Sustainability
R290
Term from the vending glossary
Propane refrigerant with very low global warming potential (GWP 3). Increasingly becoming the standard in cooling vending machines and smart fridges, replacing climate-damaging F-gases.
R290 is propane used as a refrigerant. It cools efficiently, is readily available at low cost, and has a global warming potential orders of magnitude lower than older fluorinated refrigerants — the reason why European F-Gas regulation drives the industry in this direction.
The trade-off is flammability. This entails limited refrigerant charge per circuit, requirements for placement and ventilation, and the requirement that all refrigeration circuit work must be performed by qualified technicians. For the operator in practice: the machine is reliable as long as service work remains in qualified hands, and the service contract should explicitly specify technician qualifications.