The past couple of years have presented challenges for the global supply chain and our industry has not been excluded from those challenges. Supply chain issues from the COVID pandemic combined with contamination at a naturally occurring CO₂ site have had a lingering impact on CO₂ gas production and its availability.

CO₂ is produced as a byproduct of several manufacturing processes such as the formation of hydrocarbons or various distillation and fermentation processes.  After CO₂ gas has been isolated it is purified into various levels, removing impurities, moisture, and non-condensable gases resulting in different grades of CO₂ for various applications.

In the world of refrigeration, CO₂ is used in a variety of applications including in grocery stores, food processing operations, and warehouses just to name a few. Many of these facilities operate with large systems that utilize CO₂ to refrigerate an entire operation. When it comes to these powerhouse systems, it is imperative to use a CO₂ gas that is of a purity level high enough to prevent the introduction of non-condensable gases into the system, for example, Coleman (Instrument) Grade which is 99.99% pure. Impurities in a system can damage equipment, cause inefficient operation or malfunction the system altogether. However, in emergency or shortage situations CO₂ grades of lower purity levels such as “Industrial Grade (99.5%)” and “Bone Dry Grade (99.8%)” can be used, but not recommended without precautions. The system should include a filter drier in the line as part of the charging process and after the equipment is properly charged, a thorough check for non-condensable gases should be performed, If these non-condensable gases get charged into the system, it will be required to remove these from the system.

With the looming impact of regulations and the growing movement toward natural refrigerants, companies must be fully informed of the global supply challenges and the precautions and preparations needed. Using natural refrigerants is better for our planet and a company’s bottom line and, natural refrigerants like CO₂ have zero impact on the ozone. These systems are efficient, and cost-effective, comply with all of today’s regulations, and will for the foreseeable future. So, while there are some supply challenges to overcome, in the long run, the decision to utilize CO₂ as a refrigerant can give retailers a more secure place in the future.