R404A
Also known as: HFC-404A, R-404A
Short definitionAn HFC blend that was the standard for low- and medium-temperature commercial refrigeration for years. With a GWP of 3,922 it has been banned in new systems; R449A and R448A are taking its place.
R404A is a blend of three components (R125, R143a, R134a) with a temperature glide of only 0.7 K, so it behaves almost like a single fluid. It replaced R502 in the 1990s. It works between −45 °C and +10 °C and is in safety class A1: non-flammable, low toxicity. For a long time it was the first choice in cold rooms, blast freezers and supermarket cabinets.
R404A is no longer quoted for a new room. A one-kilogram leak is equivalent to 3.9 tonnes of CO₂, and since 2020 the EU F-gas regulation has banned refrigerants with a GWP above 2,500 in new commercial systems; the Turkish regulation goes the same way. An existing plant may keep running, but the gas is getting dearer and harder to find. For a major repair, conversion to R449A or R448A is considered.