Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine November 2025

HVACR NewsMagazine November 2025

Tech News

The orbiting scroll moves in a somewhat circular, oscillating motion. As that orbiting scroll moves, it squeezes pockets of vapor together and moves that vapor to the center of the scroll in the process, where that vapor is then discharged.

The challenge is that we can't use R-410A compressors with these new A2Ls and expect the same reliability and efficiency. Governing bodies like the U.S. Department of Energy set specific SEER and EER targets that new HVAC equipment must meet. That means each time there's a new refrigerant, manufacturers adjust the scroll geometry for the best possible efficiency. Refrigerant pressure, temperature, and oil requirements also factor into the design. R-32 has higher discharge temperatures than R 410A, and compressors need to be able to handle those higher temperatures. R-32 also requires a more viscous oil type to dissipate that heat. R-454B has a little bit of glide, which is another design and service consideration. Copeland Bulletin 93-11 has a list of refrigerants used in Copeland scroll compressors and the oil types they require. It also has notes on phaseouts, brand names, alternatives (where applicable), and special use cases. R-410A uses POE oil in most cases. R-32 and R-454B do as well. However, R-32 uses a different type of POE oil due to its higher discharge temperatures. Excessive discharge temperatures can cause oil to break down, which then causes internal components to overheat. When we have those high discharge temperatures, we need a thicker oil that doesn't break down and can keep the parts lubricated. R-410A and R-32 use POE-36, but R-32 uses POE-46. As such, R-32 compressors need to be designed to work efficiently with a different oil type. Oil Types

That's such an efficient design because there can be lower-pressure vapor in the outer scroll cells while high-pressure vapor is in the center scrolls at the same time. They're also versatile, as we see them in residential and commercial applications, including low-temp refrigeration. Apart from their efficiency and versatility, they tend to be quieter and are built with fewer moving parts than rotary and reciprocating compressors.

Credit: Copeland