What is chiller fluid?
Chiller fluid, the full name should be called anti-freeze coolant, meaning coolant with an anti-freeze function.
Function of chiller fluid
A. Winter freeze protection
To prevent the chiller fluid from freezing and damaging the laboratory instruments, it is required that the freezing point of the coolant should be about 10°C below the lowest temperature in the area in case of sudden weather changes.
B. Anti-corrosion
The cooling system radiator, water pump, cylinder block and cylinder head, water pipes, and other components are composed of steel, cast iron, brass, bronze, aluminum, welded tin, and other metals. Due to the different electrode potentials of different metals, electrochemical corrosion is likely to occur under the action of electrolytes; at the same time, the acidic products formed after the decomposition of diols in the coolant, the acidic exhaust gas of the fuel combustion line may also penetrate into the cooling system to promote corrosion of the cooling system. Cooling system corrosion will make the radiator tank under the water chamber, injector nozzle spacer, cooling pipes, joints, and tank drainage pipe fail, while corrosion products block pipes, causing engine overheating or even paralysis; if corrosion perforation, coolant penetration into the combustion chamber or crankcase will produce serious damage, because when the coolant or water mixed with the body paste oil, produce oil and gum, weakening lubrication, making the valve, hydraulic valve push rod and piston rings stick together. Therefore, a certain amount of anti-corrosion additives is added to the
chiller fluid to prevent corrosion in the cooling system.
C. Waterproofing scale
The chiller fluid should be circulated with as little scale as possible to avoid blocking the circulation pipes and affecting the cooling system's heat dissipation function. In summary, when choosing and adding chiller fluid, it should be careful. First of all, you should choose the right ratio of chiller fluid according to the specific situation. Second, add chiller fluid. Add the chiller fluid with a good ratio to the water tank and make the liquid level reach the specified position.
D. Anti-boiling
The boiling point of chiller fluid is usually over 105°C. Compared with water's boiling point of 100℃, chiller fluid can withstand higher temperatures without boiling (boiling), which to a certain extent meets the cooling needs of high-load engines.
Type of chiller fluid
Chiller fluid is an essential working medium to ensure the normal operation of water-cooled engines. The same is true in the laboratory. If the engine is overheated, it leads to a reduction in the efficiency of inflation and engine power. It makes premature combustion, deflagration tendency increase, and premature damage to parts. It also deteriorates the lubrication between the moving parts, intensifying their wear and tear. If the engine is too cold, the engine power drops, fuel consumption increases; the acid in the combustion products corrodes the parts; the unburned fuel washes and dilutes the lubricating oil film on the surface of the moving parts, making its wear increase. This requires users to understand the performance characteristics of chiller fluid, and master the correct use of chiller fluid.
Chiller fluid consists of three parts: water, antifreeze, and additives. According to the different components of the antifreeze agent, it can be divided into alcohol type, glycerin type, glycol type, and other types of chiller fluid.
Alcohol-based chiller fluid is used ethanol (commonly known as alcohol) as an antifreeze, with the characteristics of cheap, good liquidity, and simple preparation process, but the boiling point is low, easy evaporation loss, the freezing point is easy to rise, flammable, etc. Now it has been gradually eliminated.
Glycerine-type chiller fluid has a high boiling point and low volatility. It is not easy to catch fire and is non-toxic and less corrosive. However, it is not effective in reducing the freezing point, high cost, and is expensive, so it is difficult for users to accept.
Glycol-type chiller fluid is made of ethylene glycol as antifreeze, and a small amount of anti-foam, anti-corrosion, and other comprehensive additives are added. Since ethylene glycol is easily soluble in water, it can be formulated into coolant with various freezing points, and its lowest freezing point can reach -68℃. This chiller fluid has a high boiling point, low foam tendency, good viscous temperature performance, anti-corrosion, and anti-scaling, etc. It is a more ideal chiller fluid.
