(Credit: Pixabay)The Eiffel Tower is now using ultra-low-global-warming-potential (GWP) refrigerant technology in its new cooling system. The installation, which uses Honeywell's Solstice ze (R-1234ze) refrigerant, provides the tower's west pillar with an energy efficient and cost-effective solution that reduces greenhouse gas emissions. The pillar is home to the Eiffel Tower Visitor Information Center as well as a souvenir shop and a hydraulic lift that ascends 300 meters to sweeping views over Paris.
The Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), which operates the tower, replaced its aging system run with higher-GWP refrigerant R-407C with a contemporary system incorporating Honeywell's solution and equipment provided by component manufacturer AF Energy and French refrigeration specialist ALM Froid. The solution met SETE's strict criteria to transition to a high-performing, sustainable system with increased reliability, energy efficiency and improved safety to meet EU regulations and reduce its carbon footprint.
In combination with the variable speed of AF Energy's compressors and condensers, Solstice ze delivered energy efficiency far surpassing SETE's previous cooling system. In comparison to R-407C, which has a high GWP of 1774, Solstice ze has an ultra-low GWP of 1, which is 99.9 percent lower than the legacy refrigerant.
Based on Honeywell's HFO technology, Solstice ze is non-ozone-depleting. It is designed for medium pressure chillers to cool large buildings, infrastructure projects, process chillers in refrigeration applications, district cooling and heating, high-temperature heat pumps, and medium-temperature self-contained refrigeration cabinets.
Honeywell recently committed to achieve carbon neutrality in its operations and facilities by 2035.
