alcohol evaporator for air brake system - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: alcohol evaporator for air brake system (/showthread.php?tid=4690)

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alcohol evaporator for air brake system - jorma - 12-30-2018

Does anybody know if Newell ever installed one of these in their coaches?  Apparently it slowly evaporates alcohol into the air brake system to keep moisture problems at a minimum.

Seems like a viable idea.
Mike M.

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RE: alcohol evaporator for air brake system - Richard - 12-30-2018

Alcohol in the air system is typically a cure for getting water into the system to begin with. The purpose of the alcohol is to lower the freezing point of the water. Many think that it drys out the system, but that just isn't true.

Best thing is to drain tanks frequently, and make sure the air dryer has a working cartridge.

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RE: alcohol evaporator for air brake system - 77newell - 12-30-2018

Neither of my Newell coaches had one. I traveled in freezing weather and had no problems as long as there was an installed air drier that was operational. Alcohol will do nothing to prevent water problems other than keeping any water that is present from freezing which would be bad.

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RE: alcohol evaporator for air brake system - TerryMulhern - 02-19-2019

No need to be a chemist though to try that. I recall the experiments I had to finish doing chemistry homework discovering alcohol qualities and its influence on the environment (vaporization causes in particular). Planning to buy an alcohol evaporator, found one on AnythingTruck, but there's nothing to compare it with (the only item they suggest).

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RE: alcohol evaporator for air brake system - Doug Musick - 02-20-2019

Alcohol is hydroscopic and will attract water and water vapor.  However, you then have a alcohol/water compound.  This compound will have a lower freezing point than water.  You still would need to drain the accumulated alcohol/water compound from the system if it accumulates.

This is the same principle HEET and other water removing fuel additives relied on to get water out of your gas system.  The HEET had alcohol which absorbed the water, and lowered the freezing point.  The motion of the vehicle would mix the petroleum and alcohol/water phase together thereby allowing the fuel system to suck the alcohol/water out of the system and dispose of it out the tail pipe.

Ethanol fuel blends do the same thing, thereby making HEET and similar products obsolete with ethanol fuel blends.

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