Emerson set to approve more alternatives
USA: Emerson says it is in the process of qualifying lower GWP refrigerants R407A, R448A and R449A as approved alternatives for use in the Copeland Hermetic CS line of compressors.
The new refrigerants are not considered as drop-in replacements and Emerson points out that careful system redesigns may be required to eliminate the possibility of damaging the compressor.
Emerson says that R407A will be officially approved for use as an alternative refrigerant in December, with R448A and R449A being available in Q1 of 2019. The CS line is currently approved for use with R134a, R404A and R507.
R407A has a GWP of around 2107. R448A and R449A are competing alternatives from Honeywell and Chemours, respectively. The GWP of R448A is 1387 and that of R449A is 1397.
According to Emerson, the approval of these refrigerants for use in the Copeland Hermetic CS line of compressors grants customers more flexibility when determining replacement options to meet external regulatory requirements as well as internal sustainability initiatives.
“The refrigeration industry continues to evolve, and we’re working to enable our customers the most seamless means to evolve with it,” said Varun Garg, manager of product management, Emerson. “As lower GWP refrigerants continue to gain traction, we’ll continue to innovate our products for customers, allowing them to incorporate these refrigerants without having to completely overhaul their systems.”
Copeland Hermetic CS compressors are generally used for self-contained and remote walk-in applications along with ice, soft serve and frozen carbonated beverage applications.
