What Are Glycols? An additive of choice for systems operating in low temperatures is propylene glycol, or simply just PG. Allowing it to be utilized in just about any type of heating and cooling systems, it takes the favorable performance characteristics of ethylene glycol and combines them with very low toxicity. The PG cemented its place as king of the hill when they are safe enough to use anywhere, and glycols supplanted volatile compounds such as explosive alcohols for hydronic heat transfer applications. What Are Glycols? With PG becoming more widely known as a replacement for ethylene glycol due to its comparably much lower toxicity to humans and animals, the glycols are most familiar to the general public as antifreeze. But, it includes additives that form gels that could damage components and cause system failure, since PG formulated for automotive or marine antifreeze is suitable for use in heating and cooling systems. Always make sure your supplies of PG are industrial-grade formulations specifically engineered for heating, cooling, and/or hydronic heat transfer. Why Use Propylene Glycol? Water, despite possessing very good thermal transfer characteristics, has a tendency to become problematic in very cold ambient and operating temperatures as ice crystals form, damaging internal components and causing pipes to burst once the water hardens and expands. An excellent non-toxic approach to improve low-termperature performance and enhance the longevity of a system is by adding PG. Labeled GCAS or Generally Considered as Safe, is the way the PG is classified by the USDA as a food-grade compound. It's used as a flavor transport, improving the tastes of a variety of foods from soft drinks to ice cream. Even though this doesn’t mean you should drink bottles of PG, the safety of the compound does mean it can be used throughout homes, offices, and anywhere else incidental contact with people, animals, food, and water would otherwise be concerns. PG could be used in radiant heating with no fear of poisoning because of a leak or contamination of the water supply. But, in order to avoid exposure to cats, care must be taken, as PG will be rather dangerous to them. These concerns are often outweighed by the ability to safely operate in situations with significant risk of exposure to very low temperatures, while PG systems require more powerful pumps and increased expansion capacity. They also save time and money by not having to be drained seasonally or tested nearly as often as comparable water-based systems. What's An Inhibited Glycol? Inhibited glycols are handled with special chemicals made to lower the acidity of glycol compounds to keep them from attacking metals. This helps prevent corrosion of metal heating and cooling system parts, extending the life of pumps, fittings, and hoses for longer operational use and improved cost efficiency.
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