Refrigerant manufacturer, Honeywell, has unveiled what it says is the first viable, non-flammable alternative to R410A.
Honeywell has launched Solstice N41, a refrigerant with a GWP of 733, for use in stationary air conditioning systems.
Once on the market, Solstice N41, which has the preliminary designation of R466A by ASHRAE, will be the lowest GWP, non-flammable refrigerant available worldwide, according to Honeywell.
It is expected to be available commercially in 2019.
Its composition, which has been confirmed by Honeywell, is 49% R32, 11.5% R125 and 39.5 % CF3I
In a statement, the company said: ”The innovation comes after years of research and development by Honeywell scientists, who set out to address one of the most vexing regulatory and safety challenges facing the HVAC industry. All other alternatives proposed to date are flammable and require cumbersome changes to safety standards and building codes.”
Honeywell said the HVAC industry has been looking to replace the current industry standard refrigerant, R410A, with an energy efficient, nonflammable, and lower GWP solution with a similar or better performance.
“Solstice N41 is the only refrigerant that combines those attributes," the statement said.
"Early testing indicates that switching to Solstice N41 would require minimal changes to equipment and no additional training for installation and repair technicians.
"Preliminary data indicates that the refrigerant may allow OEMs to easily convert from R410A.”