Ethylene glycol removal from water

Ethylene Glycol is used for two main purposes:

– In the manufacture of polyester fibres as a polymer precursor.
– As an anti-freeze formulation for use in internal combustion engines, HVAC equipment and solar heating components.

It has also been proposed to be used as an electrolyte additive for low-temperature optimised aqueous lithium ion batteries (LIBs). This would allow electric vehicles to operate efficiently in much lower temperatures than currently feasible. It would also mean high altitude drone batteries would be far more efficient.

Ethylene glycol can get into water in a number of ways, mainly through manufacturing and recycling processes. Water diluted with it cannot be discharged or re-used. It must be treated first.

One of its main uses is when it’s diluted with water as an antifreeze for liquid-cooled engines, HVAC and solar.

So for instance, relevant recycling facilities will increasingly need water treatment to remove ethylene glycol before wastewater from engines, radiators, heat exchangers and pumps can be discharged.

Its other main use – as a polymer precursor in the manufacture of polyester fibres – also requires that washdown water and any water used in the production processes be treated before re-use or discharge.

When ethylene glycol is used for battery recycling, any process or wash water will need thorough treatment before being re-used or discharged.

The most effective and carbon-neutral method to remove ethylene glycol from waste or wash water is to use the Nyex Ellenox™ water treatment system.

This electrochemical oxidation process destroys organics in water by producing powerful hydroxyl (·OH ) radicals. During treatment, the high concentration of ·OH radicals indiscriminately attack even hard-to-adsorb compounds.

Nyex Ellenox™ systems do not require chemical dosing and do not produce toxic sludge. They can fit into an existing treatment train to enhance existing capabilities. Our systems are also easily scaled to cope with larger demands.

Arvia’s Ellenox water treatment systems have no moving parts, meaning minimal maintenance and once set up they can even be operated remotely. Reactors can also be brought on-stream quickly too, making them ideal for batch processes.

Want to find out more about how Arvia Nyex Ellenox water treatment technology?

It seems likely that ethylene glycol will start being used in Lithium battery recycling soon. It has been proposed in a study to use it for solvent recovery of electrodes.

In this, ethylene glycol is used to delaminate electrodes at low temperatures in seconds without altering the crystalline structure and morphology of the materials, allowing easy separation for recycling.

If scaled up, it would be decidedly more carbon neutral than other battery recycling methods. This entails mechanical shredding and then hydrometallurgy; it uses a lot of energy and produces toxic waste that has to go to landfill.processes.