Dupont Highlights SAE Group Says Its High Level of Confidence in HFO-1234yf Continues to Grow

SAE International Technical Group Says Its High Level of Confidence in HFO-1234yf Continues to Grow Collaborative Evaluations are Based on Extensive Testing Combined with a Risk-Assessment Methodology Used by Regulatory Authorities Around the World

An SAE International Cooperative Research Program reported progress in expanding its evaluation of HFO-1234yf, stating that their “high level of confidence that R1234yf can be used safely in automotive applications continues to grow.”

An earlier Cooperative Research Program was completed in 2009 and concluded that HFO-1234yf is a safe and acceptable alternative refrigerant for mobile air conditioning systems that can be used to meet new environmental and consumer needs. The previous evaluation has now been expanded, and SAE International said that “the findings of the original CRP1234 remain well founded.”

The evaluations done by the automotive industry under the SAE program have involved extensive testing. According to SAE, the Cooperative Research Program is “using universally accepted engineering methods, including analysis of recent OEM testing from actual vehicle crash data, on-vehicle simulations, laboratory simulations, bench tests and over 100 engine compartment refrigerant releases. Based on this testing, the CRP has found that the refrigerant is highly unlikely to ignite and that ignition requires extremely idealized conditions.”

“SAE programs have conducted years of rigorous safety testing for this refrigerant, and all results were brought together under an internationally accepted approach to risk assessment,” said Joseph Martinko, global business and market manager, DuPont™ Opteon™ products. “SAE International Cooperative Research Programs follow a process that brings a disciplined and thorough approach to collaborative industry programs.”

SAE International Cooperative Research Programs enable multiple organizations to pool resources and expertise to study areas of common technical interest. For more details, please visit http://www.sae.org/servlets/pressRoom?OBJECT_TYPE=PressReleases&PAGE=showRelease&RELEASE_ID=1984.

The MAC Directive is a central program in the EU’s Sustainable Development Strategy. The MAC Directive was adopted in 2006, giving automakers five years to identify an alternative refrigerant solution that complies with the new MAC Directive. The car industry evaluated multiple refrigerants for use in MAC Directive compliance and determined that HFO-1234yf is the most suitable alternative when considering performance, energy efficiency, climate considerations, safety, implementation factors and industry readiness.
HFO-1234yf is a scientific breakthrough that has a 99.7 percent lower global warming potential than the refrigerant it was developed to replace. In addition, this refrigerant enables energy efficiency, and has an optimal balance of safety, performance, sustainability and cost. If HFO-1234yf were adopted in all new cars sold in the EU, North America and Japan, those cars would have reduced emissions equivalent to using billions fewer gallons of fuel or driving tens of billions fewer miles every year. For more information about HFO-1234yf, please visit http://www2.dupont.com/hfo1234yf/en_US/.

DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit www.dupont.com.