Emerson joins rush to lower GWPs
20th March 2015
USA: Following hot on the heels of Bitzer, Emerson has announced the approval of new low GWP refrigerants R448A and R449A in its Discus and Copeland Scroll compressors.
The US compressor manufacturer says it has now completed material compatibility testing, application guideline verifications, UL approval qualification and extensive life testing on both refrigerants.
These refrigerants have a lower global warming potential (GWP) and serve as replacements for R404A and R507A, which are commonly used in supermarkets, condensing units and commercial refrigeration equipment.
“It is critical that our customers have tested, proven and sustainable alternatives to refrigerants that have been targeted for delisting,” said Mitch Knapke, Emerson’s director, food retail marketing, referring to the recent US proposal to ban the two refrigerants from use in specific new and retrofit applications by January 1, 2016.
“To help our customers lessen the resource constraints and costs associated with a shift of this magnitude, we have been working to develop products and equipment that will not only comply with this delisting proposal, but also those in the foreseeable future.”
Performance ratings for these new refrigerants can be accessed in Emerson’s OPI software or through Emerson Climate Technologies’ Production Selection Software.
Emerson says that application guidelines are similar to R407A and can be found online in the OPI software as well. Capacity and efficiency are also comparable to R407A, showing ratings within 3% around the operating envelope.
While the current approval applies to Discus and Copeland Scroll products, Emerson says that small reciprocating hermetic compressors will be approved later in 2015.
In January, Emerson said it would launch a range of scroll and semi-hermetic compressors for the emerging low GWP R404A alternatives later this year.
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Emerson plans low GWP compressor launch – January 22, 2015
USA: Emerson Climate Technologies says it will launch a range of scroll and semi-hermetic compressors for the emerging low GWP R404A alternatives later this year. Read more…
