Tracer-containing compositions

1. A tracer-containing composition, comprising:

(a) a refrigeration/heating fluid; and

(b) from about 50 ppm to about 1000 ppm total of an analytically detectable tracer blend comprising (i) at least one tracer compound selected from the group consisting of brominated compounds and iodated compounds, and (ii) at least one tracer compound selected from the group consisting of perfluorocarbons; with the proviso that said refrigeration/heating fluid is different from said tracer.

2. The tracer-containing composition according to claim 1 , wherein said refrigeration/heating fluid comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of hydrofluorocarbons,

hydrochlorofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, fluorocarbon ethers, hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, and ammonia.

3. The tracer-containing composition according to claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a compound of the formula C w F 2w−x H x O z , wherein w is from 3 to 8, x is from 0 to 17, z is from 0 to 2, and 2w−x is a positive integer.

4. The tracer-containing composition according to claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a tracer blend in an amount ranging from about 50 ppm to about 500 ppm.

5. The tracer-containing composition according to claim 1 , wherein the tracer blend comprises (i) at least one compound selected from bromomethane, bromofluoromethane, bromodifluoromethane, dibromofluoromethane, tribromomethane, bromoethane, bromoethene, 1,2-dibromoethane, 1-bromo-1,2-difluoroethene, iodotrifluoromethane, difluoroiodomethane, fluoroiodomethane, 1,1,2-trifluoro-1-iodoethane, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoro-1-iodoethane, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoro-1,2-diiodoethane, and iodopentafluorobenzene, and (ii) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of PFC-116, PFC-C216, PFC-218, PFC-C318, PFC-31-10mc, PFC-31-10my, trans-PFC-C51-12mym, cis-PFC-C51-12mym, perfluoromethylcyclopentane, ortho-perfluorodimethylcyclohexane, meta-perfluorodimethylcyclohexane, para-perfluorodimethylcyclohexane, perfluoroethylcyclohexane, perfluoroindan, perfluorotrimethylcyclohexane, perfluoroisopropylcyclohexane, cis-perfluorodecalin, trans-perfluorodecalin and perfluoromethyldecalin.

6. The tracer-containing composition according to claim 2 , wherein said refrigeration/heating fluid is selected from the group consisting of HCFC-22, HFC-23, HFC-32, HFC-41, FC-116, HCFC-124, HFC-125, HCFC-133a, HFC-134, HFC-134a, HCFC-142b, HFC-143, HFC-143a, HFC-152a, HFC-227ca, HFC-227ea, HFC-236ca, HFC-236cb, HFC-236ea, HFC-236fa, HFC-245ca, HFC-245cb, HFC-245ea, HFC-245eb, HFC-245fa, HFC-254ca, HFC-254cb, HFC-254ea, HFC-254eb, HFC-254fa, HFC-254fb, HFC-272ca, HFC-272ea, HFC-272fa, HFC-272fb, HFC-281 ea, HFC-281 fa, HFC-338 pcc, HFC-365mfc, CF 3 CF 2 CF 2 OCHFCF 3 , HFC-43-10mee, dimethyl ether, propane, propylene, cyclopropane, n-butane, isobutane, n-pentane, cyclopentane, 2,2-dimethylpropane, C 4 F 9 OCH 3 , C 4 F 9 OC 2 H 5 , perfluorobutylethylene, perfluoroethylisopropylketone, perfluoromethylisopropylketone, and mixtures thereof.

7. The tracer containing composition according to claim 3 , wherein said refrigeration/heating fluid comprises an unsaturated compound of said formula, wherein w is 3.

8. A method for verifying the source of a refrigeration/heating fluid comprising (a) combining a quantity of (i) at least one tracer compound selected from the group consisting of brominated compounds and iodated compounds, and (ii) at least one tracer compound selected from the group consisting of perfluorocarbons with a refrigeration/heating fluid from a source, with the proviso that said refrigeration/heating fluid is different from said tracer compounds, to form a tracer-containing composition of claim 1 ;

(b) detecting the presence of said tracer compounds in a refrigeration/heating fluid selected for verification; and (c) comparing any quantity of detected tracer to the quantity of tracer compounds combined in (a) to verify whether the selected refrigeration/heating fluid corresponds to the refrigeration/heating fluid from the source.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the refrigeration/heating fluid from the source comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of hydrofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, fluorocarbon ethers, hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, and ammonia.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the refrigeration/heating fluid from the source comprises an unsaturated compound of the formula C w F 2w−x H x O z , wherein w is from 3 to 8, x is from 0 to 17, z is from 0 to 2, and 2w-x is a positive integer.

