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Advanced Cooling Tower Treatment
Advanced Cooling Tower Treatment
Precipitation Technology
Recent work by H. Elfil and H. Roques has made a significant contribution to the
understanding of the scaling processes observed in cooling towers today. Their work
shows that when solutions with calcium carbonate are allowed to reach the Solubility
Product of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC), approximately 1,200 times that of
calcite, that the precipitation will be almost immediate, with predominately
homogeneous germination. These results are often reproducible. However, if the
concentration of calcium carbonate only reaches a level between the solubility
products of ACC and monohydrate calcium carbonate (MCC)), approximately 20
times that of calcite, then the results are much different and often not reproducible.
Germination is slower, the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) is time to displaced,
there is barrier wall material dependence, and the germination is heterogeneous
(increasing as the ionic activity product approaches the solubility product of MCC.
Unfortunately these are the conditions under which most of the cooling towers using
chemical control are now operated.
Clearly, in order to have control over the scaling phenomena, the system must be
allowed to operate at conditions that will allow the calcium carbonate to precipitate
out as amorphous calcium carbonate. This means to allow the water to reach its
saturation equilibrium for all of the dissolved components.
In summary, in precipitation chemistry mode, the higher saturation levels of all of the
metal ions will tend to discourage the formation of calcite, but, thermodynamic forces
will tend to encourage its formation.
The water chemistry will determine which tendency is predominate. However, with
the addition of electrical water treatment, we can control this variable. Adding
electrical energy (work) to the system now changes the energy equation. When the
electrical energy is properly applied, it will make the water more reactive by breaking
some of the hydrogen bonds. This increases the solvency properties of the water.
Calcite that has already formed in the system now has the tendency to dissolve. This
can be seen by the sloughing off of the existing scale in a cooling tower when
electrical scale control equipment is first applied.
Electrical water conditioning also appears to have the affect of moving the
aragonite/calcite equilibrium boundary towards the higher temperature direction. This
means that aragonite stability is achieved at higher temperatures thus eliminating the
tendency to form calcite at the typical temperatures at which cooling towers are
operated. This means that now the tendency of the calcium carbonate scale is in the
aragonite form.
From the above, it should also be clear that the chemical reactions that take place in
the cooling tower precipitation process will be highly dependent on the chemistry of
the makeup water. Until recently this has been a major factor in the failure of many
attempts at using non-chemical methods for scale control. However, with the addition
of ionization, we gain control over one more of the important ingredients for
successful water treatment. With ionization with electrodes of zinc, copper, or other
metal, we do not leave to chance the type of scale that will form in the cooling water
system.
Marriage Of Technologies
By marrying these three technologies, we now have Advanced Water Treatment for
Cooling Towers. By using precipitation chemistry we now have control over the
scaling phenomena in the cooling water system. By using electrical water
conditioning we can control the kind of scale formed. By using ionization water
treatment we can ensure adequate water chemistry for successful water treatment.
Scale Removal
The scale will continue to accumulate in the cooling tower as water is evaporated and
makeup water is added. The calcium carbonate will precipitate out increasing the size
of the crystals until if allowed to grow big enough, they fall out of the water as soft
scale. It is important to ensure that the scale crystals are removed from the system on
a continuous basis so that they do not have a chance to change their form again and
compact into hard scale.
The easiest manner of removing the crystals is by mechanical filtration. This can be
done by sediment filters, most commonly multimedia bed filters. These filters are
considered one of the most efficient ways to remove sediment as the only water they
use is to periodically backwash the filter for sediment removal.
Benefits
The advantages of electrical anti-scaling water conditioning are significant:
1. Elimination of anti-scaling chemicals that pollute the environment
2. Reduction of water usage helping to conserve a precious resource
3. Reduction of electrical energy usage
4. Significant operational cost reductions
The advantages of electrical ionizing water treatment are significant:
1. Elimination of algaecide and bio-growth control chemicals that pollute the
environment
2. More effective bacteria (such as legionella) control as bacteria develop
resistance to biocides and thus the biocides must be changed on a regular
basis.
3. Less system damage due to algae and bacteria attachment
Traditionally, cooling towers had to be bled off in order to maintain a certain level of
cycles of concentration. With chemical treatment, the cycles of concentration had a
maximum of about three as the chemicals lost their effectiveness above that. This
requirement necessitated monitoring the total dissolved solids (TDS) in the water and
bleed off the water when they reached a critical level.
With Advanced Water Treatment of cooling tower water, this restriction has been
removed. This means that now the solids in the cooling tower water can reach their
natural saturation levels and precipitate out. As the water is being evaporated and the
mineral salts concentrations start to increase, they precipitate out at the saturation
equilibrium point for each compound. Once stabilized, the cooling water reaches
equilibrium with respect to total dissolved solids and pH. They do not need to be
closely monitored as they are not being controlled. This also eliminates the
possibility of problems due to faulty control of chemical systems. Companies such as
Superior Water Conditioners have been using this technology for many years
successfully all over the world.
Removing the precipitate by a sediment filter allows the water to be used over and
over again thus eliminating the costly waste of water to the drain. This means that in
terms of water usage, the cooling tower will approach 100% efficiency with respect to
water usage. For a water cooling system operated at 3 cycles of concentration, the
bleed-off volume of water for each dynamic ton of cooling is 21.6 gallons per day. A
100-ton system will waste 2,160 gallons per day to drain. Yearly water down the
drain would be 788,400 gallons. The only water “lost” in this system (other than the
useful water that is evaporated) is the water used to backwash the sediment filter.
Thus, this system eliminates the last main draw back in cooling tower systems.
A significant advantage is that these systems can be retrofitted onto existing cooling
towers without significantly altering the cooling towers themselves. The current
chemical system just has to be turned off. The new equipment can be added as
basically a non-intrusive system to the cooling tower sump.
However, scaling and corrosion are valid concerns for cooling tower operators. For
this reason, corrosion and scaling coupons are added to the system to measure these
phenomena. Also, indices exist for the purpose of predetermining the potential for
both scale and corrosion. Some of these include the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI),
the Ryznar Saturation Index (RSI), Puckorius Scaling Index, Stiff-Davis Index, and
the Larson-Skold Index
In a recent internet discussion Orin Hollander pointed out, “The LSI parameter is
related to scaling only, not corrosivity. The factors of scaling and corrosivity are not
inversely related.” Scaling tendency is often calculated using the Langelier Saturation
Index (LSI) and the Ryznar Stability Index (RSI) because of their ease of use.
However, the most reliable index is the saturation level (SL)(ratio of the Ion activity
product (IAP) to solubility product) of the compound in the water. Solutions over 1
are supersaturated and over time will precipitate out. Solutions under 1 will not scale
and will dissolve scale over time. Dr. Paul Dillon pointed out in the same discussion,
“There is no correlation between the LSI (or RSI) and corrosion of steel in waters.
They are simply indications as to the deposition or dissolution of calcareous
deposits.” He recommended the Larson-Skold Index for indicating the corrosivity of
the water.
A pilot study has been underway since June 23, 2003 at McAllen Texas to show the
efficacy of this technology. Its results confirm the advantages of using such a
program for cooling tower water treatment.