International. Honeywell will partner with Trane Technologies to accelerate the transition to a next-generation environmentally-friendly refrigerant through field trials with Honeywell's Solstice N41 (R-466A), a non-flammable alternative to R-410A.
Trane will deploy and test Solstice N41 at three customer locations in different parts of the United States as part of a year-long field trial. Trane is currently testing Solstice N41 at the Western Cooling Efficiency Center (WCEC) at the University of California, Davis, to evaluate its performance with a Trane roof HVAC unit used in light commercial applications. Testing will review compatibility with new equipment installations and upgrade conversions. Trane will closely monitor power and power consumption and analyze refrigerant characteristics to further evaluate the Solstice N41 as a replacement for R-410A.
"We have invested more than $500 million to identify safe and sustainable options," said Randy Newton, vice president of engineering at Trane Technologies. "Our ongoing testing, research and development supports new technologies that enhance the carbon footprint in support of our customers' needs and contribute to our Gigaton Challenge. As we evaluate refrigerants to replace R-410A, we seek to balance environmental impact, safety, and efficiency and affordability. We look forward to working with Honeywell to assess the viability of Solstice N41 as a safe option for the industry that could ease the transition to meet regulatory deadlines and help our customers achieve their overall sustainability goals."
Honeywell says Solstice N41 provides the same level of safety to contractors and customers as the market standard refrigerant, R-410A, and reduces the impact of global warming by 65 percent. Other proposed alternatives such as R-410A replacements, such as R-32 and R-454B, are of higher risk due to their 2L (low flammability) classification, which could increase the risk to businesses and owners and require changes to safety standards and OEM equipment building codes and production lines.
"Honeywell scientists dedicated years of research and development to developing a non-flammable product that can replace R-410A in homes and small businesses as an almost immediate replacement within existing infrastructures, while providing reduced global warming potential along with similar energy efficiency," said Ken West, vice president and general manager of Honeywell Fluorine Products. "Solstice N41 is an excellent choice for both commercial and residential end users. This next step with Trane solidifies our confidence in moving toward industrial adoption of R-466A."
"Our work is increasingly focused on recognizing the far-reaching implications of greenhouse gas emissions on our environment and climate change," said Curtis Harrington, senior engineer at the U.C. Davis WCEC. "Our research with Trane allows us to provide an objective technology assessment of Honeywell's Solstice N41 field performance and provide valuable insights into the development of next-generation refrigerants."
To date, Solstice N41 has undergone extensive analysis by more than 15 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and leading compressor manufacturers. The product has accumulated more than 100,000 reliable hours in different applications such as commercial air conditioning (variable refrigerant flow, ceilings) and residential air conditioning (ducted unit equipment in the US).
Honeywell and its suppliers have completed a multi-billion dollar investment program in research and development and new capacity based on Honeywell's hydrofluorolefin technology. The global adoption of Solstice products has resulted in the reduction of more than 200 million metric tons of greenhouse gases to date, which is equivalent to eliminating emissions from more than 42 million cars for a year.
Honeywell recently committed to achieving carbon neutrality in its operations and facilities by 2035.
