Reference source : BIS
On 29 June 2026, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) released a Wide Circulation Draft (WCD) of Amendment No. 1 to IS 5610:2025 Refrigerants Specification (Third Revision) prepared by the Industrial Gases Sectional Committee (CHD 6) under the Chemical Department (CHD). Comments are invited from industry stakeholders, manufacturers, testing laboratories, government agencies, academia, and the general public with the deadline for submissions being 28 August 2026.
The proposed amendment seeks to update the existing Indian Standard for refrigerants by revising the technical specifications, testing methods, quality requirements, and packaging provisions in order to enhance product quality, safety, and regulatory compliance.
Key Highlights of the Amendment
The amendment revises the maximum permissible limits for several critical parameters as listed in the table.
|
Sl No. |
Characteristic |
R-22 Technical |
R-22 Pure |
R-32 |
R-125 |
|
(i) |
Moisture, ppm, w/w, Max |
10 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
|
(ii) |
Non-absorbable gases in vapor phase, percent v/v, Max |
1.5 |
0.5 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
|
(iii) |
*Initial boiling point, ℃, Max |
- 40.8 |
- 40.8 |
- 51.7 |
- 48.1 |
|
(iv) |
*Boiling range from 5 to 85 percent evaporation, ℃, Max |
± 0.3 |
± 0.3 |
± 0.3 |
± 0.3 |
|
(v) |
Acidity, as hydrochloric acid (HCl), ppm, w/w, Max |
1 |
0.1 |
1 |
1 |
|
(vi) |
High Boiling Residue, %, w/w, Max |
0.002 0 |
0.001 0 |
0.010 0 |
0.010 0 |
|
(vii) |
Appearance |
Colorless |
Clear and Colorless |
Colorless |
Colorless |
|
(viii) |
Particulates / Solids |
Visually Clean |
Visually Clean |
Visually Clean |
Visually Clean |
|
(ix) |
Chloride, no visible turbidity (indicates about 3 ppm) |
No visible turbidity |
No visible turbidity |
No visible turbidity |
No visible turbidity |
|
(x) |
Purity, %, w/w, Min |
99.90 (B-11) |
99.98 (B-11) |
99.90 (B-11) |
99.50 (B-10) |
|
(xi) |
All other volatile impurities, %, w/w, Max |
0.10 (B-11) |
0.02 (B-11) |
0.10 (B-11) |
0.50 (B-10) |
Major Changes in Packaging Requirements
The amendment now specifies:
Refrigerants above 500 ml and up to 5 litres shall be supplied in cylinders fitted with valves conforming to IS 7142:2025.
Containers above 5 litres shall comply with IS 3196 (Part 2) and the Gas Cylinder Rules, 2016.
Refrigerants of 500 ml or less must be supplied only in non-refillable metal containers.
Bulk transportation may be carried out using approved ISO tanks.
All cylinders and ISO tanks must include tamper-proof sealing and identification for every filling.
The amendment also permits refilling from ISO tanks into cylinders, provided that the refrigerant and the new packaging both comply with the revised standard.
Mandatory Burst/Pressure Relief Testing
A new burst/pressure relief test has been introduced for small containers.
Manufacturers must test 32 sample containers through hydrostatic pressure until rupture or leakage occurs. Compliance will now be evaluated using the Process Capability Index (Cpk).
Updates to Testing Methods
The amendment revises several laboratory procedures by:
Allowing the use of any suitable desiccant
Replacing syringe specifications with a 10 ml syringe
Permitting any suitable certified calibration standard
Updating thermometer accuracy and temperature ranges for refrigerant analysis
Industry Impact
The amendment will enhance refrigerant quality, improve product safety, standardize laboratory testing, and strengthen regulatory compliance across India's refrigeration, air-conditioning, cold chain, and HVAC sectors.
It forms part of BIS's ongoing efforts to align Indian refrigerant standards with evolving industry practices and international quality and safety expectations.