International. The Chemours Company announced that its Low Global Warming Potential (GWP) HFO-based refrigerant product Opteon XL40 (R-454A) has been selected by Dawsongroup for its range of cold storage solutions for the European market. Their decision is based on the successful implementation of XL40 at Park Cakes Ltd., a supplier of premium private label cakes and desserts, at its new logistics and warehousing facility in Oldham, UK.
Since installation in September 2017, the system has had reliable performance and, as a result, Dawsongroup intends to expand the use of Opteon XL40 in its fleet, choosing the low GWP solution over other options such as industrial chemicals such as CO2, ammonia, and hydrocarbons.
The selection of XL40 for Park Cakes is the result of close collaboration between Chemours and Dawsongroup Temperature Control Solutions, a UK-based provider of cold storage solutions for critical temperature products and Park Cakes service contractor. As Park Cakes is a very environmentally conscious company, they were looking for a low GWP refrigerant for their new 1,805 m³ low-temperature cold room that met their sustainability goals and operational needs.
When looking for an alternative solution to replace the R-404A, Dawsongroup conducted some testing with Opteon XL40 at its site in Sutton-in-Ashfield. As the results showed that Opteon XL40 was the ideal replacement for new equipment, Dawsongroup recommended Chemours' new refrigerant with respect to CO2, hydrocarbons or ammonia.
Kevin Smith, Technical Director of Dawsongroup, explained: "Selecting the right refrigerant for the specific application and meeting the needs of the end user was vitally important. Alternative refrigerants, such as CO2, hydrocarbons or ammonia, have not been suitable for this project due to the lack of availability and complexity of the equipment, high flammability or toxicity risks. This led to the definitive choice of Opteon XL40 with properties close to that of the R-404A, allowing the existing equipment design to be used. The mild flammability of this refrigerant can be handled by regular service engineers after simple training, and its very low GWP ensures its long-term viability."
Opteon XL40's GWP of 239 is 94 percent lower than that of R-404A (3922), making it a sustainable solution with respect to the gradual reduction of F gas. It provides an optimal balance of properties and is perfectly suited to positive displacement commercial and industrial applications, direct expansion at low and medium temperature. Opteon XL40 offers greater energy efficiency and higher cooling capabilities, making it easy and cost-effective to apply to new equipment without major modifications. Although classified as mildly flammable (ISO/ASHRAE Class 2L), Opteon XL40 can be used safely if applicable codes and standards are observed. Installing the system was similar to installing a system that runs on R-404A or R-407F. The innovative use of opteon XL40 turned out to be a winning choice, from installation to overall performance.
