The development of environmentally friendly refrigerants for air conditioning and refrigeration equipment is imperative to the growth of HVAC technology. The low-GWP refrigerants like R1234ze are promising candidates for replacing HFC refrigerants. However, these refrigerants are flammable. To address the flammability issue, Honeywell developed Solstice N15, a non-flammable HFO blend.
Currently, R515b has been confirmed for both compact screw and centrifugal Turbocor compressors. Realizing the immense potential of R515b, Kaltra has embarked on the implementation of this refrigerant for its air-cooled and water-cooled chillers.
Both Lightstream Screw and Lightstream Turbo chiller families running on R515b will be of the same refrigeration capacity varying from 300 to 1550kW, feature an extended operating map, and compliant with ErP directive Tier 2 requirements. High-efficiency, quiet and super quiet versions complete the series.
Lightstream Screw chillers will be available for orders in Q1 2021 while showcasing a family of air-cooled chillers with Turbocor compressors running on R515b are scheduled for Q2 2021. Water-cooled chillers running on R515b are planned for fall 2021.
Refrigerant R515b
Refrigerant R515b, an A1, non-flammable, very low GWP (GWP=299, AR5) refrigerant replacement for R134a and HFO-1234ze for use in water-cooled and air-cooled chillers and heat pumps. Thank non-flammability, it can be used where building codes and safety standards prohibit the use of class A2L refrigerants as HFO-1234ze.
R515b is a zero-glide, azeotropic blend of HFO-1234ze (91.1%) and small amounts (8.9%) of R227ea.R515b demonstrates a capacity, operating envelope, and efficiency similar to those of refrigerant HFO-1234ze, ensuring a seamless transition for applications.
