VATIS UPDATE Article

Honeywell, the United States, is having further success in deploying lower GWP HFO refrigerant blend R450A in combination with CO2 in cascade refrigeration systems. The latest installation is at a 12,000m2 refrigerated distribution centre operated by food cooperative Covirán, Spanish. Covirán is made up of more than 2,800 small and medium-sized independent retailers and is the second largest in Spain in terms of sales, and number three in Portugal.

Covirán in collaboration with Systemfrost, Spain, developed a solution that would combine best-in-class performance with sustainability. Systemfrost designed a cascade system utilising R450A – an HFO/HFC blend with a GWP of 601, marketed by Honeywell as Solstice N13 – and CO2. It was designed to meet key criteria around energy efficiency, emissions reduction and refrigeration performance. A blend of 42% R134a and 58% HFO1234ze(E), R450A has a GWP of around 601, less than half that of R134a. The total charge of R450A in the Covirán system is 1,020kg.

The new refrigeration installation designed by Systemfrost includes three freezer rooms, one dual-temperature room and a large, chilled dispatch area. The system is expected to reduce annual energy consumption by more than 3% and achieve lower direct CO2 emissions of 60% annual compared to a similar system using R134a, the traditional refrigerant used in such applications.