United States. Honeywell announced that its Solstice N40 (R-448A) refrigerant has been listed as acceptable by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use in modifications to ice rinks in the United States.
EPA issued this notice of acceptability for the use of R-488A under its Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program, which evaluates new chemicals and technologies to determine if they are viable alternatives to environmentally undesirable products. This update was recently published in the Federal Register.
As runway owners think about moving away from R-22, a hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) that is widely used on ice rinks in the U.S. and Canada, they face the challenge of selecting an alternative refrigerant that offers equivalent capacity and proven performance, but without disrupting runway operations. New production of R-22 will cease at the end of 2019.
The EPA had previously included Solstice N40 under SNAP in 2015 for use as an alternative to R-22 and R-404A in commercial refrigeration applications, including new and refurbished supermarkets, various types of commercial refrigeration equipment, ice machines, and refrigerated transportation. More than 20,000 supermarkets worldwide have already made the switch to N40. This list will allow U.S. runway owners to avoid the risks of continued R-22 operation while demonstrating greater consideration for the environment.
"Beyond the coolant, Honeywell offers turnkey ice rink conversions, including a pre-conversion system review, modernization assistance, and a follow-up audit to ensure the system, and its teams, clubs and communities, get back up and running quickly." said Chris LaPietra, vice president and general manager of Honeywell Stationary Refrigerants. "In addition to minimizing downtime, the Solstice N40 generally requires no component changes, and our expert technicians work with customers to ensure configurations are optimized to produce the best possible system efficiency."
Based on hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) technology, Solstice N40 offers a GWP that is lower than R-22, and is rated A1 by the American Society of Heating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), meaning it is neither flammable nor toxic."
