SOLKANE® Specialties
Solkane Specialties mainly serve applications and technologies that are only emerging today but that have potential to play a vital part in solving tomorrow’s energy problems of a growing population.
Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) units are able to extract electricity from low temperature waste or geothermal heat. Solkatherm – available in several grades – has already proven its superior performance in this segment. Other applications include immersion cooling or (thermal) heat recovery applications. Our Solkaflam fire fighting agent completes the line of Solkane specialties.
A high temperature working fluid
SOLKATHERM® SES36 is an azeotropic mixture of SOLKANE® 365mfc which boils at 36.7°C. This means that its handling is particularly easy because:
Azeotropic mixtures behave like a single-substance. The liquid and vapor phase have the same composition; transferring, evaporating or condensing SOLKATHERM® SES36 will not affect its composition.
Substances which can be transported as liquid have, by definition, at 50°C a vapor pressure lower than 3 bar. They can be filled into containers which are not pressurized gas cylinders. These containers have to comply with minimal burst pressure requirements and they are easy to handle.
SOLKATHERM® SES36 has a wide compatibility range with many common materials. It is generally compatible with all non-fluorinated plastics and rubbers, if we exclude as notable exceptions PMMA and natural rubber.
Main characteristics
- It is a non flammable liquid, but its vapors form flammable mixtures with air in the range 3,9% (LFL) – 11,7% (UFL). The Minimum Ignition Energy (MIE) of SOLKATHERM® is very high: 130mJ. For comparison, we report hereafter the MIE of other reference materials: methane 0,4mJ; R152a 0,35mJ; n-pentane 0,22mJ. Only strong electric discharges and naked flames have the energy to ignite SOLKATHERM® vapors.
- The flame does not propagate to the liquid phase.
- It is not listed as toxic substance; it does not represent a health hazard if used properly.
- It has a characteristic odor of 'solvent'. It can be detected by smell before it reaches large concentrations in air. Its vapors are heavier than air and have the tendency to disperse at ground level.
- It is colorless, it looks like water. It boils fast and at a relatively low temperature subtracting heat from the environment. In this, its behaviour is similar to many other well-known solvents like alcohols or ethers.
- It is chemically stable. It is compatible with most construction materials.
- It is thermally very stable. Its first decomposition reactions occur in laboratory at 220°C. It has been proved in continuous operation conditions up to 190°C.
- Auto-ignition is at 580°C
Applications
- Direct Contact Cooling
- Heat Pipes
- ORC-cycles
- Heat transfer fluid
- High temperature Heat Pumps
High Temperature Working Fluid
SOLKATHERM® SES24 is a zeotropic mixture with a NBP of 21.4°C and a temperature glide of 15.7 K. SOLKATHERM® SES24 is especially designed for high temperature application e.g. ORC and heat pumps using single phase heat sources and heat sinks.
Applications
- Direct contact cooling
- Heat pipes
- ORC-cycles
- Heat transfer fluid
- High temperature heat pumps
Material Compatibility
SOLKATHERM® SES24 has a wide compatibility range with many common materials. It is generally compatible with all non-fluorinated plastics and rubbers, if we exclude as notable exceptions PMMA and natural rubber.
Due to the relative chemical similarity, the compatibility of SOLKATHERM® SES24 with fluorinated plastics and rubbers is not as wide as it could be expected from the superior chemical resistance that normally those materials are able to assure. As an example, some fluorinated rubbers o-rings (Viton® types) are not suitable in systems filled with SOLKATHERM® SES24. As a positive exception, PTFE has proven to be compatible.
High Temperature Working Fluid
SOLKATHERM® SES30 is a zeotropic mixture with a NBP of 28.8°C and a temperature glide of 9.7K, SOLKATHERM® SES30 is especially designed for high temperature application e.g. ORC and heat pumps using single phase heat sources and heat sinks.
Applications
- Direct contact cooling
- Heat pipes
- ORC-cycles
- Heat transfer fluid
- High temperature heat pumps
Material Compatibility
SOLKATHERM® SES30 has a wide compatibility range with many common materials. It is generally compatible with all non-fluorinated plastics and rubbers, if we exclude as notable exceptions PMMA and natural rubber.
Due to the relative chemical similarity, the compatibility of SOLKATHERM® SES36 with fluorinated plastics and rubbers is not as wide as it could be expected from the superior chemical resistance that normally those materials are able to assure. As an example, some fluorinated rubbers o-rings (Viton® types) are not suitable in systems filled with SOLKATHERM® SES30. As a positive exception, PTFE has proven to be compatible.