Coolant is important in your equipment’s cooling systems to prevent freezing, corrosion, cavitation, and rust. A periodic coolant analysis can provide important information about the health of your machine.
Nearly all heavy-duty antifreeze is about 95% ethylene glycol and 5% water and additives. About 1% of all antifreeze sold is made from propylene glycol, an alternative to ethylene glycol which is less toxic, but more expensive. By mixing glycol with various ratios of water, coolant is created. Typically, coolant is 30 – 50% glycol.
Formulations differ with the additive package that’s blended into the ethylene glycol. All of these additives fight rust, scale, and corrosion but may have different chemical compositions. In diesel engines the additives also protect wet cylinder sleeves from cavitation.