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R470A, R470B, R466: What applications and what features for these new non-flammable refrigerants?

Air conditioning (R410A replacement)


A year and a half ago, Honeywell announced the development of R466A, an alternative refrigerant to R410A in air conditioning. Last November, ASHRAE classified this gas in category A1 (non-flammable).


R466A is a mixture of the following compounds:

  • R32 (49%)
  • R125 (11.5%)
  • CF3l (39.5)


Its GWP is 733. It is not a drop-in refrigerant, but Honeywell says that the refrigeration systems require little few modifications to be able to use the operate with R466A.


This month, RSL promotes an alternative to R410A in air conditioning: R470A, a refrigerant also classified A1 by ASHRAE. It has a GWP of 909, a little higher than R466A. This product is nevertheless interesting since it is an drop-in refrigerant.


R470A is a mixture of the following compounds:

  • CO2 (10%)
  • R32 (17%)
  • R125 (19%)
  • R134a (7%)
  • R1234ze (E) (44%)
  • R227ea (3%).


NB: R410A has a GWP of 2088.


Commercial refrigeration (replacement of R404A and R507)


RSL also recently introduced R470B, a refrigerant with a GWP of 717, also classified A1.. It is intended for commercial applications because it has properties similar to those of R404A. No changes to lubricant are required and only “minimal modifications” are needed in case of retrofitting.


R470B is composed as follows:

  • CO2 (10%)
  • R32 (11.5%)
  • R125 (11.5%)
  • R134a (3%)
  • R1234ze (E) (57%)
  • R227ea (7%).


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