In the last article of our series, we explored how glycol is used throughout data centers. In this third installment of our Glycol for Data Centers series, we’re narrowing in on climate control systems and cooling towers, where glycol helps protect equipment and support consistent operation.
Glycol is widely used in climate control systems as a heat-transfer fluid that resists freezing. When mixed with deionized water, glycol lowers the freezing point of the solution, allowing HVAC systems to operate reliably in low-temperature environments where plain water could freeze and damage piping. This glycol-water mixture circulates through coils, pipes, and heat exchangers to absorb, transport, and release heat efficiently.
For example, depending on concentration, glycol solutions can provide freeze protection well below 0°C. A typical ~40% propylene glycol solution can protect systems to approximately -20°C (-4°F), with higher concentrations providing even lower freeze protection thresholds.
Key Benefit: Glycol helps HVAC systems operate in conditions where water alone cannot.
Inhibited glycol specifically is enhanced with a chemically-driven solution that helps prevent long term system issues – mainly corrosion protection of your system’s piping.
Inhibited Glycol Protects Systems by Providing:
Freeze Resistance for Low-Temperature Operation
Chemically Driven Corrosion Protection
Longer Piping and Equipment Life
In cooling tower applications, glycol is mainly important for systems exposed to ambient temperatures that may fall below freezing. Cooling towers most commonly support chillers and process cooling loops that require consistent flow even in winter conditions.
Glycol in Cooling Towers Helps Prevent:
Ice Forming Within the Heat-Exchange Network
Freeze-Related Pipe and Coil Damage
Long-Term Corrosion in Closed-Loop Systems
Adding glycol prevents ice forming within the heat-exchange network, protects against corrosion when properly inhibited, and ensures the system remains operating during cold-weather shutdowns.
Additional Advantages Include:
Increased Energy Usage Efficiency from More Stable Fluid Behavior
More Consistent Viscosity in Fluctuating Temperatures
More Predictable Performance Across Seasonal Changes
Glycol solutions also maintain stable thermophysical properties across a wide temperature range, helping systems operate reliably from sub-freezing conditions up to elevated operating temperatures without significant changes in performance.
One other benefit is an increase in energy usage efficiency when glycol is in the system as it has a more consistent viscosity while a system operates in fluctuating temperatures.
Now that we’ve covered glycol’s role in HVAC and tower cooling applications, the final article in this series will take a deep dive into DOWFROST LC 25, a glycol designed specifically for advanced liquid chip cooling.
DOWFROST™ LC25 is a purpose-built heat transfer fluid designed to optimize performance and reliability in direct liquid cooling systems.
