International.
A new low-GWP replacement for R404A, which combines an HFO and HFC with a "natural" refrigerant will be commercially available on the market this year. This refrigerant mixture, R455A, developed by Honeywell, is being considered by the ASHRAE classification as a "moderately flammable" A2L gas.
The refrigerant, marketed as Solstice L40X, consists of 75.5% R1234yf, 21.5% R32 and 3% CO2.
Honeywell has said that the R455A matches the capacity of the R404A and has the same or better efficiency. The slide is believed to be around 6K. The addition of a small amount of CO2 is believed to increase the capacity of the system.
The results of the exam after application in a single-door freezer were the subject of a paper presented by Honeywell at Purdue University's 2014 compressor conference. The freezer of R404A had an internal volume of around 700 liters and a nominal capacity of around 560W. The stand-alone refrigeration unit had a nominal load of 354g of R404A and comprised 373 kW of hermetic compressor, air-coolant evaporator and condenser tube on the fin, suction-line liquid-line heat exchanger and thermostatic expansion valve.
Initial tests showed that R455A had capacities less than 90% of the baseline tests with R404A and slightly lower efficacy. However, when the original parallel flow evaporator was altered for a counter-flow solution and the expansion valve adjusted to allow for the slightly lower pressure of R455A, the unit showed 6% lower energy consumption and approximately matching in capacity.
