It is necessary to identify and eliminate the source(s) of significant water loss, as this will help improve treatment plan effectiveness, lowers operating costs and reduces the potential for unexpected system failure.
Is your closed system losing water?
Closed heating and cooling water systems typically require little makeup water and minimal chemical additions following the initial system charge. However, when leaks occur, it can be costly and difficult to maintain the treatment levels necessary for corrosion and deposit control. Routine testing of conductivity, pH or alkalinity and inhibitor level is used to determine if there has been any water loss. If these parameters decrease simultaneously, water has been lost.
Let’s take a look at why your closed system is losing water:
- Check all circulating pumps for leaks around the seals of packing
- Check the expansion tank to ensure it is not full of water
- Check all pressure relief valves
- Check all automatic air vents to see if they are leaking water
- Check the backflow preventer
- When fan coil units are used with a chilled water system, check the conductivity, pH, inhibitor level, hardness or colour (if a coloured treatment product or a dye is used) of the water in the condensate drain pans
- Where steam is used to heat a hot water system (via a heat exchanger), check for contamination in the various boiler system waters
Overcoming cooling water challenges in plastic manufacturing
Plastic manufacturing is a cooling water intensive process with production efficiency and product quality directly tied to effective water treatment. Increased cycle time, high defect rates, unscheduled downtime, mold damage and high maintenance costs can all result from water system problems including corrosion, deposits and biofouling.
However, effective water treatment requires more than just chemical additions. Cooling water system design and operational factors also play a big role.
- Avoid galvanic couples
- Employ good filtration
- Eliminate or manage dead legs
- Use closed loops for air compressor cooling
Serious and costly waterside problems can be avoided or reduced by applying simple principles:
Keep your facility free from problems by applying these principles with a customised water treatment programme and best practices advice from Chem-Aqua.
Protecting off line cooling water equipment
Periodically, it is necessary to take cooling systems offline due to seasonal cycles, maintenance, lead-lag configurations, etc. An offline cooling system can experience a multitude of problems, though, and in particular microbiological growth and corrosion. This can lead to reduced equipment life, increased operational and utility costs, and increased maintenance costs.
Idle systems with no water circulation provide ideal conditions for microbiological growth to cause corrosion and fouling concerns. This can lead to high head pressures, increased electricity costs and chiller shutdown when the systems are put back into service.
Chem-Aqua has the Solution
Chem-Aqua has the product line and technical expertise to recommend the appropriate treatment for the metallurgy in any closed loop system and monitor it after treatment is applied
