Cool collaboration

DuPont and Honeywell have announced a global joint development agreement to accelerate the development and commercialisation of next generation, low global warming refrigerants for the automotive air conditioning industry.

The new refrigerants would enable car manufacturers to meet new regulations in Europe that require the use of low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants in mobile air conditioning (AC) applications. Today’s car air conditioners use hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)-134a. The new regulation is scheduled to take effect in 2011 for new model cars, with the transition complete by 2017.

Under the agreement, DuPont and Honeywell will jointly identify, develop, test and qualify new low GWP refrigerants that are cost-effective alternatives to other technologies being considered by the auto industry. Car manufacturers are currently evaluating mobile AC systems that use such technologies. Ideally, car manufacturers are seeking a commercially viable fluorinated gas solution that is compatible with conventional HFC-134a mobile air conditioning system technology.