Due to an operational error, our factory released ethylene glycol into the circulating water – could this cause damage to the pipeline equipment?
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The circulating water is very red now; is it caused by ethylene glycol? If so, what is the reason for this? Thank you very much
Ethylene glycol is colorless and transparent; since your circulating water is red, there must be other substances mixed in. A small amount of ethylene glycol entering is not a big problem. It would be better for you to measure the concentration of ethylene glycol in the circulating water before making a decision. If there’s too much, it has to be discarded.
Ethylene glycol does no damage to pipes.
The maximum allowable concentration of ethylene glycol in water is 1.0 mg/L; if it is below this concentration, it can be considered negligible.
What will happen if the concentration is higher than this? Could the red color be caused by corrosion of the circulation water pipes, resulting in the release of iron ions?
Let’s analyze it: conductivity and sulfate ions
The coolant in the chilled water system is an ethylene glycol water solution; corrosion is not a concern there. Therefore, corrosion should also not be an issue in the recirculating water system. The only possible problem is an increased growth of bacteria and algae.