SINOPETROCHEM reported on April 19th that the EXW quotation for pentane foaming agents (with a total pentane content >99%) in the Chinese market is CNY 7,350/MT, and production and sales are normal.

April 19, 2023 USD TO CNY TODAY

Actual USD to CNY exchange rate equal to 6.8750 Chinese Yuans per 1 Dollar.

Pentane is colourless with a very low odour and high volatility thanks to its low, narrow boiling range – it is among the lowest boiling hydrocarbon liquids and so evaporates at a very high rate. It is used principally as a blowing agent in foam production, as a propellant in aerosols and as reaction media for polymerisation processes.

Isopentane, Cyclopentane and Normal Pantene Blend Market Growth and Share Research 2023 | by Industry Types [Pentane 85/15, Pentane 80/20], and Applications [EPS Blowing Agent, Electronic Cleaning ,Chemical Solvent], Global Cyclopentane, Isopentane and Normalpentane Blend key players include Shell, Phillips 66, Junyuan Petroleum Group, ExxonMobil Chemical, TOP Solvent, etc.

China is the largest market, with a share over 30Percent, followed by Europe and North America, both have a share about 50Percent.
In terms of product, Pentane 60/40 is the largest segment, with a share over 30Percent. And in terms of application, the largest application is EPS Blowing Agent
, followed by Chemical Solvent, Electronic Cleaning, etc.

Cyclo-isopentane polyurethane foam insulation meets EU ROHS directive for a green and safe environment. Optimized hydrocarbon refrigeration system. As a blowing agent, cyclo- pentane has been confirmed as a long-term alternative to. R11. The mixture of isopentane and pentane was also.

Junyuan Petroleum Group is one of the largest n-Pentane, Isopentane and Cyclopentane manufacturers in China and your partner for tailor-made n-Pentane, iso-Pentane, Cyclopentane and blends.

Many manufacturers will be using a new, more environmentally friendly insulation material, called cyclopentane, in the manufacture of select refrigerators and freezers. Cyclopentane is a blowing agent for the polyurethane foams that are used to insulate refrigerators and freezers. Unlike some other chemicals used to insulate refrigerators, cyclopentane does not contain hydro-fluorocarbons (HFCs). Using cyclopentane results in significant reductions in equivalent CO₂ emissions. The most common foam-blowing agents currently used in the U.S. are R134a and R245fa. These industry-standard insulations can have a global warming potential (GWP) as high as 1300 (134a) and 950 (245a). In contrast, the foam-blowing agent cyclopentane has a GWP of approximately 10. When it comes to GWPs, the lower the number is, the better it is for the environment, so cyclopentane is clearly the more environmentally friendly choice. Cyclopentane increases the efficiency of the insulation foam by approximately 4 percent over the R134a foam currently used in most refrigeration products. Cyclopentane has been very popular as a blowing agent in Europe since the early 1990s, but the cost of retrofitting existing production facilities and the lack of U.S. regulations restricting the use of HFCs has delayed implementation in the U.S. However, there are other manufacturers currently selling refrigerators in the U.S. that use cyclopentane. Compared to other insulating foams, cyclopentane is competitively priced and relatively easy to produce. Like many gases, in its pure form, cyclopentane is a highly evaporative and flammable material. However once foamed, the unit is no more hazardous than a unit foamed with other blowing agents. As with any of our manufacturing processes, we’ve integrated a wide variety of redundant engineering and operational safeguards. To learn more about cyclopentane, click here.

 Common questions about cyclopentane

Q: What is this new material being used in the foam insulation?
A: The new material is called cyclopentane, a highly evaporative gas that is used to apply the foam insulations in refrigeration units. 

Q: What is cyclopentane?
A: Cyclopentane is a blowing agent for the polyurethane foams that are used to insulate refrigerators and freezers. 

Q: What are the benefits of using cyclopentane instead of other materials?
A: From an environmental perspective, unlike some other chemicals used to insulate refrigerators, cyclopentane does not contain hydro-fluorocarbons (HFCs). Using cyclopentane results in significant reductions in equivalent CO₂ emissions. 

Q: What foam-blowing agents are most commonly used in the U.S.? How is cyclopentane different?
A: The most common foam-blowing agents in the U.S. right now are R134a and R245fa. These two industry-standard insulations can have a global warming potential (GWP) as high as 1300 (134a) and 950 (245a). Comparatively, the foam-blowing agent cyclopentane has a GWP of approximately 10. When it comes to GWPs, the lower the number is, the less adverse impact on the environment, so cyclopentane is clearly a better choice. 

