Theoretical Studies on the Reactions of 1,1,2,2,3,3,4‐Heptafluorocyclopentane with Hydroxyl and Hydrogen Free Radicals

1,1,2,2,3,3,4‐Heptafluorocyclopentane (F7A) has considerable potential to be a new halon replacement due to its environmental friendliness and low‐toxicity. However, the reaction processes of F7A with hydroxyl and hydrogen free radicals, which are of great importance for investigating its fire suppression mechanisms, are still unclear. In this paper, ab inito and density functional theory are used to deduce the possible reaction pathways for the reactions of F7A with hydroxyl and hydrogen free radicals at the CCSD/cc‐pVDZ//B3LYP/6‐311++G (d,p) level of theory. Two distinct reaction pathways including ten elementary reaction channels for F7A with hydroxyl free radical, and five distinct reaction pathways including twenty elementary reaction channels for F7A with hydrogen free radical are investigated. The geometries, vibrational frequencies and reaction energy barriers are also determined. Based on the calculated results, the possible reaction mechanisms are proposed and discussed. The most feasible reaction channel for F7A with hydroxyl free radical is that leads to CH(OH)CH₂(CF₂)₃+·F, and the most feasible reaction channel for F7A with hydrogen free radical is that leads to (CF₂)₃CH₂CH·+HF. The study is helpful to further study its fire suppression mechanisms and promote it to be a new generation of halon replacement.     

A review of CFC and halon treatment technologies – The nature and role of catalysts

The purpose of this review article is to provide readers with an account of CFC and halon treatment technologies as depicted in the patent and open literature. Destruction technologies, in which halons and CFCs are converted into species such as CO₂, HX or X₂ (X = Br, Cl, F), are treated less extensively. Emphasis has been placed on conversion processes, which aim at transforming (rather than destroying) CFC or halon into environmentally benign and useful products. It has been found that catalytic hydrodehalogenation over transition metal based catalysts, Pd in particular, has great potential for conversion of CFCs and halons to hydrofluorocarbons. In this regard, the focus of this review is on catalytic hydrodehalogenation, including an assessment of reaction mechanisms, catalytic activity, selectivity and durability.     

Theoretical study of reaction of trifluoromethyl radical with hydroxyl and hydrogen radicals

Ab initio molecular orbital theory and density functional theory calculations have been carried out on the reactions of the trifluoromethyl radical with the hydroxyl and the hydrogen radicals. These reactions are key reactions that underlie a new fire extinguishing mechanism of non-bromine-containing halon replacements. The activation energies calculated by the MP2 and QCISD methods are in good agreement with the experimental values. The B3LYP, as well as MP2 and QCISD, give good results for the calculations of the heats of reactions. The GAUSSIAN-1 and GAUSSIAN-2 theory calculations present the most acxcurate results on both the activation energies and the heats of reactions. The effects of the scaling factors on the activation energies and the heats of reactions are also evaluated. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 19: 277–289, 1998     

Plasma Destruction of Ozone Depleting Substances

The literature on the plasma destruction of ozone depleting substances (ODS) such as CCl₂F₂ and CBrF₃ is reviewed, and compared with more recent work on the decomposition of CCl₂F₂ and CBrClF₂ in oxygen and steam. A comprehensive kinetic scheme for the decomposition of CBrClF₂, which includes the decomposition of CCl₂F₂ and CBrF₃, is presented. Simulations performed with this scheme, and experimental results, demonstrate the importance of allowing for the interconversion of ODS in the assessment of plasma destruction devices.Both experimental and modeling results show that the efficiency of operation of a practical plasma ODS destruction device can be quantified in terms of a throughput parameter, the feed to plasma power ratio (units mol (kWh)^-1), or in terms of the thermochemical mixing temperature, T_m, of the plasma, ODS and oxidant. At low throughputs and high T_m, essentially complete destruction may be achieved, with below-ppm quantities of ODS remaining in the plasma exhaust gases. As throughput rises and Tm falls, a threshold is reached above which the ODS residual rises steeply towards the practical working limit set for ODS destruction by the Montreal Protocol (a destruction level of 99.99%). The assessment of this limit must include all ODS in the exhaust gases, weighted for ozone depleting potential. The use of steam, rather than oxygen, as the oxidizing gas gives superior destruction performance.