Specialty chemicals company LANXESS is now offering its innovative synthetic ester lubricant Everest ESR 220 for use in HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) and refrigeration systems using R-1234ze. Everest ESR 220 is approved and used today by several leading global manufacturers of such systems.

As the industry transitions from high Global Warming Potential (GWP) hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants, such as R-134a, to low GWP sustainable alternatives, LANXESS remains at the forefront of synthetic lubricant innovation to support and enable this transformation. The patented Everest ESR 220, developed through a collaboration with a leading OEM and under a Department of Energy (DOE) grant, addresses the critical needs for a lubricant that works effectively with R-1234ze refrigerant (GWP = 1.37) in screw compressors, where traditional synthetic oils for HFCs fail to perform.

“Refrigeration lubricants are unique in that they are always mixed with the refrigerant and must be mutually compatible for the system to work efficiently and reliably. In several instances, the commercial lubricants used with HFC refrigerants no longer worked with R-1234ze. LANXESS demonstrated its capability in developing and manufacturing Everest ESR 220 to enable customers to launch products for entirely new applications such as large scale district heat transfer”, said Ed Hessell, Technology Manager at LANXESS.