Koura promotes CO2-based refrigerant for heat pumps
10th September 2024
USA: Refrigerant manufacturer Koura is now promoting R485A, its new CO2-based refrigerant blend, for low-temperature commercial and residential heat pumps and air conditioners.
Known as LFR3 during its development, the refrigerant, an unusual blend of “natural” refrigerant CO2 with an HFO and an HFC, and now carries the designation R485A.
It mixes 69% of CO2 with 10% of the HFO R1132a and the remaining 21% with the HFC R32.
Significantly, R485A could also escape any future European PFAS ban as none of its components fall under the definition of PFAS in new European ban proposals.
Described as non-flammable in handling and in system, it is unusual in carrying ISO’s dual classification of A1/A2L. It has a GWP of 143.
Koura claims a 20-25% higher efficiency over CO2 systems and can match R410A efficiency in regions outside US Gulf Coast. Vapour pressure is 15% lower than CO2 and critical point 10K higher.
Related stories:
PFAS ban affects most refrigerant blends – 12 February 2023
EUROPE: The banning of just five refrigerants under the new PFAS regulation proposals would lead to the banning of virtually all the current lower GWP HFC/HFO alternative refrigerant blends. Read more…
Koura targets CO2 with new refrigerant – 22 February 2021
UK: Koura claims that a new alternative to CO2 could provide greater efficiencies and lower operating pressures in mobile air conditioning systems and domestic heat pumps. Read more…
