
It is important to use the lowest concentration of glycol necessary to meet your freeze protection needs. In some areas, regulations may require the use of propylene glycols instead of ethylene glycols.įor either type of glycol, as the concentration of glycol in the solution increases, the performance of the heat transfer fluid decreases. It is also used for freeze protection where contact with drinking water is possible, and it can be used in enclosed spaces. However, because of its toxicity, ethylene glycol should be avoided if there is the slightest chance it could leak into water or food processing systems.Propylene glycol is used extensively in food processing applications, where low toxicity is necessary. It also has a low viscosity, so less power is required for recirculating pumps. Ethylene glycol has a high boiling point, low freezing point, and is stable over a wide range of temperatures. Ethylene glycol is the most common antifreeze fluid for standard heating and cooling applications because of its outstanding heat transfer efficiency. Let’s look at some of the pros and cons of using ethylene glycol or propylene glycol in systems that have chilled water coils or hot water coils. As a result, glycol is often added to water to prevent freezing in systems that useĭeciding which type of glycol to use in your HVAC system depends on several things, including local regulations. Water-based HVAC systems that are exposed to freezing temperatures may be damaged due to the formation of ice, which causes coil tubes to swell, rupture or burst.
