Anyone know a UK source of Mono-Ethyl-Glycol ? I need about 15 litres or so.
NB although this is an antifreeze it is NOT normal automotive antifreeze (which I think is Ethylene-Glycol) as it apparently has different electrical qualities.
Any chemists reading who know what the differences are please let me know as for once Googling hasn't produced anything that I can understand
AWEM
Well a google here took a moment to type and a split second to come back: "Ethylene Glycol (aka MEG and Mono Ethylene Glycol) has excellent properties as a combined coolant-antifreeze, with an effective range of -50oC to +
165oC. MEG is not considered hazardous but is toxic and as such not suitable for use in the food, beverage or pharmaceutical sectors, where MPG based products should be used instead (see below). MEG is the base constituent for the CoolFlow IG range, which is blended with application specific, synergistic corrosion, scale and algae inhibitors." Specialist supplier here:
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constituent for
Yes but I've been told I need mono-ETHYL- glocol not mono-ETHYLENE-glycol. My chemistry knowledge isn't great but I assume that they are different unless you can tell me otherwise.
AWEM
As I understand it MEG "IS" mono ethyl glycol, I suggest you contact coolflow and confirm with them.
mrcheerful
What's the application, and who told you mono ethyl glycol? I *think* mrcheerful may well be right, but I'll check a couple of text books at work tomorrow. I also did some trawling around last year for a hydraulics application and I'll check the file.
contact
*think*Application is antifreeze in a water cooling circuit in an induction furnace with mixed metals in the water path (iron, brass, copper, zinc plating) at lowish temperatures (max 40 deg C or it shuts down!) where there are vastly differing voltages in different parts of the system (up to 1 KV). Informant was a mole (taupe?) in the English distributors of the French manufacturer. Yes it is DIY - it's at the bottom of my garden
AWEM
Then don't use ethylene glycol - use a commercial antifreeze blended with the right corrosion inhibitors (any car place). If you use a plain solution of ethylene glycol with mixed metals, especially aluminium, then you're going to get bad corrosion problems.
You could also use propylene glycol antifreeze which costs a bit more but isn't so smelly and isn't poisonous. OTOH you can't smell if it's leaking.
MEG is the same stuff as ethyl glycol, is the same stuff as ethylene glycol. OTOH, PEG is _not_ the same stuff, and PEG-1000 is not the same stuff as PEG-150. You can't "dry" green wood unless you use PEG-1000, not just antifreeze
Straightforward explaination of different antifreeze types here:
IIRC, compound naming was standardised a while ago and the use of the names ethylene or ethane was dropped from compound names. Ethylene (C2H4) is a two carbon atom, double carbon bond, hydrocarbon that exists as an independent substance. Ethane (C2H6) is a two carbon atom, single carbon bond, hydrocarbon that exists as an independent substance. Ethyl (C2H5) is a two carbon atom hydrocarbon group that forms part of a compound. However, I am not a chemist.
Colin Bignell
PEG is polyethylene glycol not propylene glycol so be careful what you ask for.
Paul
Possibly the French mole's grip (!) of English chemical terms wasn't very good and he did mean Mono ethylene glycol. Or maybe not.
If he did mean mono-ethylene glycol, you can get mixtures for HVAC systems, usually chilled water (CHW) systems, which operate at lower temperatures, typically 6 degC flow 12 degC return, but this would rise to/above ambient temperatures during winter if the chiller plant is off. Such system will typically have steel, copper and bronze components. Any HVAC chemical treatment company will stock something suitable for CHW.
One thing I know about it, is that the inhibitors in virtually all anti-freeze mixtures do not like zinc. They react to produce a sludge and a system filled with water with no corrosion inhibitors. I think the inhibitor is potasium diphosphate, but don't quote me 'cos I'm no chemist. You'd do best to replace the zinc components, if feasible, or just dissolve off the zinc (HCl?) 'cos they won't corrode once submerged (i.e., in water with inhibitors & oxygen scavenger chemicals).
I once tried to find an anti-freeze for a system with galvanized pipes. I'm sure a competent chemist could have recomended a suitable mixture, but numerous requests failed to get any answers; anti-freeze suppliers weren't interested. I was considering using methanol, which was used as anti-freeze before glycols.
Dipotassium phosphate, I think.
Propanol - used in screenwahsher as an antifreeze - is another possible.
Confusingly, "Ethylene Glycol" only has single bonds. Andrew might talk to these people, who seem to know which way is "up"
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