The American Chemical Society (ACS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) honored Cargill, Inc., for developing EnvirotempTM FR3TM, a soy transformer fluid. This soybean-oil-based fluid insulates high-voltage electric transformers.
The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards promote the environmental and economic benefits of developing and using novel, environmentally friendly chemistry. These awards recognize chemical technologies that incorporate the principles of green chemistry into chemical design, manufacture and use.
This soy application provides an environmentally friendly alternative to similar, petroleum-based fluid for transformers. It also increases industrial demand for U.S. soy.
Compared with traditional transformer fluids, FR3 is less toxic, less flammable, provides superior performance and features a smaller carbon footprint. This soy-based fluid can also increase the service life of the insulation longer than standard high-voltage transformer oil, therefore extending the insulation life, as well as the transformer life. Because of features like these, soy-based industrial applications are quickly gaining in popularity.
U.S. soybean farmers have funded many successful new uses for soybeans, including soy plastics and foams and soy ink. The checkoff drives innovation by developing products that will add demand for U.S. soybean farmers.
Soy played a big part in the Green Chemistry awards. Out of the five winners, two were soy-based.
Source : unitedsoybean.org