Finish Thompson BE-15/15C - Manual (Page 30)

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PROBLEM: DISCOLORED RECYCLED GLYCOL.
Possible Cause 1: No problem. This can be normal.
Recycled Glycol from a BE unit will have a variety of tints—colorless to green, blue, amber, red, or brown.
This can be completely normal and will have no adverse effect on the performance of the finished product
once properly reinhibited.
Possible Cause 2: Oil in Waste Coolant feed.
Recycled Glycol that is dark brown with a film floating on the top (and a foul odor) is due to excessive oil
in the Waste Coolant feed. All attempts must be made to eliminate any oil-type contaminants. Allow the
Waste Coolant to settle in your storage drum, use oil-absorbent pads, and pump the Waste Coolant from the
center of the storage container, taking care to not pump out the top and the bottom. A 5-micron pre-filter may
also be helpful.
The oily residue will contaminate the Process Tank and the Pump Reservoir. Both need to be flushed and
cleaned according to the “Maintenance: Semi-annually” section of this manual.
Possible Cause 3: Residue build-up in Process Tank.
If proper maintenance procedures are not strictly adhered to, a build-up of residues can accumulate inside of
the Process Tank. As they bake to the sides of the tank, they residues can breakdown and smoke from the
heat, causing discoloration and a foul odor to the recycled products. This build-up will eventually cause
improper operation of the unit and ultimately, damage to the Heater Band.
Perform a “detergent flush” of the Process Tank according to the “Maintenance: Semi-annually” section of
this manual as well as conforming to all recommended procedures in the “Maintenance” section of this
manual.
Possible Cause 4: Unit running with low vacuum after divert
If the vacuum level after divert is lower than -24” Hg., the glycol will be processed at higher than normal
temperatures. This can cause thermal breakdown of the glycol and some of the contaminants.
Return the vacuum performance to its normal levels by following the guidelines in the “Service Procedures:
Low vacuum readings after divert” section of this manual.