Audi 100 1991 ➤ , Audi 80 1992 ➤ , Audi A1 2011 ➤ , Audi A1 Sportback 2 ...
Air conditioner with refrigerant R134a - Edition 11.2018
⇒ “2.9.1 Comfort of vehicle occupants”, page 15
⇒ “2.9.2 Environmental aspects”, page 15
2.9.1
Comfort of vehicle occupants
A basic requirement for safety and concentration while driving is
a feeling of comfort in the passenger compartment. Especially
when conditions are hot and humid, a good level of comfort can
only be achieved with air conditioning. Passenger comfort can of
course also be improved by opening the windows or sun roof, or
by increasing the air flow. This, however, involves several draw‐
backs for the occupants, e.g. more noise, draughts, exhaust
fumes and unfiltered pollen (unpleasant for allergy sufferers).
Climate control together with a good heating and ventilation sys‐
tem can create a sense of well-being and comfort by regulating
temperature, humidity and air circulation in the passenger com‐
partment to suit ambient conditions, both when the vehicle is
stationary and when it is moving.
Other important advantages of air conditioning:
♦ Filtration of the air supplied to the passenger compartment
(dust and pollen, for example, are washed out by the moist fins
of the evaporator and discharged with the condensation).
♦ Pleasant temperature levels (example: mid-size car after short
travelling time, ambient temperature 30 °C in the shade and
vehicle exposed to sunlight)
With air conditioning Without air condi‐
tioning
At head height
At chest level
In footwell
23 °C
24 °C
30 °C
42 °C
40 °C
35 °C
2.9.2
Environmental aspects
Since about 1992, the air conditioning systems of newly manu‐
factured cars have been successively changed to refrigerant
R134a. This refrigerant contains no chlorine and therefore does
not deplete the ozone layer.
Up until roughly 1992, refrigerant R12 was used for air condition‐
ing systems. Due to its chlorine atoms, this CFC had a high ozone
depletion potential as well as potential for intensifying the green‐
house effect.
Conversion programmes are available for old existing systems
filled with the ozone-depleting substance R12 ⇒ Workshop Man‐
ual for air conditioners with refrigerant R12 (this Workshop Man‐
ual is available in hardcopy form only).
The global warming potential (GWP) of R134a is approx. 1400;
the European Commission has therefore ruled that vehicles using
this refrigerant may no longer be made available on the market
from 1 January 2017 onwards ⇒ page 10 . From 2016 onwards,
refrigerant with a GWP of less than 150 will be used for newly
manufactured vehicles (e.g. refrigerant R1234yf with a GWP of
less than 5).
For environmental reasons, refrigerants must not be released into
the atmosphere ⇒ page 73 (see the relevant environmental leg‐
islation).
2.10
General work safety
♦ In accordance with regulations of the German industrial liabil‐
ity insurance association, VBG 20, (other regulations may
apply in other countries)
2. General information on air conditioning systems
15
English 
