ.
Supplier-neutral. Free for buyers and project owners. Best suited to commercial projects from USD $250,000.