Blue coolant liquid in jacketed bulk tank

[crazy_bull]

Can anyone make an educated guess as to what the blue coolant liquid in an old jacketed bulk tank would be.

I am removing an old bulk tank and to do so need to lighten it up, so the coolant liquid has to come out........

I then need to get rid of it correctly, as don't want to kill everything in the local water system!

Will it just be standard coolant as in what is used in engines so the local tip should accept in their dodgy liquids tank?

Or is it something a bit more exciting.

Tank was last used in anger about 11-12 years ago I think.

Thanks

 

[Kingofgrass]

Can anyone make an educated guess as to what the blue coolant liquid in an old jacketed bulk tank would be.

I am removing an old bulk tank and to do so need to lighten it up, so the coolant liquid has to come out........

I then need to get rid of it correctly, as don't want to kill everything in the local water system!

Will it just be standard coolant as in what is used in engines so the local tip should accept in their dodgy liquids tank?

Or is it something a bit more exciting.

Tank was last used in anger about 11-12 years ago I think.

Thanks

They put antifreeze in it just in case it froze and damaged it ?

 

[crazy_bull]

They put antifreeze in it just in case it froze and damaged it ?

That's what I am guessing too....

Cheers C B

 

[Mr Mackay]

Dont some tanks water take on a blue hue due to some reaction to things inside the jacket??
I seen to recall fibre glass tanks are worse (this is only from conversation with our tank engineer when thinking about using the water for pumping around our plate cooler - he mentioned the blue slime in the bottom causing issues ?? )
Only a thought
Other than that , does the water conditioner they put in , affect it too?

 

[crazy_bull]

Dont some tanks water take on a blue hue due to some reaction to things inside the jacket??
I seen to recall fibre glass tanks are worse (this is only from conversation with our tank engineer when thinking about using the water for pumping around our plate cooler - he mentioned the blue slime in the bottom causing issues ?? )
Only a thought
Other than that , does the water conditioner they put in , affect it too?

It does have a fibreglass outer..... I will see if I can contact the old owner and ask if he remembers what is in it.

Thanks

 

[bigw]

Are you talking about an ice bank tank?

 

[Mr Mackay]

Any road , how many 25 litre containers of anti freeze would you need to put in a bulk tank jacket to stop it freezing ??
They hold some serious water when full IIRC
We have an old Desco we still use . It must have been made in the early 70,s

 

[bigw]

Surely if it had antifreeze in it it wouldn’t make ice!

 

[crazy_bull]

Surely if it had antifreeze in it it wouldn’t make ice!

Can still get below zero but without freezing the water.

C B

 

[crazy_bull]

Are you talking about an ice bank tank?

Not sure what the difference is, it’s a bulk tank with a jacket with cooling bars in.

C B

 

[bigw]

Can still get below zero but without freezing the water.

C B

Most would have needed ice on the coils to activate the switch to stop the compressors.

 

[Mr Mackay]

Most would have needed ice on the coils to activate the switch to stop the compressors.

This is true !! They have a small clip on sensor that detects the difference between water and ice

 

[bigw]

I think its most likely water that has turned blue by reacting with the copper over time.

 

[Mr Mackay]

I think its most likely water that has turned blue by reacting with the copper over time.

Yes maybe . But I distinctly recall the fridge man saying it was something about the fibre glass , as stainless tanks dont tend to get blue sluge !! If it was me I would get someone to suck it out with the vacci tank and put it in the lagoon , if you were that worried about it

 

[Mr Mackay]

It does have a fibreglass outer..... I will see if I can contact the old owner and ask if he remembers what is in it.

Thanks

The other thought on that ! When we had some issue with the tank not icing to its full potential a few yrs ago , I drained all the jacket off ,, and refilled it with clean water and added about a litre or 2 of water conditioner supplied by our fridge man . He thought that the water was so old it needed repepping and all that was needed was conditioner ? Nothing exciting or dangerous about it ,but not sure exactly whats in it "!
(Anyway ,it was resolved a few weeks later by me reaching into the back and putting the sensor clip onto the copper pipe in a different position , either higher or lower , I can recall exactly )

 

[crazy_bull]

So it turns out just water! Had a blue tinge to it when looking in as the copper piping in the jacket had oxidised and gone blue!!

All drained and ready to move.

Thanks for input though