Key takeaways
- A CO₂ freezer gives you smoother, drier ice cream and helps with tricky recipes like high-protein and low-sugar.
- CO₂ is a natural refrigerant with very low climate impact, so it’s future-ready; no need to worry about EU and Australian phase-outs of harmful gases.
- You can bring CO₂ into your factory step by step with standalone units, add-ons, or central systems.
Simon, Managing Director at Artisan Industrial, sums it up: ‘CO₂ is the future. Everything’s better with CO₂.’
Take a look at Teknoice’s continuous freezer range to explore your CO₂ upgrade options.
Why CO₂ is a better option than Freon and ammonia
In industrial ice cream production, the continuous freezer is the engine room. For years, you had two main refrigerant options: Freon-type gases or ammonia. CO₂ freezers now give you a third path that removes a lot of the pain points of both.
Freon and the phase-out
The EU has implemented new F-gas legislation, phasing out the synthetic refrigerants often referred to as Freon (mainly hydrofluorocarbons like R404A). These rules directly affect Australia because most commercial freezers here come from European manufacturers.
Here are the dates that matter:
- 2027: The first bans begin on new refrigeration equipment that uses environment-harming HFCs (the category Freon sits in).
- 2030: The EU’s HFC quota drops sharply again, making Freon-based equipment harder and more expensive to produce.
- 2035: Most new equipment using high-GWP HFCs will no longer be allowed to be sold.
- 2050: Full phase-out of HFCs in the EU.
Simon explains, ‘European manufacturers won’t be able to use Freon in their machines, which means they’ll eventually disappear from the market. CO₂ gives you a future-proof alternative.’
Ammonia (R717): powerful, but complex and dangerous
Ammonia is still common in industrial ice cream production lines, but it comes with serious strings attached.
As Simon explains, ‘To run ammonia, you have to have an ammonia plant, which requires a lot of infrastructure and safety. You’ve got piping running all through the factory. If you get one ammonia leak, everybody’s affected.’
Ammonia is both toxic and flammable, and inhalation can cause harm or even death.
Ammonia may still be the logical choice for some, but it requires strict safety precautions and an infrastructure overhaul.
Why a CO₂ freezer is the better choice
CO₂ is a natural refrigerant with zero ozone-depleting potential and extremely low global warming potential (GWP). It also has excellent thermodynamic properties that make it extremely efficient as a refrigerant.
Better for the environment
A modern CO₂ freezer gives you:
- Zero ozone-depleting potential and a global warming potential of 1, while common HFC blends can sit in the thousands
- A refrigerant that is unaffected by long-term phase-down goals
- No need to keep chasing new synthetic blends every time the rules change
Better for your ice cream
This is the fun part. CO₂ freezers can cool faster and more evenly, so they’re fantastic for the product.
CO₂ freezers deliver:
- 4–5 times higher heat-transfer capacity than Freon and ammonia
- Smaller ice crystals, which means smoother, better quality ice cream
- Stronger colour separation when you run multi-colour ice creams
- Reduced freezing time, meaning better productivity
Simon says, ‘You get a better ice cream product, smaller ice crystals, the machine has a higher capacity, and it runs better and faster.’
How to bring CO₂ into your ice cream production setup
You don’t have to rebuild your whole refrigeration plant just to access CO₂ technology.
There are two main pathways:
- Central CO₂ plant
- Ideal for large sites that plan to run several CO₂ continuous freezers and tunnels
- A central plant feeds all freezers in the factory via a CO₂ pump system
- Ideal for large sites that plan to run several CO₂ continuous freezers and tunnels
- Standalone or modular CO₂ freezer
- Purchase a CO₂ freezer with the CO₂ modular add-on
- You can pair it with a glycol chiller instead of a full CO₂ plant
- Later on, you can remove the module and connect the same freezer to a central CO₂ system
- Purchase a CO₂ freezer with the CO₂ modular add-on
As Simon says: ‘Regardless of whatever your current setup is, we can help you integrate CO₂ without needing to change everything you’ve already got.’
Are there any downsides to CO₂?
- Higher operating pressure
CO₂ systems run at higher pressures than old HFC or ammonia systems. Your design, valves, safety controls, and training all need to cater for that. - More components up front
If you don’t already have low-temperature ammonia in the plant, your CO₂ freezer will need a glycol chiller or other cooling source. That adds some cost and complexity on day one. - Higher purchase price
A CO₂ freezer costs more than a basic Freon continuous freezer.
But in most cases, the potential energy savings, increased capacity, and better product quality far outweigh the cons.
Teknoice CO₂ freezers with Artisan Industrial
Artisan Industrial is the direct office for Teknoice in Australia, covering New Zealand and Oceania. Teknoice has more than 30 years of experience in ice cream machinery and builds all its equipment in Italy from design through to production.
The Teknofreeze CO₂ range includes:
- Continuous freezers from small units through to 4,000 litres per hour
- Stainless steel build and hygienic design
- Siemens touchscreen controls and precise overrun control
- Piston or lobe pumps to match your recipes and inclusions
- Configurations for standalone CO₂, add-on CO₂ modules and central CO₂ pump systems
Internal testing shows up to 25 per cent higher productivity compared with an equivalent Freon freezer, with smaller ice crystals and faster hardening.
Check out our Teknoice continuous freezer range, which supports both Freon (for now) and CO₂ models.
Ready to explore a CO₂ freezer?
If you’re planning a new site, scaling from artisan to industrial, or starting to replace aging Freon or ammonia equipment, a CO₂ freezer is worth a serious look.
Get in touch with Artisan Industrial. We can discuss your recipes, capacity targets and budget, then help you compare Freon and CO₂ in real numbers. From there, you can choose a freezer that fits your line and sets you up for the future.
FAQs about CO₂ freezers
What is a CO₂ freezer?
A CO₂ freezer is a continuous ice cream freezer that uses carbon dioxide (R744) as the refrigerant. It freezes your aerated mix to the right texture before you deposit it into cones, cups, sticks or tubs.
Why choose a CO₂ freezer instead of Freon?
A CO₂ freezer uses a natural refrigerant with very low climate impact and no ozone damage. It also cools very efficiently, which can mean smoother ice cream, more capacity, and lower energy use over time. Freon-type gases are facing phase-outs in both the EU and Australia, so CO₂ is a more future-proof option.
Is a CO₂ freezer safe for staff?
Yes, with the right safety precautions. CO₂ is non-flammable and non-toxic at typical working levels. These systems do run at higher pressure, so they need proper safety valves, discharge piping, CO₂ sensors, and user training. A licensed refrigeration contractor installs and maintains the equipment to meet all relevant standards.
Is CO₂ only for big factories?
No. Large ‘green’ sites often choose full CO₂ plants, but smaller and mid-sized producers can start with a single standalone CO₂ freezer and a compact chiller. You can then add more units or move to a central plant as you grow.
