Azeotrope-like compositions of tetrafluoropropene and trifluoroiodomethane

• US 20060043330A1
• Filed: 04/18/2005
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Singh, Rajiv R., Pham, Hang T., Thomas, Raymond H., Wilson, David P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,622,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 252/67
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2201/03 Extrusion of the foamable blend
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2203/144 Perhalogenated saturated hydrocarbons, e.g. F3C-CF3
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2203/162 Halogenated unsaturated hydrocarbons, e.g. H2C=CF2
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2203/182 of physical blowing agents, e.g. acetone and butane
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2205/052 Closed cells, i.e. more than 50% of the pores are closed
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2207/04 Aerosol, e.g. polyurethane foam spray
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2300/22 Thermoplastic resins
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2300/24 Thermosetting resins
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2323/06 Polyethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2323/12 Polypropene
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2325/06 Polystyrene
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2361/04 Condensation polymers of aldehydes or ketones with phenols only
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2367/02 Polyesters derived from dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds; C08J2367/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2375/04 Polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/146 only fluorine as halogen atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/147 containing carbon and halogen atoms only
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2205/122 Halogenated hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2205/126 Unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 3/30 for aerosols aerosol containers B65D83/14
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 5/045 containing only fluorine as halogen
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 171/008 : Lubricant compositions compatible with refrigerants
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/042 : Epoxides
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/101 : Containing Hydrofluorocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 7/5063 : Halogenated hydrocarbons containing heteroatoms, e.g. fluoro alcohols

Abstract

Provided are azeotrope-like compositions comprising tetrafluoropropene and trifluoroiodomethane and uses thereof, including use in refrigerant compositions, refrigeration systems, blowing agent compositions, and sprayable compositions, including aerosol propellants.

Claims

1. An azeotrope-like composition comprising effective amounts of HFO-1234yf and CF₃I.

2. The azeotrope-like composition of claim 1 which consists essentially of from about 25 to less than 100 weight percent HFO-1234yf and from greater than zero to about 75 weight percent of CF₃I.

3. The azeotrope-like composition of claim 1 which consists essentially of from about 30 to about 85 weight percent HFO-1234yf and from about 15 to about 70 weight percent of CF₃I.

4. The azeotrope-like composition of claim 1 which consists essentially of from about 35 to about 70 weight percent HFO-1234yf and from about 30 to about 65 weight percent of CF₃I.

5. The azeotrope-like composition of claim 1 which consists essentially of from about 45 to about 70 weight percent HFO-1234yf and from about 30 to about 55 weight percent of CF₃I.

6. The azeotrope-like composition of claim 1 which consists essentially of from about 50 to about 60 weight percent HFO-1234yf and from about 40 to about 50 weight percent of CF₃I.

7. The azeotrope-like composition of claim 1 having a boiling point of from about −

28°

C. to about −

31°

C. at a pressure of about 14.26 psia.

8. The azeotrope-like composition of claim 1 having a boiling point of from about −

29°

C. to about −

31°

C. at a pressure of about 14.26 psia.

9. The azeotrope-like composition of claim 1 having a boiling point of from about −

30°

C. to about −

31°

C. at a pressure of about 14.26 psia.

10. A composition comprising the composition of claim 1 and at least one adjuvant selected from the group consisting of supplemental lubricants, compatibilizers, surfactants, supplemental flame suppressants, solubilizing agents, dispersing agents, cell stabilizers, cosmetics, polishing agents, medicaments, cleaners, fire retarding agents, colorants, chemical sterilants, stabilizers, polyols, polyol premix components and combinations of two or more of these.

11. A heat transfer composition comprising the composition of claim 10 and wherein said adjuvant comprises at least one lubricant.

12. The heat transfer composition of claim 11 wherein said supplemental lubricant is selected from the group consisting of mineral oil, silicone oil, polyalkyl benzenes (PABs), polyol esters (POEs), polyalkylene glycols (PAGs), polyalkylene glycol esters (PAG esters), polyvinyl ethers (PVEs), poly(alpha-olefins) (PAOs), and combinations of these.

13. The heat transfer composition of claim 12 wherein said adjuvant further includes at least one compatibilizer.

14. The heat transfer composition of claim 13 comprising from about 0.5 to about 5 percent by weight of said at least one compatibilizer.

15. The heat transfer composition of claim 12 wherein said supplemental lubricant(s) together are present in an amount of from about 5 to about 50 percent by weight of the heat transfer composition.

