Refrigeration
HFC & HFO Refrigeration
HFC and HFO refrigerants remain the most widely used refrigerants in commercial and light industrial refrigeration — present in the majority of installed refrigeration and air conditioning systems across supermarkets, cold rooms, process cooling and commercial HVAC. As F-Gas regulations drive the transition from high-GWP HFCs toward lower-GWP HFO blends and pure HFOs, the range of refrigerants in service is widening — each with specific lubricant requirements.
NEXT Lubricants supports HFC and HFO refrigeration with compressor lubricants covering the main refrigerants in commercial and industrial service.
Compression process
HFC & HFO Refrigeration — Process, Applications & Compressor Role
HFC refrigerants — including R134a, R404A, R507, R448A and R449A — and HFO refrigerants including R1234yf and R1234ze are used across a wide range of commercial and light industrial refrigeration applications where synthetic refrigerants are specified. As F-Gas regulations progressively restrict the use of high-GWP HFCs, many systems are transitioning from R404A and R507 to lower-GWP blends such as R448A and R449A, each requiring compatible lubricants selected for the specific refrigerant.
The compressor in an HFC or HFO system circulates the refrigerant and lubricant together throughout the entire circuit — through the compressor, condenser, expansion device and evaporator — before the lubricant returns to the compressor with the refrigerant. This means the lubricant must remain miscible with the refrigerant across the full operating temperature range, from the high-side condensing conditions down to the low-side evaporating temperatures of the specific application.
Supermarket & Food Retail Refrigeration
HFC and HFO refrigerants are widely used in commercial refrigeration systems serving supermarkets, convenience stores and food retail, covering both medium-temperature display cases and low-temperature freezer applications across a range of system configurations.
Industrial & Commercial Cold Storage
Cold rooms, blast chillers and temperature-controlled storage facilities in food processing, pharmaceutical and logistics environments use HFC and HFO refrigeration systems where precise temperature control and reliable continuous operation are required.
Process & Industrial Cooling
HFC refrigerants are used in process cooling applications across manufacturing, chemical processing and laboratory environments where controlled cooling temperatures are required as part of a wider production or research process.
Retrofits & Refrigerant Transitions
F-Gas regulation is driving active transition from high-GWP HFCs — particularly R404A and R507 — to lower-GWP alternatives including R448A, R449A and HFO blends. Each refrigerant transition requires careful consideration of lubricant compatibility with the new refrigerant and any residual lubricant remaining in the system.
Related Applications
Explore Other Refrigeration Applications
HFC and HFO refrigeration is one part of a broader refrigeration landscape. NEXT Lubricants also supports the following applications.
CO₂ Refrigeration
Industrial and commercial refrigeration systems where CO₂ is used as part of the overall system design and operating approach.
Hydrocarbon Refrigeration
Refrigeration applications using hydrocarbon refrigerants where system design and operating conditions can differ from ammonia-based systems.
Industrial Heat Pumps
Applications where heat is recovered and upgraded for industrial use, often with different system conditions and operating profiles.
Ammonia Refrigeration
Large-scale industrial refrigeration using ammonia across cold storage, food processing, freezing and industrial cooling applications.