Pentane &
Butane
Blowing Agent
Storage Systems:
What is a blowing agent?
A blowing agent is a
chemical that has certain properties that allow it to quickly vaporize
under normal ambient pressure conditions. This ability allows for the
chemical to be mixed (under pressure) with polymers to form foams when
injected, sprayed or poured onto surfaces or molds that are exposed to
ambient pressures. The blowing agent quickly vaporizes, causing the polymer
to foam (much like dough rising while being cooked) and then harden in
place.
Typical applications include
spray foams, foam insulation, foam matting …. Etc.
Why use Pentane or Butane?
While Pentane and Butane have
been around a long time, they haven’t always been the first choice for
commercial & industrial foaming applications. In the past, HCFC-141b was
the primary chemical used as the blowing agent.
However, as of
December 2002, HCFC-141b will not be allowed as a blowing agent for most
foam applications. This is due to the U.S. Government’s compliance with the Montreal Protocol, in which the accepting countries agreed to ban
the use of this family of ozone depleting chemicals.
Therefore, some sort of replacement chemical (blowing agents) are
needed. Pentane, Propane and Butane (or combinations) can sometimes fit the
bill, depending on your specific applications.
What is so special about a Pentane or Butane
storage system?
Most hydrocarbons are EPA
regulated chemicals and are considered hazardous materials. To compound the
problems, they are also flammable and require specially designed storage
and piping systems. In essence, the systems are considerably more complex
than a typical bulk storage tank.
Some of the key components
in this type of system are:
ASME code stamped Storage
Tanks:
(used to store the bulk liquefied
hydrocarbons)
Concrete Dike and
Leak Detection System:
(EPA regulated double
containment)
Specialized Pumps
for Thin Hydrocarbon Service:
(custom designed for each application)
Standard
Detail for a Pentane Storage System
Why use a bulk storage system?
Most chemical
manufacturers give significant discounts if they can ship the product to
you in transport truck quantities (typically 8000+ gallons per truck). This
would necessitate a tank with approximately 150% of the truck capacity, in
this particular case a 12,000 gallon tank. There are also even larger
discounts on pricing when a customer can take the product by the rail-car
load (typically 25,000 gallons at a time, usually into a 30,000 gallon
storage tank near the customer’s rail stop).
12,000 Gallon Pentane Storage
Tank in Charlotte, NC
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