11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the tracer compounds comprise (i) at least one compound selected from bromomethane, bromofluoromethane, bromodifluoromethane, dibromofluoromethane, tribromomethane, bromoethane, bromoethene, 1,2-dibromoethane, 1-bromo-1,2-difluoroethene, iodotrifluoromethane, difluoroiodomethane, fluoroiodomethane, 1,1,2-trifluoro-1-iodoethane, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoro-1-iodoethane, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoro-1,2-diiodoethane, and iodopentafluorobenzene, and (ii) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of PFC-116, PFC-C216, PFC-218, PFC-C318, PFC-31-10mc, PFC-31-10my, trans-PFC-C51-12mym, cis-PFC-C51-12mym, perfluoromethylcyclopentane, ortho-perfluorodimethylcyclohexane, meta-perfluorodimethylcyclohexane, para-perfluorodimethylcyclohexane, perfluoroethylcyclohexane, perfluoroindan, perfluorotrimethylcyclohexane, perfluoroisopropylcyclohexane, cis-perfluorodecalin, trans-perfluorodecalin and perfluoromethyldecalin.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said refrigeration/heating fluid from the source is selected from the group consisting of HCFC-22, HFC-23, HFC-32, HFC-41, FC-116, HCFC-124, HFC-125, HCFC-133a, HFC-134, HFC-134a, HCFC-142b, HFC-143, HFC-143a, HFC-152a, HFC-227ca, HFC-227ea, HFC-236ca, HFC-236cb, HFC-236ea, HFC-236fa, HFC-245ca, HFC-245cb, HFC-245ea, HFC-245eb, HFC-245fa, HFC-254ca, HFC-254cb, HFC-254ea, HFC-254eb, HFC-254fa, HFC-254fb, HFC-272ca, HFC-272ea, HFC-272fa, HFC-272fb, HFC-281 ea, HFC-281 fa, HFC-338 pcc, HFC-365mfc, CF 3 CF 2 CF 2 OCHFCF 3 , HFC-43-10mee, dimethyl ether, propane, propylene, cyclopropane, n-butane, isobutane, n-pentane, cyclopentane, 2,2-dimethylpropane, C 4 F 9 OCH 3 , C 4 F 9 OC 2 H 5 , perfluorobutylethylene, perfluoroethylisopropylketone, perfluoromethylisopropylketone, and mixtures thereof.

13. A method for determining the occurrence of dilution of a composition comprising a refrigeration/heating fluid comprising: (a) combining (i) at least one tracer compound selected from the group consisting of brominated compounds and iodated compounds, and (ii) at least one tracer compound selected from the group consisting of perfluorocarbons with said refrigeration/heating fluid to form a tracer-containing composition of claim 1 ; and (b) detecting the presence of said tracer blend in a lesser quantity than originally added to said refrigeration/heating fluid.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the refrigeration/heating fluid comprises an unsaturated compound of the formula C w F 2w−x H x O z , wherein w is from 3 to 8, x is from 0 to 17, z is from 0 to 2, and 2w−x is a positive integer.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said refrigeration/heating fluid is selected from the group consisting of HCFC-22, HFC-23, HFC-32, HFC-41, FC-116, HCFC-124, HFC-125, HCFC-133a, HFC-134, HFC-134a, HCFC-142b, HFC-143, HFC-143a, HFC-152a, HFC-227ca, HFC-227ea, HFC-236ca, HFC-236cb, HFC-236ea, HFC-236fa, HFC-245ca, HFC-245cb, HFC-245ea, HFC-245eb, HFC-245fa, HFC-254ca, HFC-254cb, HFC-254ea, HFC-254eb, HFC-254fa, HFC-254fb, HFC-272ca, HFC-272ea, HFC-272fa, HFC-272fb, HFC-281ea, HFC-281fa, HFC-338 pcc, HFC-365mfc, CF 3 CF 2 CF 2 OCHFCF 3 , HFC-43-10mee, dimethyl ether, propane, propylene, cyclopropane, n-butane, isobutane, n-pentane, cyclopentane, 2,2-dimethylpropane, C 4 F 9 OCH 3 , C 4 F 9 OC 2 H 5 , perfluorobutylethylene, perfluoroethylisopropylketone, perfluoromethylisopropylketone, and mixtures thereof.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the tracer composition comprises (i) at least one compound selected from bromomethane, bromofluoromethane, bromodifluoromethane, dibromofluoromethane, tribromomethane, bromoethane, bromoethene, 1,2-dibromoethane, 1-bromo-1,2-difluoroethene, iodotrifluoromethane, difluoroiodomethane, fluoroiodomethane, 1,1,2-trifluoro-1-iodoethane, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoro-1-iodoethane, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoro-1,2-diiodoethane, and iodopentafluorobenzene, and optionally (ii) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of PFC-116, PFC-C216, PFC-218, PFC-C318, PFC-31-10mc, PFC-31-10my, trans-PFC-C51-12mym, cis-PFC-C51-12mym, perfluoromethylcyclopentane, ortho-perfluorodimethylcyclohexane, meta-perfluorodimethylcyclohexane, para-perfluorodimethylcyclohexane, perfluoroethylcyclohexane, perfluoroindan, perfluorotrimethylcyclohexane, perfluoroisopropylcyclohexane, cis-perfluorodecalin, trans-perfluorodecalin and perfluoromethyldecal in.

17. A tracer-containing composition, comprising:

(a) a refrigeration/heating fluid comprising an unsaturated compound of the formula C w F 2w−x H x O z , wherein w is from 3 to 8, z is from 0 to 2, and 2w−x is a positive integer; and

(b) up to about 1000 ppm total of an analytically detectable tracer blend comprising (i) at least one tracer compound selected from the group consisting of brominated compounds and iodated compounds, and (ii) at least one tracer compound selected from the group consisting of perfluorocarbons; with the proviso that said refrigeration/heating fluid is different from said tracer.

18. The tracer-containing composition of claim 17 , wherein z is zero.

19. The tracer-containing composition of claim 18 , wherein the refrigeration/heating fluid comprises perfluorobutylethylene.

20. The tracer-containing composition of claim 17 wherein w is 3.