MORRIS TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Honeywell announced that it has started full-scale commercial production of a low-global warming potential (GWP) material used as an aerosol propellant, insulating agent, and refrigerant.
Known by the industry designation HFO-1234ze and marketed by Honeywell under its Solstice® line of low-global warming materials, the material is being produced at the Honeywell Fluorine Products facility in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
“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.”
In September 2014, at an event sponsored by the White House, Honeywell announced that it will increase production of its low-GWP refrigerants, insulation materials, aerosols, and solvents, and, prior to 2020, will drive a 50 percent reduction in its annual production of high-GWP hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) on a CO2 equivalent basis.
According to the company, 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 GWP 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 a GWP of 1,300) and HFC-152a (which is flammable and has a GWP of 138) in aerosol applications and thermal insulating 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, it provides energy efficiency benefits.
For more information, visit www.honeywell.com.
Publication date: 1/12/2015
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