The Sporlan Division of controls and components manufacturer Parker Hannifin has given the thumbs up to R466A, Honeywell’s yet to be introduced low GWP, non-flammable replacement for R410A.
Honeywell has announced that it will team up with the US manufacturer to commercialise the new refrigerant.
Branded by Honeywell as Solstice N41, R466A has a GWP of 733 and is designed to replace R410A in stationary air conditioning systems.
“We’ve completed material selection and extensive testing to optimise components for Solstice N41 applications in our evaluation of this refrigerant,” revealed Dustin Searcy, Sporlan Division’s marketing manager. “These components have been found to optimise efficiency, capacity and reliability of the HVAC system with Solstice N41. The benefits of Solstice N41 make it an attractive option for R410A replacement.”
The refrigerant has already undergone successful tests with Chinese air conditioning manufacturer Midea and has been described as “promising” in tests by Toshiba Carrier. Last month, Chinese components manufacturer Sanhua claimed to have made “significant progress” on qualification tests on its critical air conditioning system components.
R466A is a blend of R32 and R125, as in R410A, and includes a third component, the fire suppressant trifluoroiodomethane (CF3I).
While not a drop-in replacement, R466A is said to require minimal system design changes for OEMs seeking to adopt the new refrigerant. It is currently the only lower GWP refrigerant which could be suitable for use in larger VRF systems.
“Solstice N41 has undergone rigorous testing to ensure it can meet industry challenges and be compliant with regulations as a safe, energy efficient and environmentally preferable alternative to R410A,” said Chris LaPietra, Honeywell Stationary Refrigerants’ vice president and general manager. “Our partnership with Parker demonstrates component readiness with this refrigerant as we transition later this year.”
Honeywell insists that the new refrigerant will be commercially available before the end of this year.