16. The heat transfer composition of claim 11 comprising one or more supplemental flame suppressants.

17. The heat transfer composition of claim 16 wherein said one or more flame suppressant(s) together are present in an amount of from about 0.5% to about 30% by weight of the heat transfer composition.

18. A heat transfer composition comprising an azeotrope-like composition of claim 1.

19. A heat transfer composition comprising at least about 50% by weight of an azeotrope-like composition of claim 1.

20. A refrigerant comprising the heat transfer composition of claim 18.

21. A refrigeration system comprising a heat transfer composition of claim 20.

22. A refrigeration system of claim 21 selected from group consisting of automotive air conditioning systems, residential air conditioning systems, commercial air conditioning systems, residential refrigerator systems, residential freezer systems, commercial refrigerator systems, commercial freezer systems, chiller air conditioning systems, chiller refrigeration systems, heat pump systems, and combinations of two or more of these.

23. A blowing agent comprising an azeotrope-like composition of claim 1.

24. A blowing agent comprising at least about 5% by weight of the azeotrope-like composition of claim 1.

25. A foamable composition comprising one or more components capable of forming foam and the azeotrope-like composition of claim 1.

26. The foamable composition of claim 25 wherein said one or more components capable of forming foam comprise one or more components capable of forming foam selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic foams, polystyrene foams, polyethylene foams, low density polyethylene foams, extruded thermoplastic foams, polyurethane foams, and polyisocyanurate foams.

27. The foamable composition of claim 26 further comprising at least one additive selected from the group consisting of dispersing agents, cell stabilizers, surfactants, flame retardants and combinations of two or more of these.

28. A foam formed from the foamable composition of claim 27.

29. A closed cell foam comprising the foam of claim 28.

30. A method of replacing an existing refrigerant contained in a refrigerant system comprising removing at least a portion of said existing refrigerant from said system and replacing at least a portion of said existing refrigerant by introducing into said system a refrigerant composition comprising the azeotrope-like composition of claim 1.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said existing refrigerant is selected from the group consisting of HFC-134a, R-12, HFC-143a, HFC-125, HFC-32, R-500, HFC-152a, and HFC-22 and combinations of these.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein said existing refrigerant is selected from the group consisting of HFC-134a, HFC-143a, HFC-125, HFC-32 and combinations of these.

33. The method of claim 30 wherein said existing refrigerant is selected from the group consisting of HFC-143a, HFC-125, HFC-32 and combinations of these.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein said existing refrigerant system comprises at least a first compressor having a first displacement and further comprising the step of removing said first compressor from the system and inserting in said system at least a second compressor having a larger displacement than said first compressor.

35. The method of claim 30 wherein said existing refrigerant system is selected from the group consisting of automotive air conditioning systems, residential air conditioning systems, commercial air conditioning systems, residential refrigerator systems, residential freezer systems, commercial refrigerator systems, commercial freezer systems, chiller air conditioning systems, chiller refrigeration systems, heat pump systems, and combinations of two or more of these.

36. The method of claim 30 wherein the capacity of the system after said replacement step is at least about at least about 90% of the system capacity prior to said removal step.

37. The method of claim 30 wherein the mass flow of the system after said replacement step is at least about at least about 90% of the mass flow of the system prior to said removal step.

38. The method of claim 30 wherein said refrigerant in accordance with claim 10 has a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of not greater than about 1000.

39. A sprayable composition comprising a material to be sprayed and a propellant comprising an azeotrope-like composition of claim 1.

40. The sprayable composition of claim 39 in the form of an aerosol.

41. The sprayable composition of claim 40 wherein said material to be sprayed is selected from the group consisting of cosmetics, cleaning solvent, lubricants and medicinal materials.

42. The sprayable composition of claim 41 comprising a medicinal material and wherein said medicinal material is a drug or a biologically active material.

43. A method of sterilizing an article comprising contacting said article with a composition comprising the composition of claim 1.

44. A method for cooling an article which comprises condensing a composition of claim 10 and thereafter evaporating said composition in the vicinity of the article to be cooled.

45. A method for heating an article which comprises condensing a composition of claim 10 in the vicinity of the article to be heated and thereafter evaporating said refrigerant composition.

46. The composition of claim 1 further comprising an effective stabilizing amount of stabilizer.

47. The composition of claim 46 wherein said stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of diene-based compounds, phosphates, phenol compounds and epoxides, and combinations of two or more thereof.

48. The composition of claim 47 wherein said stabilizer is present in an amount of from about 0.001 to about 10 percent by weight based on the total weight of stabilizer and iodocarbon in the composition.