Mainstream Demonstrates World’s First Hydrocarbon-based Environmental Control Unit

ROCKLEDGE, FL – October 10, 2005 – Mainstream Engineering Corporation, leading research, and development company specializing in advanced thermal control and energy conversion, successfully demonstrated the world’s first hydrocarbon-based environmental control unit (HECU) for military shelters. The 60,000-Btu/hr (5-tonR) HECU uses propane as the working fluid.

Why use Propane? Europe has already banned HCFC refrigerants and will also be banning the use of HFC refrigerants in the near future because of their very large Global Warming Potential (GWP). Although the new “environmentally safe” HFC-410A has no Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP), it has a GWP of 1890. Alternatively, propane has zero ODP and an extremely low GWP of only 11.

Europe is currently taking steps to meet the Kyoto Protocol, which calls for quantitative reduction of greenhouse gases (including HFCs) for the period 2008-2012. This includes restricting the use of any refrigerant with a GWP in excess of 150 and will result in the eventual ban of HFC-410A from use in these NATO nations.

Mainstream has a demonstrated history of leadership in this area, being the only ECU manufacturer offering an environmentally safe HFC-410A ECU, known as the MECU. Once again, Mainstream has anticipated future trends by developing the next step in reducing environmental impact with the HECU.

According to Dr. Scaringe of Mainstream, “Our HECU system has outstanding environmental qualities and unbeatable efficiency and performance.” Mainstream’s HECU is smaller, lighter, and more efficient than existing military ECUs, including the HCFC22-based A/E32C-39, the HFC134a-b.