Hongfa Earns UL Component Safety Certificate for A2L Refrigerants

On Dec. 14, 2022, UL Solutions awarded Xiamen Hongfa Electrical Safety & Controls Co., Ltd. (Hongfa) a safety certificate for components used in A2L flammable refrigerant systems according to UL 60335-2-40, the Standard for Household and Similar Electrical Appliances – Safety – Part 2-40: Particular Requirements for Electrical Heat Pumps, Air-Conditioners and Dehumidifiers. The certificate awarding ceremony took place on-site at Hongfa’s facilities.

Mr. Chen Shuixian, general manager of Hongfa; Mr. Zhu Xiang, senior director and general manager of Asia Pacific and Middle East and Africa regions for the UL Solutions Appliances, HVAC and Lighting division; and other representatives from both sides attended the ceremony and delivered keynote speeches.

Speeches about a successful past and promising future

Mr. Chen Shuixian, general manager of Hongfa, said that it was a great honor to receive Asia’s first safety certificate from UL Solutions for components used in A2L flammable refrigerant systems. Hongfa has always adhered to a management policy based on winning with quality through market orientation and has provided customers with high-quality, reliable products close to the market. Shuixian stated that, in the future, Hongfa will continue to follow market trends, adhere to stringent quality standards, provide customers with safer and more reliable contactor products and cooperate with industrial supply chain partners to accelerate the transformation of the low-carbon economy.

Xiang said that with more than a hundred years of explosion-proof application experience and considering trends in the use of new refrigerants in the refrigeration industry, UL Solutions helps component manufacturers stand out from the competition in the global supply chain while complying with regulations.

Xiang continued, saying that through this cooperation in component safety certification, UL Solutions will provide further professional and convenient services in subsequent safety assessments of components involving A2L flammable refrigerants to meet the safety needs of Hongfa products in the end market. UL Solutions’ new service, Flame Arrest-Protected Components for Use in Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Equipment Employing A2L Refrigerants can help Hongfa products earn better customer recognition in the global market through demonstrably excellent safety performance.

Longstanding cooperation results in significant achievements

Founded in 1984, Hongfa has achieved success in the low-voltage electrical appliances, relays, high-voltage and low-voltage equipment, capacitors, precision parts and automation equipment sectors. Hongfa Electrical Safety & Controls Co., Ltd manufactures medium- and low-voltage electrical appliances under Hongfa Group, specializing in producing distribution appliances, terminal appliances, control appliances and other products. The products are widely used in real estate, electric power, industry, energy, transportation and other fields.

UL Solutions has established a partnership with Hongfa since 1987. Over the past 35 years, the two companies have worked together to carry out product testing, certification and other safety assessment work for multiple products, fields and regions. Asia’s first A2L flammable refrigerant component safety certificate serves as further testimony to the strength of the cooperation between the two parties in the product safety field.

A new service from UL Solutions in the field of A2L flammable refrigerants

The use of refrigerants like R32 and R454B is increasing due to their low global warming potential (GWP), environmental impact and excellent thermodynamic performance. These hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) refrigerants have a lower flammable limit per ANSI/ASHRAE 34. Because of this flammability risk, manufacturers must take care when selecting components for use in equipment utilizing R32, R454B and other A2L HFO blends to help ensure that the components are flame arrest-protected.

To assist the industry in selecting components for use in systems utilizing these refrigerants, UL Solutions created its new service, Flame Arrest-Protected Components for Use in Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Equipment Employing A2L Refrigerants. This offering specifically addresses the need for a balanced approach to certification, provides critical material/design traceability without the need for full hazardous location (HazLoc) certification, and is more robust than a letter of test results. This approach is faster and more cost-effective than the end-product certification without this component certification and helps keep intellectual property private.

LZGH2 Component Certification Program

The LZGH2 Component Certification Program is suitable for all electrical components that may come into contact with leaked A2L refrigerants during the use of HVAC equipment, including refrigerant compressors, controllers, fans, electric valves, sensors and other spare parts. Its advantages include:

• Ease of use of the standard component in low-GWP flammable refrigerant products such as A2L.
• Emphasis on the safety of enhanced product components in combination with low-GWP flammable refrigerants such as A2L.
• Improved product competitiveness by avoiding the use of more costly HazLoc/ATEX components without compromising safety.
• Avoiding leakage test requirements for system designs when certified to IEC/UL 60335-2-40 or IEC/UL 60335-2-89.