Production of low-global-warming propellant, insulating agent, refrigerant commences

15-Jan-15

Honeywell has started full-scale commercial production of a low-global-warming-potential (GWP) material used as an aerosol propellant, insulating agent and refrigerant. The material, known by the industry designation HFO-1234ze and marketed by Honeywell under its Solstice® line of low-global-warming materials, is being produced at the Honeywell Fluorine Products facility in Baton Rouge, La. “Honeywell’s Baton Rouge production facility is ready to serve customers around the world with this innovative material, which has an ultra-low GWP of less than 1,” said Ken Gayer, vice president and general manager of Honeywell’s Fluorine Products business. “We are seeing increasing demand for our entire Solstice line of low GWP materials, and this new product has already been adopted by a range of customers globally.” Prior to 2020, will drive a 50% reduction in its annual production of high GWP hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) on a CO2 equivalent basis. The company projects that use of its low GWP Solstice materials to replace HFCs will eliminate more than 350 million metric tons in CO2 equivalents by 2025, equivalent to removing 70 million cars from the road for one year. HFO-1234ze is a next-generation material that is non-ozone-depleting, non-flammable per ASTM E681 and ISO 10156:2010 testing, and has a low-global-warming-potential of less than 1. It is also not a volatile organic compound (VOC), as determined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resource Board (CARB). HFO-1234ze is considered a preferred replacement for both HFC-134a (which has GWP of 1,300) and HFC-152a (which is flammable and has a GWP of 138) in aerosol applications and thermal insulating foams, including extruded polystyrene board and polyurethane foams. It is also being considered to replace HFC-134a for large stationary and commercial refrigeration applications and, compared to other low GWP refrigerant options, Honeywell’s HFO-1234ze provides energy efficiency benefits. HFO-1234ze is part of Honeywell’s line of Solstice hydrofluoro-olefin (HFO) products that have extremely low global warming potentials – either equal to or less than carbon dioxide – and that are safe, available today and capable of making a significant positive environmental impact. Honeywell’s Solstice HFOs are alternatives to high GWP HFCs and are energy-efficient, safe to use, non-ozone-depleting and have a minimal global warming profile.