R-469A is a refrigerant blend consisting of 35% carbon dioxide (R-744), 32.5% difluoromethane (R-32), and 32.5% pentafluoroethane (R-125).
History
editThis blend was developed by TU Dresden and Weiss Technik (a member of the Schunk Group of companies).[1] The impetus for the development thereof was the restriction in use of the refrigerant Fluoroform (R-23) by EU regulation 517/2014 [2] on fluorinated greenhouse gases. At that time, R-23 was the refrigerant used most often to achieve temperatures as low as –70 °C. Since 2014, R-23 has only been allowed to be used in new refrigerating equipment and devices within the context of transitional regulations. This has led to a significant shortage of the quantity available and an enormous increase in price.[3]
The aim of the project was to develop a new refrigerant suitable for temperatures down to –70 °C that fulfilled the requirements of the EU regulation and was neither flammable nor toxic. In 2019, the blend was registered with ASHRAE for the assignment of an R-number, which was allocated in the same year.[4]
Properties
edit| Properties | Value[5] |
|---|---|
| Composition |
35% R-744 (CO2) |
| Average molar mass [g/mol] | 59.1 |
| Bubble point [°C] | −78.5 |
| Dew point [°C] | −61.5 |
R-469A is a chemically stable, transparent and odourless gas mixture.[6] Since it is non-toxic and non-combustible, it has been placed in safety group A1. The global warming potential (GWP) ) of R-469A is 1357 and thus less than 10% of the value for R-23 (GWP 14800[2]). Thanks to the low GWP value, it fulfils the requirements of EU regulation 517/2014 on refrigerants for new systems even without the certificate of exemption otherwise necessary. Systems using the refrigerant R-469A up to 3.6 kg filling quantity are exempt from the Leak test in accordance with EU regulation 517/2014.[7]
Use
editR-469A is used in climate simulation test chambers for reaching temperatures as low as –70 °C. It is used as a substitute for R-23. The properties of R-469A with regards to cooling rate, thermal compensation, and air distribution are almost identical to those of R-23. This makes the test results of systems using the two refrigerants directly comparable.[8]
Trade names
edit- WT69
Individual references
edit- ^ "Neues Kältemittel ohne R23". Plastverarbeiter.de (in German). 2019-07-01.
- ^ a b Verordnung (EU) Nr. 517/2014 des Europäischen Parlaments und des Rates vom 16. April 2014 über fluorierte Treibhausgase und zur Aufhebung der Verordnung (EG) Nr. 842/2006 (in German), 2014-05-20, retrieved 2019-12-19
- ^ BOC (1 September 2019), BOC (ed.), Guide to updated EU f-gas regulation (517/2014) (in German), p. 8
- ^ "Publication of approval by ASHRAE" (PDF).
- ^ ashrae.org: ANSI/ASHRAE Addendum to ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 34-2019, retrieved on 1 January 2020.
- ^ "Data sheet for WT69 at Weiss Technik" (PDF).
- ^ "Klimatests ohne Leckageprüfung" (in German). 11 July 2019.
- ^ "Neues Kältemittel WT69 für Tiefkälte-Anwendungen". 3 June 2019.