Axima partners with Chemours on long-term HFC replacements

USA/FRANCE: A leading French contractor, Axima Refrigeration France, is to partner with refrigerant manufacturer Chemours to evaluate the use and future adoption of Chemours low GWP Opteon XL refrigerants.

Part of the Engie group, Axima Refrigeration France has already adopted Opteon XP40 (R449A) for retrofitting existing R404A systems, and is now said to be looking at long-term solutions with low environmental impact while ensuring performance, safety, reliability, and cost efficiency.

The collaboration between Chemours and Axima Refrigeration France commits both companies to jointly investigate the use of A2L refrigerants in commercial refrigeration and support the transition by performing trials and developing case studies, as well as best practices they will be jointly delivering through training.

The recent adoption of Opteon XP40 (R449A) by Axima Refrigeration France is seen as the first step towards this transition and enables the company to ensure its customers business continuity. 

Opteon XP40 has a GWP of 1397 which is nearly three times lower than R404A. A blend of R32 (24.3%), R125 (24.7%), R1234yf (25.3%) and R134a (25.7%), it is said to closely match the properties and performance to R404A.

Key role

“Our two companies share the same objective to help the commercial refrigeration market prepare for the 2021 HFC phase down that will reduce the available CO2 quota by 55%,” said Chemours Fluorochemicals vice president Diego Boeri. “Axima’s strategy to select refrigerants below 1500 GWP such as Opteon XP40 for retrofits, and below 150 GWP such as Opteon XL for new equipment, demonstrates the key role that Opteon plays today and in the future to meet the needs of the commercial refrigeration sector,” he added.

Chemours offers five Opteon XL refrigerants, all of which are A2L, non-toxic but exhibiting slight flammability. Only two are below the 150 GWP threshold – Opteon XL10 and Opteon XL20. 

Opteon XL10 (R1234yf), is a replacement for R134a in new equipment designs. It has a GWP of 4. Opteon XL20 (R454C), is a blend of R32 and 1234yf. It has a GWP of 148 and is a replacement for R404A and R22 in new equipment designs.

“Axima Refrigeration is engaged for over 20 years now in developing innovative and more sustainable refrigeration systems to comply with its refrigerant policy, and its societal and environmental responsibilities,” said Axima Refrigeration France CEO Laurent Meykuchel. “With our ILICO2 program promoting the use of energy efficient refrigerants with GWP Gases less than 150 like Opteon XL, Axima refrigeration fully aligns with the global strategy of Engie that is to drive the market towards a zero carbon transition.”