THAILAND: A study amongst convenience stores in Thailand has shown that the lower GWP refrigerant R448A showed an energy saving of nearly 8% when retrofitted into existing R404A systems.

The study measured power consumption and the ambient temperature across five stores, totalling 150m2 in central Thailand. The result, based on an average of all the parameters, showed an energy-saving average of 7.9%, or 28,273 kWh/year per five the stores.

The results of the study, carried out by a team from Thailand’s Prince of Songkla University, was published in the Journal of Advanced Research in Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Sciences.

Marketed by Honeywell as Solstice N40, R448A is a blend of the HFCs R32 (26%), R125 (26%) and R134a (21%), with HFO components R1234yf (20%) and 1234ze(E) (7%). Its GWP is around 1300 and is classified A1 by ASHRAE – non-toxic and non-flammable.

There are currently more than 20,000 convenience stores in Thailand, and the number is increasing annually. The majority are open 24 hours day, making the retail sector the fourth largest consumer of energy in the business sector.