Q: Are there significant insulating advantages, as well?
A: Yes, cyclopentane is approximately 4 percent more efficient than the R134a foam we currently use in most of our products. 

Q: Do other refrigerators available in the U.S. market use cyclopentane?
A: There are other manufacturers currently selling refrigerators in the U.S. that use cyclopentane. 

Q: Why hasn’t cyclopentane caught on in the United States?
A: It has been very popular as a blowing agent in Europe since the early 1990s, but the cost of retrofitting existing production facilities and the lack of U.S. regulations restricting the use of HFC’s has delayed implementation in the U.S. 

Q: Is it more expensive than other insulating materials?
A: It is competitively priced and relatively easy to produce. 

Q: Is it dangerous?
A: Like many gases, in its pure form, cyclopentane is a highly evaporative and flammable material. However once foamed, the unit is no more hazardous than a unit foamed with other blowing agents. As with any of our manufacturing processes, we’ve integrated a wide variety of redundant engineering and operational safeguards.

The difference between EPS fire resistance grades A, B, and B1:

1. Fire resistance coefficient: Class A is non combustible; Level B is further divided into three levels, with B1, B2, and B3 having different levels of combustion.
2. Flammability: Class A has zero flammability;, B1 is flame retardant, B2 is flammable, and B3 is flammable.
   At present, the common A-grade products in the market include phenolic aldehyde, rock wool, insulation mortar, foam ceramics, foam glass, and foam concrete. At present, the most advantageous A-grade material is foamed concrete, also known as foamed cement.
   EPS polystyrene board itself is a flammable material, so it is not a fireproof material in terms of fire rating. So it’s not at all A-level or B1 level. The fire resistance rating of polystyrene boards on the market is only B2 (flammable) and B3 (flammable).
   Extended Information:
   EPS physical and mechanical properties:
3. Density
   The density of EPS is determined by the expansion ratio of polystyrene particles during the forming stage, which is generally between 10 and 45kg/m3. As EPS used in engineering, its apparent density is generally between 15 and 30kg/m3.
   At present, the density of EPS used as lightweight filling material in road engineering is 20kg/m3, which is 1% to 2% of that of ordinary road filling material. Density is an important indicator of EPS, and its mechanical properties are almost directly proportional to its density.
4. Deformation characteristics
   When the confining pressure exceeds 60KPa, the yield strength significantly decreases, which is clearly different from the variation law of the soil. When axial strain ε When a ≤ 5%, regardless of the confining pressure, the volumetric strain ε V is close to axial strain ε a. The lateral deformation of EPS is small, which means the Poisson’s ratio is small.
   To minimize post construction settlement, after laying the EPS material layer, fill 1.2m of soil on it for preloading. The average compressive settlement of the EPS material layer is 32mm, and it can be calculated that the elastic modulus of EPS is 2.4MPa, and the EPS material is still in the elastic deformation stage.
5. Self-reliance
   The self-sustaining nature of EPS is very beneficial for the stability of high slopes. Due to the small lateral pressure generated by the vertical compression of EPS, the use of EPS as filling material for the roadbed at the bridge head can greatly reduce the soil pressure behind the abutment, which is very beneficial for the stability of the abutment.
   The friction coefficient f between EPS block and sand is 0.58 (dense)~0.46 (loose) for dry sand and 0.52 (dense)~0.25 (loose) for wet sand; The range of f between EPS blocks is between 0.6 and 0.7.
6. Water and temperature characteristics
   The closed cavity structure of EPS determines its good insulation performance. Its biggest characteristic when used as insulation material is its extremely low thermal conductivity, with various specifications of EPS boards having thermal conductivity ranging from 0.024W/m.K to 0.041W/m.K. EPS is a thermoplastic resin that should be used below 70 ℃ to avoid thermal deformation and strength reduction.
   Simultaneously utilizing this feature, electric heating wire processing can be used. Flame retardants can be added in production to form flame retardant EPS. Flame retardant EPS extinguishes itself within 3 seconds after leaving the ignition source. Due to the much lower bulk density of EPS compared to soil, the 1% to 10% increase in bulk density caused by water absorption can have negligible impact on engineering.
7. Durability
   EPS has stable chemical properties in water and soil, and cannot be decomposed by microorganisms; The cavity structure of EPS also makes water infiltration extremely slow; If exposed to ultraviolet radiation for a long time, the surface of EPS will change from white to yellow, and the material will appear brittle to some extent; EPS has stable properties in most solvents, but can be dissolved in organic solvents such as gasoline, diesel, kerosene, toluene, acetone, etc. This indicates that EPS fillers require a good protective layer.
   
