What refrigerant do small appliances like household refrigerators and freezers predominantly use now?

Household refrigerators and freezers predominantly use HFC-134a as their refrigerant due to its favorable properties for low-temperature applications and its relatively lower environmental impact compared to older refrigerants like R-22. HFC-134a has excellent thermodynamic efficiency, which makes it effective at transferring heat while maintaining energy efficiency in cooling processes.

Additionally, the use of HFC-134a aligns with regulations aimed at reducing ozone-depleting substances, as this refrigerant does not contribute to ozone layer depletion. Its adoption has been widespread in the household refrigeration market since it effectively replaces CFC refrigerants that were phased out due to their harmful environmental effects.

In contrast, other refrigerants listed, such as R-22, are being phased down due to their high global warming potential and ozone-depleting potential, and HFC-410A and R-404A are more commonly used in commercial refrigeration and air conditioning systems rather than small household appliances.