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Removing Chrome Contamination from Glycol Cooling Loop

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Q. Our chiller loop which uses a 50/50 mix of glycol and water has gotten a small amount of hexavalent chrome in it resulting from a leak. While we've fixed the coil leak, we're left contemplating what to do with the contaminated glycol. We've talked to our normal TSDF haz waste firm and they what $10,000 for treatment and disposal. Any thoughts out there?

MIL-T-4 Stevenson
- Syracuse, NY
May 23, 2023

A. Hi Milt. It wasn't that long ago that hexavalent chrome was the corrosion preventative of choice to add to such cooling loops. Is there any possibility you can just leave it there? :-)

Alternately you could do a jar test to see if simple chrome reduction with bisulfite will work despite the glycol ... I suspect it will. Then you could precipitate and filter out the chrome and keep the water-glycol mixture. Luck & Regards,

pic of Ted Mooney
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

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