   Reference Source: JUNYUAN PETROLEUM GROUP – EPS Blowing Agent Department (Folystyrene Foam)

Expandable polystyrene (EPS)

Revolutionary patented polystyrene production method

Expandable polystyrene (EPS) consists of polystyrene micro-pellets or beads containing a blowing agent and other additives for foaming. We have developed a continuous production process in which the blowing agent is directly injected into the melt, combined with subsequent underwater pelletization.

Commercial EPS is manufactured with the addition of a blowing agent, typically a chlorinated hydrocarbon or a low-boiling petroleum-derived agent with the presence of pentane. These substances are highly flammable; by reducing the amount of flame retardant due to the addition of gypsum, they ignited during the flame propagation test, increasing the burn rate of the GPS.

Main benefits

• The patented EPS process is economical, compact, and easy to operate
• Continuous process for consistent product quality
• Dispersing a wide range of additives and pigments is possible
• Minimized waste production
• Reduction of wastewater and process water
• Recycling possibility for waste EPS pellets/beads/foam
• Process allows developing innovative applications

Main applications

• Expandable Polystyrene

EPS Panel

The self-extinguishing, fire-retardant EPS Panel foam is manufactured from 100% virgin bead and oven-cured after manufacture to ensure the resulting blocks are completely dry and free from all residual pentane.

EPS Panel is a lightweight, CFC-free, non-brittle, closed cell insulator with more consistent thermal performance over time. It has a high dimensional stability and low water vapor transmission.

A special chemical coated to the Expanded Polystyrene beads (raw material) distinguished it from standard/common EPS Panel. Fire-Retardant EPS Panel is a self-extinguishing, non-combustible material.

Fire-retardant EPS Panel with a density of 15 kg/m3 is used for clean rooms, food processing facilities and modular buildings, while the 20 kg/m3 is used for industrial and commercial cold storage.

Core

Width (cover mm)
Thickness (mm)
Length
Exterior Facing Skin
Internal Facing Skin
Standard Colors
Joint System
Finishes
Type of SkinEPS
(Expanded Polystyrene)
1,160
50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 200, 250
Up to 12 meters
0.5mm, 0.6mm G300 CRP Steel
0.5mm, 0.6mm G300 CRP Steel
Off White
Slip Joint
Plain, Ribbed, Diamond
Anti Bacterial (AB)
Food Grade (FG)
Xterior Roof and Wall (XRW)

Features and Advantages

• Fire retardant
• Meets safety requirements
• Energy saving
• Longer lifetime
• Resistant to termites and rodents
• Customized design
• Easy to install saving cost of installation time
• High performance on insulated panel

Top 5 Uses of Pentane

Pentane is a cost-effective liquid that has several different industrial and laboratory applications.

1. Laboratory Solvents

They are the most volatile liquid alkanes (at room temperature). Because of this, they are commonly used in laboratories as solvents. Although, due to their lack of functionality and non-polarity, they only dissolve other nonpolar and alkyl-rich compounds. Pentanes are miscible with other solvents like ethers, aromatics, and chlorocarbons.

2. Chromatography

Pentane is commonly used in chromatography – which is a laboratory technique to separate components in a mixture. The mixture is passed in a suspension or solution through a medium where the components each move at different rates.

3. Blowing Agent

Pentane is used as the primary blowing agent in the production of foams like polystyrene. A blowing agent is a substance that is capable of producing a cellular structure through a foaming process. These foams are often used as insulating material in refrigerators and heating pipes

4. Binary Fluid

Because of its low boiling point, pentane is used in geothermal power stations as a binary fluid.

5. Industrial Ingredient Uses

Due to its ready availability and low cost, pentane is also used as a solvent in many common products like pesticides. It can also be used in making other chemicals, plastics, and low-grade thermometers. Acid-catalyzed isomerization can produce isopentane, which can be used in making fuels.

