Long-term test proved significant savings in both direct and indirect emissions
BRUSSELS, Belgium, July XX, 2011 – Honeywell (NYSE: HON) announced today that U.K. supermarket chain ASDA successfully tested Honeywell’s Genetron PerformaxTM® LT refrigerant at its Hunts Cross store.
The long-term test running from September 2010 at ASDA’s Hunts Cross store found the new refrigerant for supermarket chillers saved energy and reduced overall carbon footprint compared to other commonly used refrigerant blends, such as R404A or R407A.
“The results of the Hunts Cross trial demonstrated that Genetron Performax® LT outperforms other commonly used blends in energy efficiency and carbon footprint reduction,” said Paul Sanders, Managing Director for Honeywell Fluorine Products in Europe, Middle East, Africa and India. “Because Performax is safe to use and requires minimal system changes, it is the best choice for supermarkets.”
The Asda test confirms results obtained by other European supermarkets – systems with Genetron Performax® LT, also known as R-407F, consumed up to 13 percent less energy than systems using R-407A and up to 20 percent less than systems running R-404A in medium temperature. If rolled out in all of ASDA’s stores, Genetron Performax® LT can help Asda save millions of pounds on energy bills compared to R404A system over a 14-year life cycle due to its better energy efficiency. Genetron Performax® LT can also help save more than 625,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emission compared to a R404A system over a 14-year span. This is the equivalent of removing more than 120,000 cars from the roads.
“The benefits we are seeing are very much a combination of ASDA system optimisation and favourable properties of the refrigerant. I feel the most important aspect of this conversion to Genetron Performax® LT will be its unparalleled efficiency and lower GWP versus R404A, which will enable us to reduce both direct and indirect emissions,” said Brian Churchyard, head of refrigeration at ASDA. “I am impressed by the energy improvement.”
Genetron Performax® LT consists of a highly efficient mixture of conventional hydrofluorocarbons (R-32, R-125 and R-134a). It can be used for new commercial installations and also to retrofit existing R-404A, R-407A and R-22 installations. Conversion of existing R-404A installations requires only minor adjustment to the expansion valve. Conversion of existing R-22 installation requires only a single oil change, and no adjustment to the expansion valve. The conversion can be done very quickly without disruption to business. At ASDA, for example, the conversion was done over the weekend. The start-up was trouble-free. The retrofitting cost is paid off through energy savings.
Regarding safety, there are no differences compared to conventional hydrofluorocarbons, or HFC, refrigerants.
ASDA has made a public commitment through its Sustainability 2.0 strategy to reduce the environmental impact both its own operations and those of its supply chain. The strategy’s ambitious goals for 2015 (compared to 2005 levels) include for instance reducing energy consumption in existing stores by 35 percent; reducing new store carbon emissions by 60 percent; reducing overall carbon footprint by 10 percent; removing 20 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from its global supply chain; reducing 60 percent of emissions from its transport fleet.
Honeywell Specialty Materials is a global leader in providing customers with high-performance specialty materials, including fluorine products; specialty films and additives; advanced fibers and composites; intermediates; specialty chemicals; electronic materials and chemicals; and technologies and materials for petroleum refining and petrochemical production.
Honeywell International (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials. Based in Morris Township, N.J., Honeywell’s shares are traded on the New York, London, and Chicago Stock Exchanges. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com.
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