ACR Journal

11 The RAC Engineer’s Guide to Low GWP Refrigerants Extensively tested in the industry and approved by several major compressor manufacturers, Solstice® L40X can be simply installed using a range of new refrigeration systems already qualified for use and serviced cost-effectively. The safe, long term sustainability of Solstice® L40X and its ability to seamlessly replace legacy R404A systems underscores why it is likely to become a first-choice refrigerant. Air conditioning applications Looking at the air conditioning sector, manufacturers have accelerated their range of low GWP equipment. Significant achievements have been made with Solstice® ze (R1234ze) and Solstice® zd (R1233zd), both with a GWP of around 1. Replacing the incumbent R134a, almost every equipment manufacturer has a full range of R1234ze offerings. With higher system efficiency versus R134a, this helps surpass the performance requirements of the EcoDesign and Energy Performance of Building Directives (EPBD). In split systems there has been a movement towards the low GWP mildly-flammable R32 as a replacement for R410A. The VRF market will move to the non-flammable Solstice® N41 (R466A) solution from Honeywell which will address the A2L charge size limitation in compliance with EN378. Chiller applications Honeywell recently announced the launch of Solstice® N15 (R515B), A1 non-flammable and low GWP refrigerant replacement for R134a for use in chillers and heat pumps. With a GWP below 300, it can be used where safety standards and building codes limit the use of A2L refrigerants. The new Danfoss Turbocor TGS490 compressor has been fully optimised for R1234ze and R515B refrigerants, which means customers can benefit from improved system efficiency while matching the cooling capacity of R134a thanks to lower pressure characteristics of this new compressor. When looking for alternative refrigerants for R410A in chillers, we see that lower GWP A2L solutions are becoming popular in the short term. Manufacturers still need to address important questions on what comes beyond 2021, when the GWP threshold reduces. R1234ze can be a viable long term solution to achieve maximum efficiency and reduce the GWP further. When evaluating the next solution it is critical to look at the whole lifecycle package and not just the cost of the refrigerant or the type of product. You also have to consider how it will work over the entire life of the product, what value it brings, and its energy efficiency which remains a key element. We are working hard to help manufacturers and installers make the right choices.