Glycol Distillation

NRC Alaska is pleased to report that our mission to offer recycling services and products that benefit the Alaskan economy has taken another step forward through glycol distillation. Through much planning and preparation, our dual tower fractional distillation plant – the only one of its kind in all of Alaska – is up and running.

One of the major obstacles for Alaska is the dependence on goods and commodities supplied from the lower 48 states. With this new equipment and technology, we can further progress to self-sustainment by minimizing waste and reenergizing the economy by reusing the goods that are already located here in our state.

Using state of the art distillation technology, this allows us to receive the used glycol that is generated through automotive, mechanical, industrial, and aviation industries and distill it back to virgin equivalent glycol as a base for our various ethylene and propylene glycol products.

Glycol is a heat transfer fluid that offers great freeze protection that water alone cannot. Traditionally, glycol is blended with ultra-pure deionized water and corrosion inhibitors that are designed to protect the different metals utilizing glycol solutions. Higher concentrations of glycol are used where more freeze protection is needed. The two most common types of glycol that we handle are ethylene glycol (EG) and propylene glycol (PG). Common uses are automotive antifreeze, mechanical boiler systems, hydrotesting, deicer fluid, and various others.

Fractional Distillation takes advantage of a packing material that provides surface area for enhanced separation and rectification of vapor mixture. It allows rising glycol vapor to undergo a series of evaporation and condensation steps that enrich glycol vapor and condense impurities. The result is highly concentrated glycol (EG or PG) product of high purity that meets virgin specifications.

NRC Alaska’s technology of manufacturing high-quality recycled glycols allows us to produce glycol products which meet or exceed ASTM standards and can be used in any industrial application. NRC Alaska can also custom blend antifreeze or commercial heat transfer fluid to customer specifications.

Currently we manufacture four different blends of antifreeze and two different blends of commercial heat transfer fluid.

NRC Alaska’s glycol distillation plant makes us the only full-service provider for glycol consumers in Alaska – from used glycol disposal to high quality new products. Those taking advantage of these services are able to improve their company’s green initiatives, reduce waste generation, support recycling, and support Made in Alaska products.