Japanese firm Asahi Glass, in collaboration with state technology researcher New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO), has announced its own AC refrigerant, based on the new HFO molecule HFO 1123, with a GWP under 350 a sixth that of R410A and half that of R32.
Japan’s Asahi Glass Company has followed up its production venture with Honeywell on the automotive refrigerant R1234yf with the announcement of its own HFO-based refrigerant based on the hitherto unpublicised molecule HFO 1123.
AGC, which has worked with NEDO on the refrigerant, which it has branded Amolea, says it is aimed at room air conditioning applications, and boasts a GWP of about one-sixth that of R410A, while having the same refrigerant characteristics. Perhaps more significantly, Amolea is said to have half the GWP of R32, currently being promoted by air coniditioning giant Daikin – and expected to become widely used by AC manufacturers from next year onwards.
Asahi Glass said it aims to launch commercial production in 2016, ahead of restrictions on the use of HFCs in Japan beginning in 2015, and in anticipation of global phasedown of the refrigerants.
AGC said it worked on the refrigerant development as part of a NEDO-subsidised project, and the blend,provided ‘equivalent performance to conventional refrigerants, while achieving both low GWP and energy efficient economic performance.’
NEDO noted the new blend was largely composed of HFO 1123, in blend with other unspecified refrigerants.
The AGC Group said it will ‘accelerate its efforts to commercialise new refrigerants and focus on developing refrigerants with even lower GWP. In cooperation with equipment makers, the Group will contribute to the early provision of air-conditioning systems with significantly low environmental loads.’