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Concept
Triethylene glycol
Summary
Triethylene glycol, TEG, or triglycol is a colorless odorless viscous liquid with molecular formula HOCH2CH2OCH2CH2OCH2CH2OH. It is used as a plasticizer for vinyl polymers. It is also used in air sanitizer products, such as "Oust" or "Clean and Pure". When aerosolized it acts as a disinfectant. Glycols are also used as liquid desiccants for natural gas and in air conditioning systems. It is an additive for hydraulic fluids and brake fluids and is used as a base for "smoke machine" fluid in the entertainment industry.
Triethylene glycol is a member of a homologous series of dihydroxy alcohols. It is a colorless, odorless and stable liquid with high viscosity and a high boiling point. Apart from its use as a raw material in the manufacture and synthesis of other products, TEG is known for its hygroscopic quality and its ability to dehumidify fluids. This liquid is miscible with water, and at standard atmospheric pressure (101.325 kPa) has a boiling point of 286.5 °C and a freezing point of −7 °C. It is also soluble in ethanol, acetone, acetic acid, glycerine, pyridine, aldehydes; slightly soluble in diethyl ether; and insoluble in oil, fat and most hydrocarbons.
TEG is prepared commercially as a co-product of the oxidation of ethylene at high temperature in the presence of silver oxide catalyst, followed by hydration of ethylene oxide to yield mono(one)-, di(two)-, tri(three)- and tetraethylene glycols.
TEG is used by the oil and gas industry to "dehydrate" natural gas. It may also be used to dehydrate other gases, including CO2, H2S, and other oxygenated gases. It is necessary to dry natural gas to a certain point, as humidity in natural gas can cause pipelines to freeze, and create other problems for end users of the natural gas. Triethylene glycol is placed into contact with natural gas, and strips the water out of the gas. Triethylene glycol is heated to a high temperature and put through a condensing system, which removes the water as waste and reclaims the TEG for continuous reuse within the system.
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