DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products Introduces a Renewably Sourced Engine Coolant Base
ASTM Approval for light duty trucks and cars and heavy duty vehicles
LOUDON, Tenn., Sept. 2, 2009 — DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products is pleased to announce 100 percent renewably sourced Susterra®propanediol has been approved by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International as a base coolant for all automobile coolant systems. During the May 2009 meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, the D15 Committee on Engine Coolants announced the two approved standard specifications: specification D7518 and D7517, covering light duty cars and trucks as well as heavy duty vehicles.
The main users of these standards would be engine coolant manufacturers and their customers, mechanical engineering contractors and suppliers of power generation and emergency power generation systems.
“We were impressed by the level of interest and support shown by the members of the D15 Committee during this process. It is clear that coolant manufacturers see a value to consumers in offering a product that has excellent performance coupled with environmental benefits,” stated Ron Rawlins, business development manager, DuPont Tate & Lyle. This approval offers coolant manufacturers and suppliers an alternative glycol coolant base that functions effectively to provide protection against freezing, boiling, corrosion and cavitation.
Susterra® propanediol is made from corn glucose in Loudon, Tenn. It offers fluid manufacturers and consumers a coolant option that is 100 percent bio-based and performs up to the stringent standards of the ASTM. Additional testing has shown that coolants based on propanediol have excellent stability which could translate into longer performance life.
A life cycle assessment of the cradle-to-gate production of chemically derived propanediol versus the cradle-to-gate production of renewably sourced Susterra® propanediol shows significant environmental benefits for the Loudon, Tenn., operations. The design data shows that the production of Susterra® consumes 40 percent less energy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 56 percent versus petroleum-based propanediol. Production of 100 million pounds of Susterra® can save the energy equivalent of 10 million gallons of gasoline per year. Susterra® is also certified as readily biodegradable based on an Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) Guideline Test for Biodegradation.
ASTM International is one of the largest voluntary standards development organizations in the world — a trusted source for technical standards for materials, products, systems, and services. Known for their high technical quality and market relevancy, ASTM International standards have an important role in the information infrastructure that guides design, manufacturing and trade in the global economy.
DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products is a joint venture between DuPont, a global science company, and Tate & Lyle, a world leader in corn, wheat and sugar derived ingredients. DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products provides renewably sourced ingredients that do not compromise product performance. For more information on the company’s products, visit www.duponttateandlyle.com.
Susterra™ and Zemea™ propanediol are trademarks of DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products, LLC www.duponttateandlyle.com
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