Opteon™ XP40 (R-449A)
Refrigerant

The Future Is Clear, The Future Is Opteon™

Product Comparison
What is the problem with R-404A (and R-507A)?

virgin R-404A (GWP = 3922) for commercial applications
and therefore users of R 404A will have to find an
acceptable alternative or rely on the uncertainty of theavailability of recycled/reclaimed R-404A.

Can I wait until 2020 to stop using R-404A(and R-507A)?

1

If you just consider whether it is legal to continue to use

0.8R-404A until 2020 then the answer is yes BUT as is oftenthe case it’s not as simple as that. As can be seen in Figure 1,0.6

by 2018 there is a 37% drop in the available CO2 equivalents
and this will put severe pressure on the availability of high
GWP products such as R-404A. It seems highly probable

0.4

that, unless high GWP products are replaced by those withmuch lower GWPs, the quota will be exhausted. In reality, this0.2

is unlikely to happen, as low GWP alternatives are alreadybeing promoted and F-gas quota pressures are likely to120 819202020
220 12220
220 324172020202016015

CO2 Equivalent Cap as a Fraction of Baseline

Figure 1. (EU) 517/2014 Phasedown(>10.2 kg of R-404A). This will effectively ban the use ofYearRegulation (EU) 517/2014, commonly known as the F-Gas
II Regulation, came into force on 1st January 2015 acrossthe whole of the European Union. This regulation sets out amake high GWP products less commercially attractive,
driving the required change to lower GWP options This will ineffect remove R-404A from the marketplace well before the2020 deadline. So although legally R-404A can be useduntil 2020, every user of R-404A should be planning to
replace it with a lower GWP alternative by 2018.

number of restrictions and bans on the use of F-Gas in new
equipment, service requirements and imposes a phasedown
limiting the quantity of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents ofF-Gas that can be placed on the market with theintroduction of supply quotas. The phasedown is likely tohave the most significant impact as over a 15 year period it
reduces the quantity of CO2 equivalents placed on themarket to just 21% of the 2009-2012 average value(Figure 1). In addition to the phasedown, effective 1stJanuary 2020 the regulation places a ban on the use ofproducts with a global warming potential (GWP) >2500 in
new equipment and even for service of systems with arefrigerant charge above 40 tonnes of CO2 equivalents

A medium temperature (MT) refrigeration rack from aR-404A/CO2 hybrid system in a supermarket in
Milan was converted to Opteon™ XP40 (R-449A).

Opteon™ XP40

Refrigerant

What can I use to replace R-404A (and R-507A)?

In addition all major compressor manufacturers areA number of products have been proposed to replace
R-404A (and R-507A) with GWPs >50% lower thanR-404A and some of these products will be suitable as aninterim option, but the severity of the phasedown dictatesthat the products with the lowest GWPs are likely to be
the best choice for the long term. Figure 2 shows theGWP of R-404A and the options available compared tothe GWP of Opteon™ XP40 (R-449A). Even though theGWP of R-407A and R-407F are only >30% higher than
Opteon™ XP40, this will become critical as the phasedownprogresses and so the only real candidates are theHFO-based blends such as Opteon™ XP40 (R-449A).

GWP Value (AR4*)

4000

and Emerson added Opteon™ XP40 to their compressor
selection software. Other manufacturers such as Dorin andFrascold have also completed qualification and havecompressors available for use with Opteon™ XP40 andmany others are expected to follow in the near future.
Component manufacturers such as the heat exchanger
manufacturer Güntner also have Opteon™ XP40 included intheir selection software and control manufacturers such asDanfoss have made control parameters available allowing
use in new equipment design as well.
As a result of the rapid adoption of Opteon™ XP40, awide distribution network has been established acrossFigure 2. Potential R-404A Alternative
4500

qualifying Opteon™ XP40 and early in 2015 both Bitzer

Europe and Opteon™ XP40 is now firmly established as
the market leader.

