Honeywell announced today that its reduced-global-warming supermarket refrigerant, Solstice® N40, is lowering the carbon footprint and increasing energy efficiency at Lowe’s Market in Eunice, New Mexico.
The supermarket replaced the existing R-404A refrigerant in a Hussmann system (20 medium- and low-temperature display cases) with Honeywell’s Solstice® N40 (R-448A) in May 2015 and has reported excellent results.
“The refrigerant is performing better than expected,” said Gary Cooper, director of refrigeration, Lowe’s Market. “By transitioning our stores to Solstice N40 refrigerant, we are increasing our energy efficiency by 5 percent or more and lowering the carbon footprint of this equipment by more than two-thirds, while cost-effectively meeting current and future energy efficiency and environmental regulations.”
Lowe’s Market is among the first to retrofit installed Hussmann merchandisers’ equipment with Solstice N40, a hydrofluoro-olefin (HFO) blend for low- and medium- temperature refrigeration equipment such as supermarket refrigerated and freezer display cases. Solstice N40 is designed to replace R-404A, R-507 and R-22 in supermarket refrigeration applications, helping users comply with new rules from the U.S. EPA aimed at phasing out commonly used refrigerants for supermarket refrigeration. By July 20, 2016, R-404A and R-507 will be unacceptable in retrofit systems under the EPA rule and by January 1, 2017 for new supermarkets.
Following on the successful retrofit at the Eunice location, Lowe’s Market plans to continue a steady cadence of retrofits, giving its HCFC stores highest priority. At the same time, new stores will be designed to use Solstice N40.
“Supermarket owners are looking for more energy efficient and environmentally- preferable refrigerants,” said Robert Kebby, global business manager for Honeywell’s commercial refrigeration business. ”With superior energy efficiency and a global warming potential that is 68 percent lower than R-404A, Solstice N40 offers supermarkets a near drop-in replacement that can best serve their refrigerant needs while meeting environmental requirements.”
“Hussmann is excited to be working with leading food retailers like Lowe’s and industry suppliers like Honeywell to develop and incorporate leading new refrigerant solutions such as Solstice N40,” said Andres Lacassie, director, retail product portfolio, Hussmann Corporation. “R-448A is a better alternative to R-404A for medium- and low- temperature display cases, providing food retailers with a practical, easy to use solution to achieve lower overall energy consumption and lower overall GWP of their retail food stores.”
In supermarket trials conducted in the U.S. and Europe, Solstice N40 demonstrated 3 percent lower energy consumption in low-temperature applications and 5 to 16 percent lower energy consumption in medium-temperature applications as compared to R404A. It is a near drop-in replacement for R-404A and R-507, and can also be used to replace R-22. Solstice N40 has a global warming potential of 1273. It is non-ozone-depleting and nonflammable, and is approved for use by major compressor manufacturers. Solstice N40 is listed under the U.S. EPA’s Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program and is UL-listed.
In addition to Solstice N40, Honeywell's family of Solstice-branded products includes refrigerants for stationary refrigeration and air conditioning applications and automotive air conditioning, gaseous blowing agents, propellants, and solvents – all based on Honeywell’s new HFO technology that helps customers lower their carbon footprint without sacrificing end-product performance.
The products have been developed and are being commercialized by Honeywell’s Fluorine Products business, a leader in the manufacture and supply of non- ozone-depleting and low-global warming refrigerants used by top automotive OEMs, air- conditioning and refrigeration manufacturers and supermarkets worldwide, and blowing agents for energy-efficient foam insulation, as well as hydrofluoric acid and precursors for nuclear fuel.
For more information on Solstice N40, visit www.honeywell-refrigerants.com.
