VATIS UPDATE Article

Developed by Honeywell, the United States, a new non-flammable, lower global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant could have applications in flooded chillers. Honeywell has submitted the refrigerant for addition to ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 34-2013, Designation and Safety Classification of Refrigerants as R515A.

Also offering a non-flammable alternative to R134a in domestic refrigerators in the USA, R515A comprise the HFO 1234ze(E) with 12% of the fire suppressant HFC227ea (heptafluoropropane). R515A has a GWP of around 400 and is expected to be compatible with Solstice ze approved compressors. As an azeotrope, it could also be used in flooded chillers, an application where, until now, there have been no non-flammable, lower GWP alternatives.