281%
GWP expressed as a percentageof Opteon™ XP40 GWP value

3500
3000
2500

151%

2000

131%

<1400 GWP

R-407F

R-448A Opteon™
XP40(R-449A)

1500
1000
500
0R-404AR-407A*Inter-governmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) Assessment Report 4(AR4)

Why should I choose Opteon™ XP40?
Opteon™ XP40 (R-449A) was commercially launched inOctober 2014 by Chemours (formerly DuPont) and quickly
became the market leading low GWP R-404A replacement.
Both before and since the product launch manysupermarket chains in Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium,Austria, UK, France, Greece and the Netherlands haveinstalled Opteon™ XP40 in both low temperature andmedium temperature applications. The results from trials
were consistently good with energy savings recorded
ranging from 2-3% in the low temperature systems to8-11% in the medium temperature systems. As a result of
the excellent results the major retailer Ahold of theNetherlands launched a roll-out of Opteon™ XP40 acrosstheir R-507A estate with more than 200 stores involved in
the Opteon™ XP40 retrofit program.

After extensive practical trials, a Dutch retailer is converting therefrigeration systems in some 200 of its supermarkets to Opteon™
XP40 (R-449A).

How does Opteon™ XP40 compare with thecompetitive product R-448A?
As can be seen in Tables 1 and 2, the cooling capacity andenergy efficiency of both products are very similar, but
Table 3 shows Opteon™ XP40 has a more favourable
compressor discharge temperature, smaller temperature
glide, slightly lower condensing pressure, and a slightly
improved pressure ratio compared to R-448A.

Opteon™ XP40

Refrigerant

Table 1. Low temperature (-35ºC mean evaporating temperature) performance comparison
Cooling Capacity1

C.O.P.1

Data Source
ProductRefprop

2

Data Source

Bitzer

Emerson3

Refprop42

Bitzer3

Emerson4

Opteon™ XP40 (R-449A)

100100100

100100100

R-448A

101

101

9810010198

Table 2. Medium temperature (-15ºC mean evaporating temperature) performance comparison
Cooling Capacity1

C.O.P.1

Data Source
ProductData Source

Bitzer3

Refprop2

Emerson4

Refprop2

Bitzer3

Emerson4

Opteon™ XP40 (R-449A)

100

100

100

100

100

100

R-448A

101

101

100

100

100

100

Table 3. Property comparison at low (35°C) and medium (-15°C) mean evaporator temperature conditions
Low Temperature
ProductDischarge
Temperature3

Glide2Condensing
Pressure2

Medium Temperature
Pressure Ratio2

Discharge
Temperature3

Glide2Pressure Ratio2

Opteon™ XP40 (R-449A)

118.0°C3.6K

16.59bar

12.95

94.0°C

3.9K

5.56

R-448A

119.2°C

4.0K

16.66bar

13.09

94.6°C

4.3K

5.60

Expressed as a percentage of the Opteon™ XP40 value.

1NIST Standard Reference Database 23, Beta version 9.11 (April 24, 2014), DLL version number 9.1104 with updated fluid files available on request fromwww.opteon.com., Liquid subcooling=5K, total suction superheat=20K, useful superheat=5K, condensing temp=40ºC, isentropic efficiency 0.7.

2Bitzer Software v6.4.3rev1302, Compressor model 6HE-28Y, Liquid subcooling=0K, total suction superheat=20K, useful superheat=5K, condensing
temp=40ºC.

3

Emerson Software version 1.0.46(2), Database Version: April 10, 2015, compressor model ZS19KAE-TF5, Liquid subcooling=5K, total suction
superheat=20K, useful superheat=5K, condensing temp=40ºC.

4Opteon™ XP40 – The Market Leader

For More Information

Taking into account the excellent performance, large

To receive further information regarding Opteon™ XP40

amount of practical experience, the widespreadas an alternative to R-404A and R-507A, or for moreavailability and the superior properties, it’s no wonder

information about other refrigerants from Chemours, call:

Opteon™ XP40 has become the leading nonflammable

Europe: +41 22 719 1500

low GWP alternative to R-404A.

North America: (800) 235-7882
Or visit us at Opteon.com

The information set forth herein is furnished free of charge and based on technical data that Chemours believes to be reliable. It is intended for use by persons having technical skill, attheir own risk. Because conditions of use are outside our control, Chemours makes no warranties, expressed or implied, and assumes no liability in connection with any use of thisinformation. Nothing herein is to be taken as a license to operate under, or a recommendation to infringe, any patents or patent applications.
© 2016 The Chemours Company FC, LLC. Opteon™ and any associated logos are trademarks or copyrights of The Chemours Company FC, LLC. Chemours™ and the Chemours Logo aretrademarks of The Chemours Company.
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