Tecumseh approves R404A alternative
Tecumseh has approved R448A, a lower GWP refrigerant sold by Honeywell as Solstice N40, for use in its global commercial refrigeration systems.
The approval follows extensive testing by Tecumseh and confirms R448A as an alternative to R404A in Tecumseh’s self-contained integral systems and condensing units.
“Lower GWP refrigerants are important for curbing the carbon emissions generated by the cooling industry and they are the right direction for the commercial refrigeration industry,” said Ryan Burns, Tecumseh’s vice president global engineering. “Solstice N40 delivers the optimal blend of performance, environmental compliance and energy efficiency that we know our customers are looking for.”
R448A is a blend of the HFCs R32 (26%), R125 (26%) and R134a (21%), with HFO components R1234yf (20%) and 1234ze(E) (7%). Its GWP is around 1300 and is classified A1 by ASHRAE – non-toxic and non-flammable.
According to Honeywell, it is already used in almost 16,000 stores in Europe alone. Trials in US and European supermarkets, have shown an average 5% reduction in energy consumption in low-temperature applications and 5% to 15% lower energy consumption in medium-temperature applications, compared with R404A.