Monoethylene Glycol (MEG) as Coolant and Antifreeze Fluids
Monoethylene Glycol (MEG) is mainly used as a raw material in the production of some polyesters and used in antifreeze products. MEG is used in producing many types of antifreeze agents; coolants, ani-icer and deicers. MEG is utilized in the production of vehicles’ antifreeze agents, cooling equipment and aircraft antifreeze. It is also used in cooling systems such as HVAC units in order to transfer generated heat and cool the engines in various weather situations.
MEG is a preferable antifreeze agent compared to other antifreeze chemicals due to its high efficiency. It is much more economical than Propylene Glycol in antifreeze applications, as a lower percentage of MEG compared to Propylene Glycol is required to reach the same freezing point in water. Furthermore, one of the other advantages of using MEG in antifreeze is its better heat transfer properties than other chemical compounds.
Chemistry of MEG
MEG is an odorless and colorless liquid. MEG is miscible with water, alcohols, and many other organic compounds without any requirement of special emulsifiers or any other compounds. Monoethylene Glycol is an organic compound that contains two hydroxyl groups (OH). MEG has high thermal stability due to its strong O-H bonds. The structural formula of MEG is illustrated below:
Structural formula of Monoethylene Glycol (MEG)
Properties of MEG
Some required properties of antifreeze products are listed below:
Having low viscosity and low effect on viscosity of base coolant liquid
High thermal resistivity and heat transfer capacity
High miscibility with water without needing any emulsifier or intermediary chemicals
Being compatible with different types of water (such as hard water)
Prevention of sediment formation in coolants
Compatibility with elastomers which are used in machines
Neutral to other chemicals such as corrosion control agents and scale inhibitors
Anti-corrosive specifications
Introduction for Antifreeze agents and Coolants
In many industrial applications, antifreeze agents are added to the water or other liquids for various reasons, such as reducing the freezing point and increasing the boiling point of the liquids which are used in the cooling systems. In these cooling systems, liquids known as coolants, are used in circulating systems to transfer the heat generated by machines and engines. Coolants are widely used in many power plants, geothermal plants, production facilities, petrochemical industries in order to control and transfer excessive heat which in-turn maintains the temperature of engines in the planned range.
Difference between Coolant and Antifreeze agent
Antifreeze agents are one of the ingredients of coolants. Antifreeze agents are an undeniable part of coolants due to their benefits such as preventing the circulating liquid from freezing. Along with scale inhibitors and corrosion control additives, antifreeze agents are added to the coolants such as water. The coolants have high thermal resistance in low to high temperatures ranging between 0˚ C to 100˚ C degrees. Although most of the coolants and antifreeze share similar specifications and properties, antifreeze chemicals mostly acquire higher stability against cold environments.
Common Coolant and Antifreeze agents
Antifreeze materials are usually a thick liquid which is normally diluted with water to make a perfect coolant liquid. Some of the most common antifreeze products which are widely utilized in numerous industries are calcium chloride, methanol, Monoethylene Glycol (MEG) and ethanol. In addition, among all types of antifreeze agents, MEG is the preferable chemical. The turbulence in freezing and boiling point of liquids is highly dependent on the type, purity and concentration of antifreeze agents which are added. For example, mixing water with 50% vol/vol pure Monoethylene Glycol can reduce the water freezing point from 0˚ C degrees to minus 36˚ C degrees.
On the other hand, water is the most used coolant due to its availability, high heat transfer coefficient, high boiling point, and low cost. Mixtures of water & MEG, and water & Propylene Glycol are other common coolants.
Sama Karimi is chemical engineer, drilling fluids specialist and product manager. She’s is involved in technical aspect of chemical export project at TEAM. Her effective communication skills made her to be our contact person for many reigns.
She is chemical engineer, and drilling fluids specialist at TEAM. Before that she was a drilling fluid engineer for 3 years. In this role, she was responsible to work on new type of drilling fluids additives and specialty chemicals along with managing a team of two drilling fluids production expert. Her efforts and success in this role helped to reduce waste and general costs of mud production projects.
She is graduated from Farzangan High School and entered the chemical field at Iran University of Sciences and Technology.
Gilsonite usage in drilling fluid is as high-temperature, high-pressure filtration control additives in drilling mud. This mineral can be used in all oil based mud and all temperatures. Also, mixed Gilsonite is used effectively in water-based mud systems.
Gilsonite powder reduce API and HPHT fluid loss in all oil-base muds. It has the ability to stabilize drilling mud and thus prevent erosion of pit. It helps improve the overall emulsion stability, Thermal stability and suspension characteristics of most oil-base formulations. Gilsonite also increase viscosity, especially at lower temperatures due to its partial solubility and reduces torque and drag.
Mud with Gilsonite creates a narrow and strong wall inside the wells. It is also used to control lost circulation in drilling formations.
Gilsonite is a mineral found in certain parts of the world and has numerous applications. Uses and application of Gilsonite in Paints, Inks, coatings and stains industry is common because of features such as adhesion, resistance to water and moisture, competitive price and etc,. Team.co has extensive experience in supplying Gilsonite to various industries locally and globally.
The applications of Gilsonite in ink, asphalt black colors, polished oils, anti-corrosion coating, cover cars to deal with UV rays, wood Stains is examined in the following.
The purpose of using Gilsonite in cementing oil wells is mainly to lighten the slurry and increase its volume. Gilsonite is a solid hydrocarbon that belongs to the category of asphalts. The type of this mineral used in cementing wells has fine and coarse black grains. Gilsonite used in cementing oil wells is a mixture of fine and coarse black grains. This mixture should be such that it does not block the grout channels and at the same time, it should not be too small that it cannot fill the seams and gaps of the formations. Gilsonite grain size is in range of 200-325Mesh, because these grains have low shear strength, they break under high pressure.
Calcium Chloride is used in drilling mud with powder or flakes appearance to to supply Calcium ions. Calcium Chloride is one of the drilling fluids weighting agents. It can adjust the activity of the water phase in invert-emulsion mud.
Advantages of Calcium Chloride usage in drilling mud over other weighting agents, is its low price in formulation of solid-free completion brines.
The maximum density obtainable is 11.6 Ibm/gal (SG 1.68) with the addition of Calcium Bromide. Calcium Chloride and other brine completion fluids, eliminate plugging of producing sands often encountered when perforations are made through drilling mud. These brine fluids, free of solids, eliminate the problem of cracking, solidification and settling of solid materials on packers.
Calcium Chloride is used to control the activity of oil-based mud and work over/completion fluids. It is also an effective means of providing high Chloride ion concentration levels in the aqueous phase of mud for balanced activity mud systems, for maximum shale stability.
CaCl2-containing drilling mud can be used in high pressure formations.
It is much easier to dilute this material in water and has the ability to absorb dust from drilling operations inside the well.
Various chemicals and methods are used to melt ice (deicing) roads in the cold seasons of the year. Calcium Chloride is one of the most widely used inorganics for ice melting and deicing. In addition to Calcium Chloride, other substances such as Sodium Chloride, Magnesium Chloride, Potassium Chloride and Magnesium Acetate are also used.
In cold seasons, Anti-Icing methods can be used to prevent road freezing. In case of frost, different methods and materials are used for deicing. Anti-Icing and deicing methods are described in more detail below.
