[QuadList] Toluene

[Dennis Degan]

		On Jan 15, 2010, at 7:18 PM, Joe Owens wrote:

 > Interesting aside (or maybe not) is that as a side-effect of the 
Formula One "Spygate scandal" involving Ferrarri and MacLaren, one 
tidbit that came to light was that Ferrari was NOT using nitrogen as a 
pressurant gas in their tyres (like most other teams).  They were using 
a refrigerant similar to the non-chlorinated fluorocarbons used in air 
conditioners.  It is extremely stable, and also helped to keep the 
treads from over-heating.

		I say:

	I think you must be kidding (based on your other droll statements!).  
Though Freon (a registered trademark, I think DuPont owns it) is an 
excellent refrigerant, the gas itself is not simply 'cold', so tires 
could not be kept from over-heating by being inflated with it.  The act 
of inflating a tire actually INCREASES the temperature of the gas 
inside (it is this property that partially explains how refrigeration 
systems work).
	However, as you've pointed out, fluorocarbon refrigerant is extremely 
stable.  That's the nature of all inert gasses.  I don't know what 
advantage any fluorocarbon gas would have over plain old nitrogen.  
Both are inert gasses.  But nitrogen has got to be MUCH cheaper.  Maybe 
that's the reason Ferrari used it.  Nitrogen wasn't expensive enough.  
Even argon or neon would do nicely for tire inflation and I'll bet they 
cost much more than nitrogen.

			Dennis Degan, Video Editor-Consultant-Knowledge Bank
	  					NBC Today Show, New York