Search Results

Increased worldwide environmental pressure has made it necessary for polyurethane foam processors to eliminate chlorinated products, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and methylene chloride, and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from their production atmosphere; these products have historically been utilized by the polyurethane industry to perform the vital function of expanding agents for foam. As a result, the industry has been undergoing an intensive search for viable, readily available, and safe alternatives to these products. These alternative products have been labeled ABAs (alternative blowing agents). The oldest and simplest known blowing agent for polyurethanes is carbon dioxide (CO2), a nonhazardous chemical, capable of expanding foams down to a very low density.

This paper deals with the principles which will have to be taken into consideration when evaluating and designing multi-head plants for the polyurethane reaction injection moulding technique, the so-called RIM process.