Koura’s new lower GWP option for existing R134a MAC systems
10th January 2022
USA: Refrigerant manufacturer Koura has unveiled its new lower GWP refrigerant alternative to R134a in existing automotive air conditioning systems in the UK and Europe.
Branded Klea 456A, the new R456A refrigerant is a non-flammable blend of R32 (6%), R134a (45%) and R1234ze(E) (49%). It has a GWP of 626, a reduction of 46% compared to R134a.
Trials are said to have proven both its compatibility with existing R134a automotive air conditioning systems and its performance match with R134a.
Koura is working with Texa SpA, the Italian imanufacturer of air conditioning recharge stations, to obtain EU (CE) and UK certification for the refrigerant.
Stefano Menghel, product manager at Texa said: “Klea 456A refrigerant represents another advancement in the automotive aftermarket and we are delighted to be working with Koura to help bring this product to market.”
Koura is currently engaging with distributors to bring Klea 456A to market within the UK and EU.
Ongoing research
Brad Hooper, Koura’s commercial director EMEAI, maintained that the company was committed to innovation. “Our ongoing research and development programme has been a key focus for over 15 years, with product development part of the company’s ongoing evolution,” he said.
Colleague Dave Smith, Koura vice president product management & strategy, promised more innovations in 2022. “Koura has shown that many of these innovations can make a real difference to businesses, to the environment, and to people’s lives, and so we are focused on rolling out these innovations into new applications and giving them real effect.”
In January last year Koura launched R473A, a refrigerant with a significantly lower GWP than existing HFCs currently being used in ultra-low temperature cooling applications. The following month, the Cooling Post revealed that Koura was developing an alternative to CO2 in mobile air conditioning systems and domestic heat pumps with better efficiencies and lower operating pressures.
Background to R456A
Developed by Koura under the development name AC5X, R456A follows a line of innovative Koura refrigerants developed as potential automotive refrigerants but never made it to market.
Under its former Mexichem name, Koura developed a blend refrigerant, AC6 (R445A), as a replacement for R134a in MAC systems. It received very positive reviews, and was said to be less flammable than R1234yf, but, coming after yf, it could not gain a foothold in the market.
A sister product AC5 was said to closely match the performance of R134a whilst having similar flammability characteristics to R1234yf.
AC6 was a blend of R1234ze(E), R134a and CO2 (85%/9%/6%). AC5 (R444A) blended R1234ze(E) with R32 and R152a (83%/12%/5%).
Related stories:
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…
New blend could offer alternative to 1234yf – 24 July 2013
USA: A new refrigerant blend based around HFO1234ze could be a viable, less flammable alternative to 1234yf in car air conditioning systems. Read more…
