Stabilized carbon dioxide fluid composition and use thereof

Details Stabilized carbon dioxide fluid composition and use thereof Stabilized carbon dioxide fluid composition and use thereof

1999-04-26

2001-05-22

Gupta, Yogendra (Department: 1751)

Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions

Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing

Liquid composition

C510S285000, C510S286000, C510S506000, C252S373000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06235701

ABSTRACT:

This application claims priority from foreign application No. CA 2,255,413, filed on Dec. 11, 1998.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Pat No. 5,780,565 (Clough et al.) describe mixtures of liquid or supercritical CO
2
and either perfluorocarbons or hydrofluorocarbons as a polymerization media in which the polymers produced are insoluble in the media.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,920 (Luk et al.) describes the use of a mixture of a liquified gas, such as CO
2
, and particulate proppants as a fracturing fluid for stimulating the production of crude oil and natural gas from wells in reservoirs of low permeability.
Published patent application WO 96/27704 described a system for dry cleaning comprising “densified” CO
2
and a surfactant. The surfactant comprising “CO
2
-philic” and “CO
2
-phobic” moieties. Published patent application WO 97/16264 describes a system for dry cleaning comprising fluid CO
2
and functional fluorinated compounds.
Mixtures of nitrogen and carbon dioxide are known in the art. Arai et al. have reported the pressure, volume, temperature and compositional relationships for the binary system in
Journal of Chemical Engineering of Japan
, volume 4, no. 2, 1971, pp. 113-122.
U.S. Pat No. 4561452 (Gährs) describes the use of compressed gaseous solvents comprising mixtures of carbon dioxide and nitrogen to extract nicotine from tobacco and U.S. Pat No. 4,714,617 (Gährs) describes the use of of compressed gaseous solvents comprising mixtures of carbon dioxide and nitrogen to extract caffeine from coffee.
However, even under high shear conditions, emulsions or foams of liquid CO
2
and nitrogen are generally not stable, and readily phase separate leading to fluid and/or gas losses as well as changes in the rheological properties of the fluid. Accordingly, it would be desirable to stabilize such compositions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, the present invention provides a fluid composition that comprises compressed fluid carbon dioxide, an inert gas dissolved or dispersed in the compressed fluid carbon dioxide and a liquid, nonionic fluorochemical stabilizer. Depending on the temperature and pressure at which the fluid composition is held, and the relative concentration of the components of the fluid composition, the fluid compositions of the invention may exist in two or more states. For example, the fluid composition may exist in a single liquid state in the form of a liquid-liquid emulsion, a liquid-liquid microemulsion, liquid-liquid dispersion or solution. It may exist in two states the form of a foam or a liquid-gas dispersion. The fluid composition is surprisingly stable, and does not generally phase separate even over periods of several weeks, even in the absence of a shear force.
The fluid composition of the present invention may be used in numerous applications including, for example,; an extraction process for the isolation and recovery of a desirable component from a substrate, such as the extraction of essential oils from plant tissues; a cleaning process for removal of soils, as in a dry cleaning process; and as a reaction medium used in, for example, polymerization processes. The stable fluid composition provides the advantage that both the carbon dioxide and inert gas are non-toxic and non-polluting. This can eliminate VOCs and hazardous organic solvents from many applications, including cleaning and extracting. Also, the stable fluid composition presents disposal advantages by vaporization of the fluid composition upon release of pressure and leaves little residue.
In another aspect of this invention, a process for extraction is provided in which a substrate containing an extractable component is contacted with the fluid composition of the invention to remove the extractable component from the substrate. Subsequently the extractable component may be separated from the fluid composition and the fluid composition may be recycled. The process may be used to extract essential oils from plants, caffeine from coffee beans, and nicotine from tobacco.
In another aspect of this invention, a process for cleaning is provided in which a substrate containing a contaminant is contacted with the fluid composition of the invention to remove the contaminant from the substrate. Subsequently the fluid composition containing the contaminant is separated form the substrate, the contaminant may be separated from the fluid composition and the fluid composition may be recycled. The cleaning process may be used in many industrial and consumer cleaning operations such as industrial degreasing or dewatering operations, or the dry cleaning of garments and textiles.


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