Polyurethane foam is widely used in construction, refrigeration, piping and other fields due to its low density, good thermal insulation, low water absorption, low toxicity, and good processability. The blowing agent is an important auxiliary agent for the production of polyurethane foam plastics. Since the second-generation blowing agent HCFC-141b has an ODP value of 0.11 and a GWP value of 725, it has a great impact on the ozone layer and the greenhouse effect, so it can only be used as a transitional agent. use of sex substitutes. According to China’s polyurethane foam industry HCFC-141b phase-out plan (second phase), the polyurethane foam industry will gradually reduce HCFC-141b consumption based on the results achieved in the first phase, and will achieve industry-wide phase-out by the end of 2025. At present, the commonly used substitutes for HCFC-141b blowing agent mainly include pentane, water, hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), liquid carbon dioxide, hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) and methyl formate. Among them, pentane is widely used due to its advantages of environmental protection, low price, and easy availability. However, pentane is flammable and explosive, and is a dangerous chemical. The use of this kind of blowing agent requires safety renovation of production equipment and workshops. Although the initial investment of pentane foaming replacement technology is relatively high, in the long run, the comprehensive economic benefits are obvious, and it is an ideal substitute for HCFC-141b.

Types of Pentane and Pentane Blowing Agents

Pentanes include n-pentane, isopentane and cyclopentane. The molecular formula is C5H12 and the molecular weight is 72.15. Cyclopentane, also known as “pentamethylene”, is a cycloalkane with the molecular formula C5H10. Molecular weight 70.13. flammable liquid.

The high-purity n-pentane produced by Junyuan Petroleum Group has a purity of up to 99.5%, a n-butane content of less than 0.01%, an isopentane content of less than 0.2%, and a C6 content of less than 0.3%.

N-pentane and isopentane are separated from oilfield light hydrocarbons through high-efficiency rectification. N-pentane can be used as a desorbing agent in the dewaxing process of molecular sieves, and it can be used as a high-efficiency blowing agent for expandable polystyrene after blending with isopentane in different proportions to meet the requirements of different foaming degrees. It can be mixed with cyclopentane, etc. as a polyurethane foaming agent. Isopentane can be used as blowing agent for expandable polystyrene, foaming agent for polyurethane foam system, deasphalting solvent, solvent for catalyst in polyethylene production, etc. Generally blended with cyclopentane. Used as rigid polyurethane foam blowing agent. Cyclopentane (molecular formula C5H10) is a saturated hydrocarbon with a melting point of -94.4°C and a boiling point of 49.3°C. It is stable and insoluble in water, but soluble in most organic solvents such as ethanol, ether, benzene, carbon tetrachloride, and acetone. It is used as a solvent, as a foaming agent (instead of Freon) in the preparation of polyurethane foam, and as a standard substance for chromatographic analysis.

CAS: 287-92-3
Molecular formula: C5H10
Molecular weight: 70.13
Boiling point: 50℃
Melting point: -94-49℃
Chinese name: cyclopentane, pentamethylene, cyclopentamethylene
English name: ,Cyclopentane, pentamethylene, Cyclopentane,HPLC Grade, Cyclopentan, Cyclopcntan
Nature description:
Colorless liquid, melting point -93.9°C, boiling point 49.26°C, relative density 0.7460 (20/4°C), refractive index 1.4068, flash point -37°C. It can be miscible with organic solvents such as alcohol and ether, but insoluble in water.
production method:
Cyclopentane is a component of petroleum ether with a boiling point range of 30-60°C, the content is generally 5%-10%, and it is distilled at atmospheric pressure with a reflux ratio of 60:1 in a tower with a height of 8m. Isopentane and n-pentane can be further fractionated to obtain cyclopentane with a purity of more than 98%. Cyclopentane can also be prepared by reduction of cyclopentanone or catalytic hydrogenation of cyclopentadiene.
Uses:
It is used as a solvent for solution polymerization of polyisoprene rubber and a solvent for cellulose ether, as a substitute for freon for insulation materials in refrigerators and freezers and as a foaming agent for other hard PU foams, and as a reference material for chromatographic analysis.
The pentane foaming agent series products produced by Junyuan Petroleum Group are mainly composed of n-pentane, isopentane and cyclopentane. The total content of pentane is over 98%. It can be blended with cyclopentane into about 30 different types of products, which are mainly used as plastic foaming agents, and can also be used as industrial solvents, extractants and chemical raw materials.

Chemical News reported on March 08: The price of Isopentane (CAS# 78-78-4, purity>95, water<20ppm, sulfur<1ppm, acid value<2ppm) in the Chinese market is stable, with a price of CNY10,000/MT, mainly used in polyethylene plants and LNG field.

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