18 Sep 2001
Honeywell successfully tests Enovate 3000 (HFC-245fa)
On 26 June 2001 Honeywell Fluorine Products successfully conducted ‘real environment’ application of a Enovate™ 3000 (HFC-245fa) spray foam system. The test, which took place at the Honeywell Aerospace Electronics Systems facility in Boyne City, Minnesota, USA, involved a 2,400 square foot section of roofing. The operation was a collaborative effort between Honeywell Fluorine Products, West Roofing Systems and BASF Corporation.
Background to this system testing is the leadership role that Honeywell has played in the research and development of non ozone-depleting blowing agents that meet the requirements and timeframe for the phase-out of HCFC-based products, set by the Montreal Protocol (1986). In this instance the development of a solution for the replacement of HCFC-141b.
For the purposes of the test, Honeywell volunteered its Aerospace facility as the platform for a Enovate™ 3000 spray foam system supplied by BASF.
The BASF system was shipped in standard drums and stored in a
non-refrigerated trailer. Despite being subjected to temperatures of 90º F, no drum bulging was observed. Operators reported less pressure in the drum than with a typical HCFC-141b system and no frothing was evident. Standard Gusmer H-2000 equipment was used, allowing operating parameters to be easily adjusted.
For BASF, this test was highly significant as it was hoped that the system represented the last formulation revision that would be needed before confirming its test protocol for the Enovate 3000™ system. It was the culmination of more than 2½ years of experiments involving the application of Enovate™ 3000 to a number of roofs throughout the seasons and across the country.
Conclusion
The application of Enovate™ 3000 foam appeared to be easier than for HCFC-141b foam and tended to maintain a more uniform pattern. Although a hot day and despite the fact that the Enovate™ 3000 was applied over a black BUR, spraying resulted in a good surface profile with no creep and crawl observed.
In comparing Enovate™ 3000 to HCFC-141b, the current blowing agent of choice for the polyurethane industry, it was found that Enovate™ 3000 formulated to the same density offered finer cell structure, less pin holing and less creeping, which is expressed as a sideward roll of the foam.
In addition Enovate™ 3000 offers higher compressive strengths, which is a very important benefit for spray foam roofs because they must tolerate foot traffic. Moreover, Enovate™ 3000 offers the applicator a broader window of application due to its lower boiling point.
It was also confirmed that Enovate™ 3000 based systems can be successfully applied at an equivalent cost to that of HCFC-141b systems.
Programme
The Enovate™ 3000 system test at the Honeywell Aerospace Electronics facility in Boyne City is part of a larger BASF test programme. Roofs spray-tests across the country during the first half of 2001 have included one in California, two in Arizona and one in Georgia. Standard drums and shipment methods were used in all tests. The roofs were sprayed using Enovate™ 3000 based systems, with densities of three pounds per cubic feet achieved and compressive strengths of 60 psi measured. The BASF programme expands the number of roofs being tested, building on the past work of companies such as Resin Technology and Central Coatings.
Quotations:
1. “Enovate™ 3000 seems to be leading the way as the blowing agent of choice and we are looking to move forward with it," said Tom Harris, Spray Foam Product Manager for BASF Corporation.
2. "We sprayed Enovate™ 3000 foam for the first time today and it worked extremely well. It was pretty warm and we still got a good surface profile despite the fact that we sprayed over a black BUR. The HFC-245fa reacted very well and we had no creep and no crawl," reported Dick West, owner of West Roofing Systems.
3. “We were able to confirm that Enovate™ 3000 based systems can be successfully applied at an equivalent cost to that of HCFC-141b systems," said Terry Sutter, General Manager of Honeywell Fluorin
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Notes for editors
Honeywell Fluorine Products is part of Honeywell’s Specialty Chemicals business, a world leader in the manufacture and supply of specialty and fine chemical products for a diverse range of applications. Honeywell Fluorine Products pioneered the development of fluorocarbons used in environmentally safer refrigerants and foam blowing agents. For more information, visit www.honeywellrefrigerants.com.
Honeywell is a US$25-billion diversified technology and manufacturing Leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; Control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; power generation systems; specialty chemicals; fibers; plastics; and electronic and advanced materials. The company is a leading provider of software and solutions and Internet e-hubs including MyPlant.com and MyFacilities.com, and it is a founding member of Cordiem, LLC, an aerospace industry business-to-business Internet exchange and applications service provider. Honeywell employs approximately 120,000 people in 95 countries and is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol HON, as well as on the London, Chicago and Pacific stock exchanges. It is one of the 30 stocks that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is also a component of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index. Additional information on the company is available on the Internet at www.honeywell.com.This release contains forward-looking statements as defined in Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including statements about future business operations, financial performance and market conditions. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties inherent in business forecasts as further described in our filings under the Securities Exchange Act.