Polyalkylene Glycol Fluid with Unsaturated Ester for Fire Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional polyalkylene glycol (PAG) lubricants suffer from oxidative instability and poor oil solubility, requiring antioxidants and expensive flushing processes, and lack sufficient fire resistance for high-temperature industrial applications.

Innovation Solution

A fluid composition combining an alcohol-initiated polyalkylene glycol with a glycerol-initiated unsaturated ester and an antioxidant, enhancing fire resistance and oil solubility, particularly using a homopolymer of 1,2-butylene oxide or copolymer of 1,2-butylene oxide and propylene oxide, and excluding tertiary and quaternary carbon atoms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional PAGs are used as base oils, then favorable performance benefits as hydraulic fluids and turbine oils are achieved, but oxidative instability occurs unless antioxidant is present and fire resistance is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveperformance benefitsVSAvoidoxidative instability and fire resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines conventional PAGs with unsaturated esters to create a composite lubricant composition. This composite approach allows the PAG component to provide favorable performance benefits while the unsaturated ester component contributes improved fire resistance and oxidative stability, resolving the contradiction between performance and harmful factors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters by incorporating specific ratios of unsaturated esters (containing carbon-carbon double bonds) into the PAG base oil. This parameter change transforms the fluid's fire resistance properties and oxidative stability without sacrificing the underlying performance benefits of the PAG system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If conventional PAGs are used, then lubricant performance is maintained, but poor oil solubility requires expensive flushing processes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelubricant performanceVSAvoidoil solubility and flushing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By creating a composite lubricant with unsaturated esters blended with PAGs, the invention achieves compatibility with existing hydraulic systems that use hydrocarbon fluids. The unsaturated ester component provides oil solubility characteristics that eliminate the need for expensive flushing processes during system conversion, while the PAG component maintains lubricant performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Object-affected harmful factors

If water-based lubricants are used, then fire resistance is improved, but suitability for high temperature applications decreases due to water evaporation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefire resistanceVSAvoidhigh temperature suitability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition by using unsaturated esters with specific molecular structures (containing carbon-carbon double bonds but no tertiary or quaternary carbon atoms) combined with PAGs. This parameter modification achieves fire resistance comparable to water-based lubricants while maintaining thermal stability for high-temperature applications, eliminating the contradiction between fire safety and temperature suitability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Ease of manufacture

If hydrocarbon oils are used, then oil solubility is maintained, but fire resistance is insufficient for high temperature applications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoil solubilityVSAvoidfire resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention creates a composite lubricant where unsaturated esters (providing hydrocarbon-like solubility characteristics) are combined with PAGs (providing improved fire resistance). This composite approach maintains oil solubility compatible with existing hydrocarbon-based systems while achieving the fire resistance necessary for high-temperature industrial applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP3337884B1Fluid with polyalkylene glycol and unsaturated ester
Publication Date: 2019.09.25 DOW GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

A fluid contains a base oil consisting of an alcohol-initiated polyalkylene glycol where polyalkylene glycol component is selected from a homopolymer of 1,2-butylene oxide and copolymer of 1,2-butylene oxide and propylene oxide; a glycerol-initiated unsaturated ester that is free of tertiary carbon atoms and quaternary carbon atoms; and an antioxidant.