Honeywell Solstice N40 (R-448A) - Commercial Refrigeration Replacement

R-448A - marketed by Honeywell as Solstice N40 - is the refrigerant most widely adopted by US supermarket chains as an R-404A and R-22 replacement. Non-flammable (A1), ~65% lower GWP than R-404A, and performs across the low- and medium-temperature range.

Specs

• →Composition: R-32 / R-125 / R-134a / R-1234yf / R-1234ze (HFO blend)
• →GWP (AR5): 1,387
• →Safety class: A1 (non-flammable)
• →Glide: ~5°C - moderate
• →Lubricant: POE

Applications

• →Supermarket refrigeration (low- and medium-temp)
• →Cold storage warehouses
• →Walk-in freezers and coolers
• →Ice machines
• →Process chillers

Retrofit from R-404A

Workflow: recover R-404A (send for reclaim), replace filter drier, adjust expansion valve (TXV) superheat settings, charge R-448A by weight. Oil typically stays POE. Expect a 5–10% energy efficiency improvement in most field installations.

Retrofit from R-22

R-22 systems originally had mineral oil. R-448A requires POE - so the oil change is mandatory (multi-flush procedure). Also verify compressor compatibility with the refrigerant and oil combination.