Review and bibliometric analysis of refrigerants applied in heat pump systems

Authors

Author(s):
,

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3846/da.2026.2266

Language:

Lithuanian

Abstract

With increasingly stringent climate mitigation requirements and regulatory measures, the need to phase out high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants and introduce sustainable alternatives in heat pump technologies has become particularly urgent. This study presents a comprehensive overview of refrigerants used in heat pump systems, covering both synthetic and natural substances: R134a, R410A, R32, R245fa, R245ca, R22, CO₂ (R744), propane (R290), ammonia (R717), R1234yf, R452B, R454B, and R466A. The article also incorporates a bibliographic analysis conducted using the SCOPUS database and VOSviewer keyword co­occurrence visualisation tools. In this case, the study evaluates the following thematic areas: refrigerants, including natural ones, thermodynamic efficiency, and environmental impact. The results reveal a clear research trend showing that, in recent years, scientific attention has increasingly shifted toward low-­GWP and natural refrigerants, particularly propane (R290) and carbon dioxide (R744), which demonstrate favourable thermodynamic properties and minimal direct environmental impact.

 

Article in Lithuanian

Keywords:

heat pump, refrigerant, efficiency, global warming potential

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Published

2026-09-22