Trane adopts new low GWP refrigerant R514A

USA: Trane is expanding its range of CenTraVac centrifugal chillers in the US and Canada with models running on the lower GWP refrigerants R514A and R1233zd.

From next year, Trane will offer small tonnage CenTraVac chillers for markets like office and municipal buildings with a choice of the current refrigerant R123 or the low GWP HFO blend R514A. Starting now, Trane will also offer large tonnage CenTraVac chillers for applications such as industrial and large commercial buildings and data centres with the HFO R1233zd.

Although a very efficient refrigerant with a GWP of just 77, R123 is an HCFC and will be banned from use in new equipment by 2020 due to its, albeit small, ozone depletion potential. In the US, it will still be allowed to be used to service existing equipment and for export until 2030.

R514A, developed by Chemours as Opteon XP30, is considered a drop-in replacement for R123. With a GWP of just 2 under AR5, R514A blends the HFO 1336mzz(Z) with trans-1,2-dichloroethene, a gas not previously used in refrigerants. Like R123, R514A has a B1 toxicity classification.

“We are pleased to bring our customers new choices for achieving their building, business and sustainability goals without compromising safety, performance or efficiency,” said Dave Regnery, president of commercial HVAC North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa for Ingersoll Rand.

To provide customers maximum flexibility, Trane will offer a service option that requires minimal rework to convert existing CenTraVac chillers with R123 to R514A. It will also extend its availability and price guarantee on R123 for customers purchasing a CenTraVac chiller using the refrigerant.

https://www.coolingpost.com/world-news/epa-snap-lists-r123-alternatives/

https://www.coolingpost.com/world-news/chemours-proposes-r123-drop-in/

https://www.coolingpost.com/world-news/ir-commits-500m-to-ghg-reductions/