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Emerson has announced plans to immediately begin new product development efforts to introduce a portfolio of compressors optimized for use with R-32.

The company said R-32 has been the leading low GWP refrigerant choice for many applications in Europe and Asia.

“Based upon compressor testing and market analysis of R-32 in conjunction with overall customer feedback, Emerson believes that in most applications R-32 (Safety class A2L, GWP of 675), is an acceptable alternative to R-410A for lower GWP needs,” Emerson said in a formal statement.

The company said it is a "pivotal time" for the HVAC industry with users busy making the transition to low GWP refrigerants. Meanwhile, manufacturers are in the midst of product redesigns while also evaluating their best low GWP options.

Emerson said that “amid the uncertainty” the company is working to develop the best low GWP refrigerant options for various air conditioning and heat pump applications globally.

“Other low GWP candidates, such as R-454B (Safety Class A2L, GWP of 466), R-452B (Safety Class A2L, GWP of 698), and Honeywell’s new N41 refrigerant, R466A (Safety Class A1, approximate GWP of 733) among others, continue to be evaluated as they may be acceptable alternatives as well,” the statement said.

“This may vary by region and will likely be driven by application needs and local regulations.  Emerson is committed to supporting the industry and our customers with optimized product solutions as the need for these particular refrigerants becomes clearer.

“Currently, the N41 refrigerant with provisional R-number of R-466A is considered the only potentially viable low GWP candidate with a preliminary safety class designation of A1.  Although R-466A has potential as an alternative to R-410A, there are still system and component evaluations required to prove total system reliability, compatibility, and economics.”

The full statement is available at www.emerson.com