A.S. Trust & Holdings takes its R441A and R443A hydrocarbon formula to Japanese market

A.S. Trust & Holdings’ exclusive distributor in Japan, Kyozon Technology, has entered into a contractual agreement with chemical company Komatsukawasano to blend, bottle and distribute R441A and R443A allowing Japanese companies to access the US-developed product. The pure hydrocarbon multi-blend is intended to replace the current generation of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants that contribute significantly to greenhouse gases.

Automotive testing of R441A by taxi fleet in Yokohama

An energy-saving test programme will be carried out in two types of automobile fleets operated by a taxi company in Yokohama, Japan. Data documenting air-conditioning performance, how the vehicle drives and how much fuel it consumes will be recorded throughout the program, scheduled to commence in June when temperature and humidity are expected to reach summer highs in Japan. The hydrocarbon AC system is estimated to save around 20-30% on fuel.

Maruya explains,

In most cars the air conditioning absorbs about 10 to 30% of the energy and they have to run AC in taxis in Japan during the summer, or people won’t ride in them.” He continued, " With R441A there is less resistance on the compressor, which means less strain on the motor.”
 

The 2013 energy test programme is the second which the Yokohama taxi company has performed in collaboration with A.S Trust & Holdings and Kyozon Technology. During the summer of 2012, R441A had been tested in some of its vehicles already, finding that the refrigerant could be of interest to try in the fleet’s range of hybrid and electric vehicles, particularly the Nissan Leaf. Maruya comments that the business exchanges thus far with the taxi company have been encouraging.

R441A in MAC: pending approval in the US

Hydrocarbon blend R441A has already received the green-light by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for usage in refrigeration and AC systems in the US, and is currently under evaluation for approval in mobile air conditioning (MAC). The US EPA states concerns of the flammability factor the refrigerant poses, in response to which the manufacturing company insists that the amount needed is less than 5 ounces, which does not pose a significant fire threat. Furthermore, smaller volumes of R441A are necessary to produce the same result as traditional refrigerants, and a specialty valve has been developed to prevent potential leakage. The valve has been safety tested by Intertek and currently ETL safety listed with all types of flammable or toxic refrigerants.

About R441A

Refrigerant R441A is a blend of propane, butane, isobutene and ethane which functions with only one-fourth of the amount that an HFC refrigerant does. R441A operates with mineral oil and can be used as a direct replacement in residential appliances, commercial refrigeration units and automotive cooling systems designed for R12 and R134A.

About A.S. Trust & Holdings

Located in Hawaii, A.S. Trust & Holdings has developed a line of refrigerants based on a blend of pure hydrocarbons. The unique formula of the initial product has been designated R441A by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) since January 2011. R441A is one of the first hydrocarbon refrigerants to be approved for sale in the United States by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Significant New Alternative Policy (SNAP) for use in household refrigerators and freezers.