Chemours development to replace R-134a refrigerants in old cars

International. According to Chemours, the fully integrable aftermarket approach will make it easy and cost-effective for older vehicles to transition to the Opteon YF (R-1234yf), which is an environmentally friendly refrigerant.

The company announced the development of a low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant retrofit approach for the automotive aftermarket to support the global phase-down of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants with higher GWPs. The technical approach developed will provide vehicle owners (and their service technicians) with a simple retrofit procedure to safely and cost-effectively replace the legacy R-134a refrigerant in their current vehicle with the widely used, low-GWP Opteon YF (R-1234yf) refrigerant. Opteon YF was developed to replace R-134a in new mobile HVAC systems.

"Customer satisfaction, security, and ease of use are always top priorities. Developing a simple retrofit approach that builds on existing safe service practices and offers a lower GWP refrigerant option is a prime example of those commitments in action," said Joseph Martinko, President, Thermal and Specialty Solutions, Chemours. "Offering a fully integrable approach with adequate performance and a smaller environmental footprint is a win-win situation, both the automotive industry and society at large."

As the use of Opteon YF continues to expand in support of global climate goals and regulations, Chemours has continued to partner with industry to support its adoption.

"While many countries have transitioned to lower-GWP refrigerant technologies, millions of vehicles are still on the road using R-134a," said Amber Stephenson, senior director of technology at Chemours. "Developing a safe, simple and cost-effective adaptation approach to ease the transition to low-GWP technology is a critical step."

Since its development more than a decade ago, Opteon YF has become the low-GWP refrigerant of choice for vehicle manufacturers globally. Currently, R-1234yf is used in 250 million light-duty vehicles, and by 2025, Chemours expects its Opteon product portfolio to remove approximately 325 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. As HFC phase-out activities accelerate globally, Opteon YF has been proven to meet GWP targets and performance requirements.

Author: Álvaro León Pérez Sepúlveda

Editor - Latin Press, Inc.

Comunicador Social Periodista egresado de la Universidad de Antioquia, con más de 14 años de experiencia en medios periodísticos y proyectos de comunicación digital. [email protected]