Traditionally, most ice rink operators using chillers as their refrigeration system have used ammonia as a primary refrigerant coupled with a brine or glycol as a secondary refrigerant. Within the past decade, carbon dioxide (CO₂), a very common and inexpensive refrigerant which is free of the drawbacks of ammonia (e.g., toxicity, flammability, incompatibility with copper, etc.), has rapidly gained traction as a viable refrigerant for ice rink applications. CO₂ is a low-cost, entirely nontoxic, environmentally friendly refrigerant with excellent heat-transfer capabilities making it truly “future-focused” by meeting every international refrigerant requirement for today and tomorrow. The low environmental impact and cost-effective operation, as well as the progress made in the technology and design of CO₂ loops, makes this a realistic and promising sustainable alternative.

The Hillphoenix Transcritical CO₂ Booster System for direct ice rink architectures delivers improved ice quality and pump power energy savings of up to 90% compared to traditional systems.

As of 2020, a major U.S. ice rink contractor reports installation of over 50 CO₂ ice rinks across North America, which represents approximately 50% of their new rink installations. Based on the results the contractor has obtained, CO₂ has become their first suggestion to customers for any future installation or retrofit.

Four newly built rinks at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games used alternative carbon dioxide (CO₂) cooling systems with far less of an impact on global warming than the synthetic refrigerants (HFCs) used in other such venues.

Art Sutherland, a refrigeration consultant for the IOC, said officials in Beijing didn’t want to use ammonia because of fears about toxic leaks. They opted instead for CO₂ cooling; a relatively newer option that has safer operation and a negligible climate impact, especially when compared to synthetic refrigerants.

Read “Beijing Olympics Puts Global Spotlight on CO2 Refrigeration at Ice Rinks” article on R744.com