The industry is starting to get comfortable with HFC refrigerants including the now familiar 134a, 404A, 507, 407C, and 410A. The newest to garner attention is HFC-245fa.
It has already found favor in foam blowing applications, where it is replacing HCFC-22. A major production facility for the refrigerant has come on line at a Honeywell plant in Geismar, La. Recently, Bally Refrigerated Boxes was awarded a Stratospheric Ozone Protection Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for what was described as an “early conversion to HFC-245fa blowing agent.” Other manufacturers of walk-in freezers and coolers noted they, too, are converting to the HFC.