Use of chiller fluid
The correct use of chiller fluid can play a role in anti-corrosion, anti-cavitation leakage, anti-radiator boiling, water scale, and anti-freezing. Chiller fluid can make the cooling system always in the best working condition, to ensure the normal working temperature of the engine. If you do not pay attention to the use, it will seriously affect the normal working performance and life of the engine, therefore, special attention should be paid to the use.
Fluid chillers
A. Insist on using coolant all year round
For the traditional engine, the chiller fluid temperature value that can ensure the normal operation of the engine is 80℃～90℃. But for the electronically controlled engine, due to its high speed, high compression ratio, and high power characteristics of the work, its mechanical load and thermal load, higher friction heat, and therefore the normal working temperature of the coolant requirements have been raised to 95 ℃ ~ 105 ℃. This is different from the formation of the traditional engine cooling water "normal water temperature" point of view, people need to change their understanding of the concept. And we should pay attention to the continuity of the use of coolant, only in the winter use of the view wrong, because this only knows the anti-freeze function of coolant, but ignore the role of coolant anti-corrosion, anti-boiling, and anti-scaling.
B. Correct selection
When using chiller fluid, its freezing point should be about 10℃ lower than the lowest ambient temperature.
C. Distinguish the genuine from the counterfeit
High-quality chiller fluid is eye-catching, clear and transparent, and odorless; heat the coolant with a beaker and measure its boiling point with a thermometer, the boiling point is above 100℃ for the real product, and the boiling point is less than 100℃ for counterfeit products.
Three practical methods for obtaining low temperatures in the laboratory
In the process of conducting experiments, high-temperature and low-temperature environments are essential for experiments, especially in the experiment of some highly active substances that must be used in a low-temperature environment, so how to create a low-temperature environment is particularly important. Nowadays, laboratories are using instruments and equipment to achieve the demand for low-temperature environments, such as low-temperature coolant circulation pumps, high and low-temperature integrated machines, low-temperature constant temperature reaction baths, etc. This is not only easy and fast to operate, but also the temperature can be adjusted at will and can maintain a low temperature for a long time.
A. Use the frozen mixture created by the ice during the dissolution process to generate low temperatures
a. Crushed ice: 0~-5℃
b. 3 parts of ice + 1 part of salt: -15℃~-18℃
c. 3 parts of ice +3 parts of crystalline calcium chloride: -40℃
d. 4 parts of ice +5 parts of crystalline calcium chloride: -40℃~-50℃
e. 2 parts of ice + 1 part of concentrated nitric acid: -56℃
The prerequisite for the use of the method of dissolving to produce low temperatures is that the ice and salt must be crushed, and it is required to mix well. And when using the two frozen mixtures, you need to first place the crystalline calcium chloride and concentrated nitric acid in the refrigerator for cooling before reaching the above temperature.
B. Use the sublimation process to produce a low-temperature environment
The most commonly used is dry ice (solid carbon dioxide), simply using dry ice can reach a low-temperature environment of -78.9℃. Because of the poor thermal conductivity of dry ice, we should pay attention to the choice when using dry ice mixed with another solvent, like acetone and ethanol, etc. Dry ice can reach a low temperature of -72℃~-77℃ in mixed type with acetone or ethanol.
C. Use the evaporation process to generate low temperatures
Liquid nitrogen is a colorless and odorless liquid, slightly soluble in water but slightly lighter than water, poorly conductive to thermoelectricity, does not produce toxic and irritating gases, and likewise does not burn or explode. Liquid nitrogen forms nitrides after combining with sodium, calcium, or magnesium, and the coldest point is 196℃. Liquid nitrogen has a low boiling point at atmospheric pressure, and the temperature can be set at any temperature from -37℃ to 196℃ with the adjustment of a temperature control system, which makes liquid nitrogen safe, reliable and easy to obtain with low production cost.
How to buy chiller fluid?
ANTITECK provide lab equipment, lab consumable, manufacturing equipment in life sciences sector. If you are interested in our chiller fluid or have any questions, please write an e-mail to info@antiteck.com, we will reply to you as soon as possible.
