ASHRAE proposes new R404A replacements
26th March 2014
USA: Two new low GWP refrigerant alternatives to R404A are amongst the proposed addenda to the recently published ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 34-2013.
Standard 34-2013, Designation and Safety Classification of Refrigerants, was published in February and included 15 new refrigerants. The R404A alternatives are amongst four new additions proposed as addenda.
Currently out for public review until April 20, the proposed addenda propose the inclusion of R404A replacement refrigerant blends R449A and R448A; R444B, a low GWP R22 replacement, and R450A, an R134a alternative.
R449A is a replacement for R404A and R507A. It is a blend of R32 (24.3%), R125 (24.7%), R1234yf (25.3%) and R134a (25.7%) with a GWP of 1397. It is non-flammable and non-toxic with a proposed A1 safety classification. R449A is a DuPont refrigerant sold as Opteon XP40.
R-448A is Honeywell’s non-flammable, non-toxic AI refrigerant to replace R404A, sold under the trade name Solstice N40. It uses the same components as DuPont’s R449A with the addition of a small amount of R1234ze(E). Its composition is R-32 (26%), R125 (26%), R1234yf (20%), R134a (21%) and 1234ze(E) (7%).
Developed by Honeywell as Solstice L20, R444B is proposed as an alternative for applications historically served by R22. It has a GWP under 350 but is in the “mildly flammable” safety class A2L. It is composed of 41.5% R32, 10% R152a and 48.5% R1234ze(E).
The fourth proposed addition is a non-toxic, non-flammable A1 refrigerant R450A. Another Honeywell product sold as Solstice N13, R450A is designed as an alternative to R134a in chillers and as the medium temperature component of CO2 cascade systems. It has a GWP of around 600 and is composed of 42% R134a and 58% R1234ze(E).
