What is TCE Being Used for?
Trichloroethylene — TCE for short — is a chemical compound of the halocarbon variety. It is frequently used as an industrial grade solvent for a variety of applications. If you arrived here planning to order a TCE solvent, please be advised that it appears the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will severely regulate or ban TCE due to its negative effects in workers and the environment. Until then, many companies will continue using TCE for the following purposes, among others.
- Industrial Degreasing
TCE’s most common use is as an industrial degreaser for metal components. For this purpose and the two purposes below, TCE is often used as a solvent to mix ingredients that coalesce to create a high level of degreasing power. Due to its poor safety profile, TCE is being used less for this purpose.
When the EPA regulates TCE, the compound will have little to no use for industrial degreasing. This is why companies and organizations are recommended to start searching for a TCE replacement now — preferably one that can be “dropped in” the degreasing system, without requiring changes to equipment and safety protocols, and may make it possible to outfit workers in a lower, less expensive level of personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Tough Cleaning Jobs
TCE is also diluted with water or another non-active ingredient to create a TCE solvent whose power is perfect for “tough” cleaning jobs that aren’t as strenuous as many industrial degreasing operations. Diluting TCE may make the compound less powerful in liquid form, but it doesn’t eradicate the hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) the compound emits.
- Cleaning Rocket Engines
TCE is used as a cleaner for aerospace equipment. As Wikipedia explains, “During static firing, the RP-1 fuel would leave hydrocarbon deposits and vapors in the engine. These deposits had to be flushed from the engine to avoid the possibility of explosion during engine handling and future firing. TCE was used to flush the engine’s fuel system immediately before and after each test firing.”
Because TCE is flushed through the engine to the point of overflowing, its toxic vapors pose a significant safety risk to those performing the operation. In addition, unless the is solvent overflow is recycled, it could drive up the cost of chemical waste disposal significantly.
Need a TCE Replacement?
If so, now is the time to act — before the EPA regulates TCE, and it can no longer be used for industry — and Ecolink is the perfect place to find a TCE replacement.
Depending on how and why you use TCE, we have several stock solutions that may offer exactly what you need. If not, we can create a custom solvent that’s tailored to your unique requirements. Regardless of what you plan to order, we’ll send you a free test sample, so you can see how the solvent works firsthand — no strings attached.
To learn more about TCE replacement, call us today at 800-563-1305, or send us an email through our contact form. We look forward to helping you find an eco friendly TCE replacement!
