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Honeywell Introduces Solstice Brand Name for Low Global Warming Products
MORRIS TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- Honeywell (NYSE: HON) has announced the launch of the SolsticeTM brand name for its low-global-warming-potential (GWP) materials.
The brand will be used for the family of stationary and mobile refrigerants, blowing agents, propellants and solvents that Honeywell continues to develop and commercialize for its customers. Solstice products are based on Honeywell’s new hydrofluoro-olefin technology and help customers lower their carbon footprint without sacrificing end-product performance.
The brand name will include HFO-1234yf, a new mobile air conditioning refrigerant, and HFO-1234ze, a new blowing agent and propellant.
The Solstice brand reflects the products’ break-through environmental properties, including their insulating capabilities for foam and their superior cooling capabilities for automotive air conditioning and refrigerant applications.
“Honeywell is pleased to offer its Solstice line of materials for customers who are looking for high-performance, energy-efficient, cost-effective and safe technologies that offer dramatically lower global warming potentials than traditional fluorocarbons,” said Terrence Hahn, vice president and general manager of Honeywell Fluorine Products. “Honeywell has pioneered innovative hydrofluoro-olefin technology, which significantly reduces the carbon footprint of many applications without sacrificing their performance.”
Hydrofluoro-olefins are a family of unique products that offer comparable performance to today's most widely used stationary and mobile refrigerants, blowing agents and aerosol propellants. However, the molecular structure of these products causes them to have short atmospheric lifetimes, which means they have very low global warming potentials.
Honeywell Solstice 1234yf is being widely adopted by the automotive industry for use as a refrigerant in car air conditioning systems. It has a GWP of 4, which is 99.7 percent less than HFC-134a (with a GWP of 1,430), the prior refrigerant used in this application.
Honeywell Solstice 1234ze is a gaseous blowing agent and propellant that is being used in aerosols and extruded polystyrene board applications. It has a GWP of 6, and replaces HFC-134a and HFC-152a (with a GWP of 142).
Honeywell is investing in the development of other Solstice products that will be used as solvents, refrigerants, and as blowing agents for polyurethane foam insulation.
Fluorocarbon technology benefits society through superior energy efficiency performance in cooling and insulating applications. By reducing fuel consumption, fluorocarbons directly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from heating, cooling and electrical power generation, and are cost-effective for the end user compared with fluorocarbon alternatives.
In addition, many fluorocarbons are nonflammable and have a low order of toxicity, which makes them significantly safer in use than alternatives such as hydrocarbons and ammonia that are either extremely flammable or highly toxic.
For more information about Honeywell’s low-GWP products, visit www.abettercool.com.
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