MORRIS TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Honeywell Intl. Inc. has started full-scale commercial production of a low-GWP (global warming potential) 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-GWP materials, 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 a GWP of less than one,” said Ken Gayer, vice president and general manager of Honeywell’s Fluorine Products Business. “We’re seeing an 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.”
Honeywell’s Baton Rouge facility was built in 1945 and continues to serve as one of Honeywell’s main manufacturing sites for its performance materials and technologies business. The site employs more than 200 people.
“Honeywell helps support hundreds of jobs in our state, and we’re proud the company is expanding in Baton Rouge with a brand-new product line,” said Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. “This project is a good example of how Louisiana’s outstanding business climate is convincing companies like Honeywell to reinvest in our state, retain existing jobs, and create new career opportunities for our people.”
In September 2014, at an event sponsored by the White House, Honeywell announced 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. The company projects use of its low-GWP Solstice materials in place of 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 and nonflammable per ASTM E681 and ISO 10156:2010 testing. 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 as an HFC-134a replacement in large stationary and commercial refrigeration applications.
HFO-1234ze is part of Honeywell’s line of Solstice hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) products that has low GWPs — either equal to or less than CO2 — and that are safe, available today, and capable of making a positive environmental impact.
Publication date: 2/16/2015
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