Frigel North America president Steve Petrakis, center, receives the 2008 Illinois Governor’s Pollution Prevention Award from Tom Lindsey and Gary Miller of the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center.


The Ecodry closed-loop dry-cooling system that helps its users minimize their environmental impact has earned its maker an award from the state of Illinois.

Frigel, East Dundee, Ill., an international manufacturer of industrial process cooling and temperature control equipment, has received the 2008 Illinois Governor’s Pollution Prevention Award.

Each year, the state’s governor, in conjunction with the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, honors companies for significant achievements in protecting the environment and boosting the economy. Companies are judged on their technology’s pollution-prevention activity, waste volume/toxicity reduction, benefits and impact on the community, management’s commitment, and the economic benefits derived from the project.

Ecodry reduces water consumption by up to 95 percent and thereby lowers energy bills; eliminates chemical evaporation into the atmosphere; and eliminates the need to discharge chemically treated water into the wastewater stream. An alternative to traditional cooling towers, Ecodry can help companies achieve sustainable business practices that positively impact the environment while reducing energy, water and maintenance costs, according to Frigel.

“At Frigel, it’s important to be recognized as a company that is dedicated to improving the environment, so we are extremely honored to win this award,” said Steve Petrakis, Frigel NA’s president. “Environmental conservation is, and will continue to be, at the forefront of our efforts to implement technology that focuses on reducing pollution to benefit the environment.”

The Frigel system uses ambient air rather than evaporation to cool clean process water, which remains in the closed-loop system, keeping it free from contamination and evaporation.

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