A new textbook, Safe with Propane In Heat Pumps and Chillers (Trygg med Propan I Varmepumper Og Kjølemaskiner) “provides an easy-to-understand and professionally sound introduction to how to work safely with propane [R290] in heat pumps, air conditioning and refrigeration systems,” says author Stig Rath on his website.
Rath, a Norwegian refrigeration expert with nearly 40 years of experience, specializes in regulations, standards and flammable refrigerants. He works on safety and environmental requirements for refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pump systems in Europe as well as on competence requirements. In addition to his consulting practice, he is employed full-time by Multiconsult.
His new book, priced at DKK775 (US$120.18), is aimed at installers, manufacturers, plumbers, end users, advisors and authorities, enabling them to be “equipped to face a future where the dominant refrigerant is propane,” Rath says. It covers indoor and outdoor systems, regulations, risk assessment, ex zones [hazardous areas] and safety measures during installation and service.
The book “is the first publication to offer a complete overview of legislation, standards and best practices for the use of hydrocarbons in refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump systems,” said Rath in a LinkedIn post. “By following the guidance in this book, you can be confident that your installation meets all current requirements and is safe to use.”
The book will enable stakeholders to be “equipped to face a future where the dominant refrigerant is propane.”
Stig Rath, author of Safe with Propane In Heat Pumps and Chillers
Safe with Propane In Heat Pumps and Chillers is written in Rath’s native Norwegian but will be available in English and German by mid-September in both print and digital formats. Orders can be made through his website or by emailing him (at stig@srcon.no). The book can also be purchased from the wholesalers Moderne Kjøling and Grønt Klima or ordered from all bookstores in Norway.
Rath also offers a course on regulations, standards and best practices for flammable refrigerants under the auspices of the Norwegian Heat Pump Association (NOVAP). He tailors in-house courses and customer seminars in the fields of refrigerants, refrigeration systems and heat pumps. All courses and customer seminars are held either at the customer’s or his premises. Customers include manufacturers, wholesalers, suppliers, refrigeration and heat pump contractors, and plumbing and ventilation companies.
Widespread use of propane
In addition to being used globally in most commercial display cabinets, in Europe propane is increasingly employed in commercial and industrial chillers as well as in residential heat pumps and some home and auto air-conditioning systems.
Efforts are underway in the U.S. to increase the allowable charge of propane in heat pumps to 4.9kg (10.8lbs) in outdoor (indirect) residential heat pumps and air conditioners. Twenty-three states have already passed legislation that would enable this use of hydrocarbons (in addition to A2Ls), once UL 60335-2-40 and ASHRAE-15 are updated and EPA SNAP (Significant New Alternatives Program) approved.
However, Avipsa Mahapatra, Climate Campaign Director for the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) US, noted at the ATMOsphere (ATMO) America 2025 conference in June that “working group discussions [on propane charge changes] are on hold pending the initiation of research and development grants.”
Another textbook on natural refrigerants, covering hydrocarbons, CO2 (R744) and ammonia (R717), is Natural Refrigerants: Applications and Practical Guidelines, available here. The book presents the experiences and techniques of industrial refrigeration and transfers them to commercial refrigeration applications. It covers the general conditions and legal requirements for the use of natural refrigerants as well as the economic efficiency of the refrigeration systems.
