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Table 11. Glycol performance impact factors (continued)
Range Factor
Leaving Temperature
70°F (21°C)
60°F (15.6°C)
55°F (13°C)
50°F (10°C)
A 20% to 50% solution of glycol should be added to
prevent pipe corrosion regardless of the fluid temperature.
Propylene glycol has corrosion inhibitors that protect piping
and components from corrosion and buildup of rust and
other deposits. Trane recommends against using water/
glycol solution in excess of 50% regardless of the ambient
temperature conditions.
NOTICE
Equipment Damage!
Failure to follow instructions below could result in
permanent damage to pump and internal cooling
surfaces.
Do not use automotive antifreeze.
Note: If glycol-free solutions are mandated at the chiller
site, special inhibitors are available for rust
prevention, mineral deposit inhibition, and biological
suppression. Adding these inhibitors to the water
solution is strongly recommended.
Heaters, heat tracing cable, and closed cell insulation can
be installed on any exposed "wet" chiller components and
tank and pump modules for protection against freezing in
low ambient temperature and low refrigerant pressure
conditions. However, the best freeze prevention is using
the appropriate concentration of glycol. Trane does not
warranty any component that fails due to freezing.
Prevent Freezing
Many liquids expand in volume upon cooling. This
expansion may cause pipes and other enclosed systems
containing a liquid to rupture or burst when exposed to low
temperature conditions. Burst protection is needed to
protect piping and other enclosed systems when they are
inactive as they could rupture due to expansion during cold
weather or low refrigerant pressure.
Freeze points and burst points of glycol-water solutions are
shown in
Table 12, p.
48.
In order to maintain a high quality glycol solution, the water
used in the glycol mixture must have very few impurities.
Impurities in the water can increase metal corrosion,
aggravate pitting of cast iron and steel, reduce the
effectiveness of the corrosion inhibitors, and increase the
depletion rate of the inhibitor package.
ARTC-SVX008A-EN
Glycol Concentration Percentages and Performance Impact
Capacity
Pressure Drop
Reduction Factor
Factor
0.96
1.27
0.95
1.31
0.95
1.31
0.94
1.33
Capacity
Pressure Drop
Reduction Factor
Factor
0.93
1.43
0.92
1.47
0.92
1.50
0.91
1.51
To assure inhibitor effectiveness, the levels of chlorides
and sulfates in the water should not exceed 25 ppm each.
The total hardness in terms of calcium carbonate should be
less than 100 ppm. For best long-term results, de-ionized
or distilled water is recommended. Trane can provide
concentrated solutions of Dowfrost, propylene glycol, or
premixed solutions for use with the chiller.
Equipment Damage!
Failure to follow instructions below could result in
permanent damage to pump and internal cooling
surfaces.
Do not use automotive antifreeze.
Propylene Glycol
Glycol-based fluids provide such burst protection in water
solutions due to their low freezing points. As a glycol-based
fluid cools below the solution's freezing point, ice crystals
begin to form, and the remaining solution becomes more
concentrated in glycol. This ice/water/glycol mixture results
in a flowable slush, and remains fluid, even as the
temperature continues to cool.
The fluid volume increases as this slush forms and the
temperature cools, flowing into available expansion volume
in the chiller. If the concentration of glycol is sufficient, no
damage to the chiller from fluid expansion should occur
within the temperature range indicated in
When liquids are cooled they eventually either crystallize
like ice or become increasingly viscous until they fail to flow
and set up like glass. The first type of behavior represents
true freezing. The second is known as super-cooling.
Glycols do not have sharp freezing points. Under normal
conditions, propylene glycol sets to a glass-like solid, rather
than freezing.
The addition of glycol to water yields a solution with a
freezing point below that of water. This has led to the
extensive use of glycol-water solutions as cooling media at
temperatures appreciably below the freezing point of water.
Instead of having sharp freezing points, glycol-water
solutions become slushy during freezing. As the
temperature falls, the slush becomes more and more
viscous and finally fails to flow.
Operating Procedures
Capacity
Pressure Drop
Reduction
Factor
Factor
0.91
1.63
0.90
1.68
0.89
1.73
0.88
1.75
NOTICE
Figure 23, p.
48.
47
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