Coolant and Mono Ethylene Glycol Recycling

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Coolant and Mono Ethylene Glycol Recycling
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In cars and trucks

• Known best as coolant or antifreeze, mono
  ethylene glycol (MEG) has numerous industrial
  applications thanks to its chemical properties.
  The low freezing point lends it to use as an
  antifreeze in automotive applications where use
  is extensive in internal combustion engines to
  protect the engine from freezing while at the
  same time protect against corrosion. The coolant
  also sustains the overall engine heat balance by
  efficiently removing heat.

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In oil and gas

• While it is also used as an intermediate and
  raw material in the production of explosives and
  resins, another large volume application is in
  the LNG (liquid natural gas) industry where mono
  ethylene glycol is used as a thermodynamic
  inhibitor. MEG (but also salt solutions or
  alcohol) is added to the natural gas to prevent
  hydrates from forming and freezing in the
  pipelines and to prevent corrosion.

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• Natural gas hydrates are ice-like solids that
  form when water and natural gas molecules combine
  unintentionally. This phenomenon can occur in gas
  wells and subsea pipelines where conditions are
  perfect.

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The problem

• Mono ethylene glycol is toxic to life and
  harmful for the environment due to its inherent
  chemical nature. It is produced from the
  hydrocarbon ethylene, which in turn is hydrated
  using a thermal or catalytic production process.
  In addition as a result of its use there will be
  by-products present, including heavy metals and
  other organic and inorganic molecules.

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• At the end of its useful life, glycol should
  be handled and disposed of appropriately often
  it is not. Despite being listed as a schedule 5
  poison, up until now the majority of coolants are
  disposed of to the sewer system, to compost, to
  landfill, or added to waste oil as a way of
  disposal by dilution.

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The solution

• Benzoil is working with our infrastructure
  partners Global Resource Recovery to offer
  aggregation, collection and processing
  capabilities for bulk glycol. Global Resource
  Recovery has established two strategically
  located facilities across Australia. Melbourne is
  positioned perfectly to service the eastern
  seaboard by road, rail and sea, while the Darwin
  plant is poised to receive waste coolants and MEG
  from the northern reaches and west.

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• In simple terms the process recovers the MEG,
  with water and chemical impurities removed. The
  MEG is reprocessed back into new coolant which is
  marketed exclusively by our channel partners.
  Purchasing recycled mono ethylene glycol is
  beneficial to the environment as well as being a
  cost effective alternative to the virgin
  material.