EPA Approves New Refrigerants For Refrigeration
The newly listed nonflammable substitutes include R-471A and R-515B
As part of its Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued a determination of acceptability (Notice 38), which expands the list of acceptable refrigerant substitutes for the refrigeration market. The new substitutes include the nonflammable refrigerants, R-471A and R-515B.
EPA found R–471A (marketed under the trade name Solstice® 471A) acceptable as a substitute for use in:
- Retail food refrigeration—stand-alone equipment (new equipment only);
- Retail food refrigeration—refrigerated food processing and dispensing equipment (new equipment only);
- Retail food refrigeration—remote condensing units (new equipment only);
- Retail food refrigeration—supermarket systems (new equipment only);
- Industrial process refrigeration (new equipment only); and
- Cold storage warehouses (new equipment only).
R–471A, which is classified as an A1 refrigerant, has a GWP of about 144 and an ODP of zero. According to Honeywell, Solstice 471A is 13% more energy efficient as compared to R-404A and 30% more energy efficient compared with CO2.
In addition, EPA found R–515B acceptable as a substitute for use in:
- Retail food refrigeration—refrigerated food processing and dispensing equipment (new equipment only);
- Retail food refrigeration—remote condensing units (new equipment only);
- Retail food refrigeration—supermarket systems (new equipment only);
- Commercial ice machines (new equipment only); and
- Cold storage warehouses (new equipment only).
R-515B is also classified as an A1 refrigerant and has a GWP of about 287 and an ODP of zero. For remote condensing units and supermarket systems, EPA states that R–515B’s GWP is comparable to or lower than that of other acceptable substitutes for new equipment, such as R–450A (GWP of 601), R–513A (GWP of 630), R– 407A (GWP of 2,110), and R–421A (GWP of 2,630).
For additional information on SNAP, visit the SNAP portion of EPA’s Ozone Layer Protection website at: www.epa.gov/snap.Looking for quick answers on air conditioning, heating and refrigeration topics? Try Ask ACHR NEWS, our new smart AI search tool. Ask ACHR NEWS
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