Study of the decomposition and products induced by pulsed discharge occurring in ethylene glycol antifreeze

In the context of global climate change, wind power has received considerable attention as a significant clean energy source. Nevertheless, the problem of wind turbine blade downtime due to icing, which occurs in the fall and winter seasons under conditions of high humidity and low temperature, remains an urgent problem that must be addressed. In addressing this challenge, a novel method of pulsed liquid discharge shock wave de-icing has been proposed, offering distinct advantages such as reduced energy consumption and expedited response times. Ensuring that the liquid phase medium remains in the liquid state under low-temperature conditions is paramount to facilitating the smooth generation of shock waves during liquid phase discharge. Consequently, the selection of an appropriate antifreeze becomes pivotal for the successful implementation of this technology. However, it was found in this paper that pulsed discharge in ethylene glycol antifreeze (C2H6O2 + H2O) would generate significant amounts of gaseous products, altering the medium's environment and impacting subsequent discharges and shock wave generation. The gaseous products and liquid residues of ethylene glycol antifreeze after pulsed discharge were measured and analyzed by combining mass spectrometry and chromatography to determine the main product compositions of ethylene glycol antifreeze after pulsed discharge and to deeply analyze the decomposition paths of ethylene glycol antifreeze under pulsed discharge conditions. This study is expected to enhance the comprehension of the chemical process of pulsed liquid discharge in typical organic antifreeze, thereby providing significant theoretical guidance and practical reference for the selection of antifreeze in the subsequent pulsed liquid discharge shock wave de-icing method.