Azeotrope-like compositions of tetrafluoropropene and hydrofluorocarbons

• US 8,883,708 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2013
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Singh, Rajiv R., Pham, Hang T., Knopeck, Gary M.
• Primary Examiner(s): WEBB, GREGORY E
• Application Number:
  US14/084,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20140077124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• Field of Search: 510/408
• US Class Current: 510/408
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 29/02 Acyclic compounds or compounds containing halogen attached to an aliphatic side-chain of a cycloaliphatic ring system
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2205/122 Halogenated hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2205/126 Unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2205/22 All components of a mixture being fluoro compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2205/32 The mixture being azeotropic
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2205/34 The mixture being non-azeotropic
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2205/40 Replacement mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 23/017 Mixtures of compounds
• 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: C11D 7/5018 Halogenated solvents
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 7/505 Mixtures of (hydro)fluorocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 1/00 Compression machines, plants or systems with non-reversible cycle F25B3/00, F25B5/00, F25B6/00, F25B7/00, F25B9/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 31/002 Lubrication

Abstract

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

Claims

1. An azeotrope-like composition consisting essentially of (a) trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (trans HFO-1234ze) and (b) 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (“

HFC-134a”

), said HFC-134a being present in the azeotrope-like composition in a range of from about 25 wt % to less than 100 wt %, wherein said composition range includes a minimum boiling azeotrope having a liquid composition component concentration equal to the vapor composition component concentration, whereby at a pressure of about 14.4 psia said azeotrope-like composition has a boiling point of −

25°

C.+/−

3°

C.

2. A heat transfer composition comprising the azeotrope-like composition of claim 1.

3. The heat transfer composition of claim 2 wherein said azeotrope-like composition has a boiling point of from about −

26°

C. to about −

23°

C. at a pressure of about 14.4 psia.

4. A heat transfer system comprising the heat transfer composition of claim 3.

5. An air conditioning system comprising the heat transfer composition of claim 3.

6. A refrigeration system originally designed for use with HFC-134a and comprising the heat transfer composition of claim 2.

7. The heat transfer composition of claim 2 wherein said heat transfer composition is non-flammable.

8. The heat transfer composition of claim 7 further comprising a lubricant.

9. The heat transfer system of claim 4 wherein said heat transfer system is selected from the group consisting of an automotive air conditioning system, a heat pump system, and a stationary air conditioning system.

10. The heat transfer system of claim 4 comprising a chiller.

11. The heat transfer system of claim 4 wherein said chiller comprises a centrifugal compressor.

12. The heat transfer system of claim 4 comprising a commercial refrigeration system.

13. The heat transfer composition of claim 2 having a global warming potential (“

GWP”

) less than about 1000.

14. The heat transfer composition of claim 2 having a GWP less than about 500.

15. The refrigeration system of claim 6 wherein said heat transfer composition has a GWP less than about 1000.

16. The refrigeration system of claim 6 wherein said heat transfer composition has a GWP less than about 500.

17. The heat transfer system of claim 11 wherein said heat transfer composition has a GWP less than about 1000.

18. The heat transfer system of claim 12 wherein said heat transfer composition has a GWP less than about 500.