Terpene Alcohol Acetone Premix Flash Point Elevation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Volatile organic solvents have low flash points, making them highly flammable and subject to stringent safety regulations, limiting their use and increasing handling, storage, and shipping costs, while also posing health risks due to atmospheric volatility and shelf life concerns.
Innovation Solution
A terpene alcohol premix formulation blending two or more terpene alcohols with acetone, where the terpene alcohols constitute 5-40% and acetone 60-95% by weight, significantly raises the flash point of volatile organic compounds, enhancing their safety and utility without altering their Exempt VOC status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If high Alpha terpineol loading (10-18% by weight) is used to raise flash point, then flash point increases significantly, but rapid settling incompatibility and decreased shelf life occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the concentration parameter of Alpha terpineol from high loading (10-18%) to low loading (0.1-10%), and introduces Acetone as a carrier substance. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by achieving flash point elevation without causing rapid settling incompatibility and decreased shelf life that occur at high concentrations.
Solution Approach 2:
Acetone serves as an intermediary substance that enables the formulation. It acts as a carrier that allows Alpha terpineol to function at effective concentrations without causing instability. The Acetone-Alpha terpineol blend serves as a stable intermediary system that can be incorporated into various solvents to raise flash points while maintaining shelf life.
2Adaptability or versatility
If more volatile solvents are used to improve solvent strength and utility, then solvent performance increases, but safety restrictions and handling requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the flash point parameter of the solvent formulation by incorporating Acetone-Alpha terpineol blends. This allows the solvent to maintain its volatile characteristics and solvent strength while achieving a higher flash point that reduces flammability and expands safety margins for handling and storage.
3Reliability
If existing solvent formulations are used to maintain current safety levels, then safety is maintained, but flash point elevation is insufficient to expand use range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the flash point parameter through the Acetone-Alpha terpineol formulation system. This achieves significant flash point elevation (e.g., from 0°F to 143.6°F for acetone), which expands the use range and applicability of solvents while maintaining safety through controlled volatility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The terpene alcohol premix formulation increases the flash points of low-volatile organic compounds to at least 140°F, improving safety, expanding their use range, and extending shelf life without increasing costs or violating environmental regulations.
Implementation Method 1
The terpene alcohol premix formulation increases the flash points of low-volatile organic compounds to at least 140°F
Data Source
AI summary
A terpene alcohol premix formulation raises the flash point of a volatile organic solvent to a level that results in a solvent solution that is less volatile. The catalytic formulation consists of a blend of two or more terpene alcohols and acetone. The blended terpene alcohols are present in the catalytic formulation in an amount of from about 5% to about 40%, by weight, based on the total weight of the terpene alcohol premix formulation. The remainder of the terpene alcohol premix formulation consists of from about 60% to about 95% acetone, by weight, based on the total weight of the terpene alcohol premix formulation.