Honeywell is a Leader in 4th Generation Fluorine-based Refrigerants

Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Journal interviewed Julien Soulet, Managing Director, Europe, Middle East, Africa and India, Honeywell Fluorine Products. Here are some excerpts from the interview

Journal (J): What impact do refrigerants have on global warming?
Julien Soulet (H): Around the world, a booming demand for air conditioning and refrigeration, especially in developing countries, is increasing the consumption of fluorochemical refrigerants that contribute to global warming. These refrigerants pose a threat to the environment because of their
ozone depletion potential (ODP) and global warming potential (GWP). Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) have been used extensively in the last five or six decades as refrigerants in the vapour compression cycle to produce refrigerating and air conditioning effects. It has been found that CFCs are most destructive to the environmentand proven to be a major cause of depletion of the earth’s stratospheric ozone layer, thus contributing to the greenhouse effect (global warming). Environmental protection is the sum of a lot of small changes, and a move towards sustainable development in the refrigeration, air conditioning, aerosols and foams sectors is a safe way of demonstrating responsibility to our planet.

J: What is GWP? How much does Honeywell’s Solstice yf Refrigerant’s GWP contribute to the total global warming?
H: GWP is a measure used to describe the relative potency of a greenhouse gas, taking account of how long it remains active in the atmosphere. GWPs currently used are those calculated over 100 years, with carbon dioxide taken as the gas of reference with a 100-year GWP of 1 – the yardstick against which all other greenhouse gases are evaluated. For refrigerants, the lower the GWP value, the less impact on the environment. Refrigerant R-134a, for example, has a GWP of 1,430 and has been the subject of environmental regulation for car air conditioning. Honeywell’s Solstice yf Refrigerant is a key element in achieving the European Union’s (EU) climate goals. With a GWP of less than 1, it is 99% lower than the mandate of less than 150. It is also 99.7% better than the refrigerant currently in use – R-134a – that has a GWP of 1,430. Solstice yf is safe and efficient in all climates across the world. 

J: What are Honeywell’s Performance Materials and Technologies’ design objectives while developing new refrigerants, foaming agents and specialty gases? What products does it offer?
H: Honeywell has been at the forefront of the industry’s drive to develop safer, non-ozone depleting alternatives to the older technology (CFC and HCFC refrigerants). Honeywell’s Solstice range is designed to address the growing industrial requirement of not only non-ozone depleting substances, but also low global warming products. 

The Solstice range has the following products, each designed to meet different needs: 

• Solstice® yf Refrigerant is designed for use as a refrigerant in car air conditioning systems.

• Solstice ze Refrigerant, designed for chillers, is the best low GWP, energy-efficient alternative to traditional refrigerants for air-cooled and water-cooled chillers in supermarkets and commercial buildings.
• Solstice Gas Blowing Agent is being used in extruded polystyrene board and one-component foam applications. 

• Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent, designed for refrigerator insulation and spray foam insulation, scores high in the four performance areas that are most important to customers – performance, costeffectiveness, environmental impact and safety.
• Solstice Propellants have been designed in view of the fact that while efficient and safe in use, HFC propellants such as R-134a and 152a have come under pressure as potential contributors to global warming.
• Solstice Performance Fluid is designed to exhibit superior solvency for a wide variety of solutes including hydrocarbon oils, silicone oils, silicone greases, fluorinated oils, mineral oils, acrylics, solder fluxes, hydraulic fluids and others. 

Honeywell’s new offerings include:
• Solstice zd: A non-flammable HFO refrigerant with a GWP equal to 1 for use in low pressure centrifugal chillers, which are most often used to cool large buildings. Trane, a leading air conditioner manufacturer, has announced that it will use Solstice zd in its new Series E CenTraVac large capacity centrifugal chillersin Europe, the Middle East and other 50Hz markets.
• Solstice N13: An HFO blend for chillers as well as mediumtemperature applications such as supermarket display cases and self-contained refrigeration units that require a nonflammable refrigerant solution. Solstice N13 is designed to replace R134a and off ers a GWP that is 60 percent lower than R134a.
• Solstice N40: An HFO blend for low- and medium-temperature refrigeration equipment such as supermarket freezer cases. It is designed to replace HCFC R22 and HFC R404A, and offers a GWP that is 66% lower than R404A. In supermarket trials conducted in the U.S. and Europe, Solstice N40 demonstrated three percent lower energy consumption in low-temperature applications and 5 to 16 percent lower energy consumption in medium-temperature applications as compared to R404A. In addition to its industry-leading Solstice line, Honeywell’s Fluorine Products business manufactures and supplies non-ozonedepleting Genetron® refrigerants used by top air conditioning, automotive and refrigeration equipment manufacturers worldwide, blowing agents for energy-efficient rigid foam insulation, and hydrofl uoric acid and precursors for nuclear fuel.

J: How do these products compare in price with other products in the market for similar applications?
H: Honeywell’s products that have low GWP and are nonozone depleting are quite cost-effective. Overall, Honeywell’s products are more economical and environment friendly over the lifecycle of other products.