Honeywell’s foam blower off to China
8th July 2014
CHINA: Honeywell is to supply Chinese manufacturer Midea with its low GWP, HFO-based, insulation foam blowing agent Solstice LBA.
The move to reduce the climate impact of refrigerators and freezers in China was signed today under a grant agreement between the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and Midea, a leading China-based manufacturer of home appliances.
Solstice LBA, aka the HFO 1233zd(E), is said to offer improved insulating performance when compared to HFCs. It is non-flammable and is not a volatile organic compound, unlike cyclopentane, the natural alternative. Honeywell will partner with Midea to further develop the application technology of Solstice LBA for energy-efficient refrigerators in China.
“We are honoured to be part of this exciting program, which will help improve the environmental profile of refrigerators sold in China,” said Ken Gayer, vice president and general manager of Honeywell’s Fluorine Products business.
“This grant will enable us to more quickly adopt technologies such as Solstice LBA,” said Suk Sangjo, vice president of Midea’s refrigeration division. “Solstice LBA can enable us to maintain the high energy-efficiency of our refrigerators while reducing their carbon footprint.”
As well as a foam blowing agent, 1233zd(E) is also seen as a possible alternative to R123 in chillers. Last week leading US chiller manufacturer Trane announced the adoption of the versatile 1233zd(E) as a refrigerant in one of its new ranges of water-cooled centrifugal chillers.
Further reading:
Finally, a replacement for R123? – 17th October, 2013
USA: While much has been made of the new HFO refrigerants 1234yf and 1234ze, another lesser known HFO could provide a much needed alternative to R123 in chiller applications. Read more…
