COOLING WATER TREATMENT

Dr.A.Lawrence
COOLING WATER SYSTEM

A cooling water system uses water to

carry heat from one area to another
area, where it discharges the heat from
the system. Three basic types of cooling
systems are used in industry.
CYCLES OF
CONCENTRATION

Cycles of concentration is a measure of

the degree to which dissolved solids are
being concentrated in circulating cooling
and boiler water. It is expressed as the
number of times by which the dissolved
solids in makeup water are concentrated
in the system water.
Benefits of higher COC:
Water losses through blowdown are minimised.
- Recycling of water reduces the need for
fresh makeup thereby minimising water
consumption.
- As water losses from the system are
minimised, chemical requirements are
reduced.
- Since, blowdown is minimum the discharge
to drain or effluent is reduced. Savings in
pumping, water and chemical cost
PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN COOLING
WATER SYSTEMS

 Scale & deposit formation

 Corrosion

 General Fouling

 Microbiological fouling
Poor vacuum, What is result from?

 Less cooling water flow rate

 Fouling on tube

 Incondensable gas in condenser

shell
 Over heat duty
Definition
TI = exhaust steam temperature
TO = condensate temperature
T1 = cooling water inlet temperature
T2 = cooling water outlet temperature
TI – T2 = terminal temperature different
(TTD)
T2-T1 = temperature rise (TR)
TO - TI = sub-cooling temperature (TS)
Less cooling water flow rate
Fouling on tube
Incondensable gas in condenser
shell
Most Common Cooling Water Scales
Scale Formation
Scaling and deposition in cooling system takes
place due to precipitation of scale forming salts
when their solubilities are exceeded because of
high concentration of these salts at increased
temperature.

The solubility of scale forming salts like calcium

carbonate, calcium sulphate etc. decrease with
increasing temperature.

Some scale forming salts like calcium

bicarbonate undergo chemical transformation to
form less soluble salts.
CORROSION
Water in contact with metal will tend to
corrode any metal.

CORROSION is a natural phenomenon of

metal converting to METAL OXIDE.

Corrosion takes place by reaction of metal

with oxygen dissolved in water.

Rust formed during process of corrosion is

an excellent foulant.
General Fouling

It is deposition of non-
scale forming compounds like
silt, suspended metal oxides,
mud, organics, particulate
matter, improperly monitored
chemical additives, process
contaminants etc. Physical
factors like flow velocity,
exchanger tube area and
surface also play important
role in general fouling.
FOULING
DEPOSITION OF WATER INSOULBLE
SUSPENDED MATER ON METAL
SURFACE.
Occurs due to the suspended mater
present in the water.
Higher the turbidity of water, higher is the
fouling potential.
Silt , Dirt , Dust , Ash , Mud , Dead wood
and algae , Rust are the potential foulants.
Suspended particles get in to the cooling
water through the source or through
cooling tower.
Biofouling
Problems caused by Biofouling

1. Reduction in flow rate

2. Deterioration of heat transfer rate
3. Increase erosion and corrosion caused
by cavitation around fouling build-up
Oxidising biocides

- Oxidise important cellular components in

microorganisms resulting in death of organisms

Non oxidising biocides

- react with specific cell components and control

microbiological activity by interfering with cell
structure and metabolic process

Biodispersants

- breakup and disperse deposits such as slimes

and biofilm
Oxidising Biocides
 CHLORINE
Chlorine has a long history of use or
preventing microbiological fouling in cooling
water systems. However because of
handling, storage and safety problems in
chlorine dosing system, some people avoid
chlorination.

Chlorine gas is mixed with water and this

chlorinated water is released at the bottom
of the basin near the backside of tower.
Chlorinated water is distributed at many
points, on the opposite side of suction pump,
at the bottom of the basin.
 Electro chlorination is the name given to process
whereby an electrical current is used to convert
sodium chloride solution to sodium hypochlorite or
chlorine.
 In practice a number of electrodes are normally
connected together to form an electrolyser
assembly.
 Brine solution passes through the electrolyser cells
where it is electrochemically transformed into
sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl).
 The overall reaction, sustained by electrical energy,
is as follows:
 2NaCl (salt) + H2O (water) + Energy = NaOCl
(hypo) + NaCl ( salt ) + H2 ( hydrogen )
Sodium Hypochlorite (NaOCl)
- more expensive than Cl2 gas
- much less hazardus
- available as 10 to 15% solution
- decompose with time and increasing temperature

Bromine
- generated on-site by reacting a Bromide solution
with Chloride
Cl2 + H2O ----- HOCl + HCl
HOCl + NaBr ----- NaCl + HOBr
- Dissociation of HOBr to OBr and H ions takes
place at higher pH than HOCl
- Bromine also reacts with NH3 and organics but
reaction is reversible
- residual Bromine of 0.1 to 0.4 ppm
Other popular Oxidising biocides
ClO2 :
 ClO2 does not react with most of common organic
present in water
 Does not chlorinate organic molecules (no
chlorophenols or trihalomethanes),
 The biocidal activity is constant over a wide pH-
range --- not pH sensitive like HOCl
 ClO2 is a full spectrum biocide, killing bacteria,
viruses, fungi
 The safety precautions in storing chlorine gas are
eliminated;
 The discharge limits are reduced well within limit;
 ClO2 is not corrosive to cooling tower equipment;
 There is no noticeable de-lignifications of the
cooling tower wood;
Chlorine di oxide - ClO2:
 Generated on-site, too unstable and expensive than
Chlorine or Bromine
 It is a gas at normal temperatures and pressures.
 It is yellowish/green and has an odour similar to that of
Chlorine.
 It is denser than air and is water soluble at standard
temperatures and pressures up to 3000ppm.
 It will decompose in the presence of UV, high
temperatures, and high alkalinity(>pH12)
 Today, a large number of reaction methodologies are
used to produce chlorine dioxide, but these generally
involve the reaction of a chlorate (ClO3-) or chlorite
(ClO2-) salt with an acid
2NaClO2 + Cl2 ---- 2ClO2 + 2NaCl
Sodium chlorite

2 NaClO2 + NaOCl + 2HCl ---- 2ClO2 + 3NaCl

+ H2O

5NaClO2 + 4HCl ----- 4ClO2 + 5NaCl + 2H2O

 Advantages of ClO2
 Oxidizing Power than Cl;
 Reliable and safe;

 Simple to use;

 Easy to handle & apply.

 Corrosive tendency is Nil

 Low dosage and high result

 No degradation of OP

 No resistance building of Micro organisms.

 Destroys algae-related taste and odour

compounds;
• Effective Removal of Prophylaxis on Bio Films;
• Permanent use will remove the Bio Films.
ClO2 removes Biofilm
& Inhibits its formation
Non-oxidising agents:
Acrolein
Amines
Chlorinated phenolics
Copper salts
Organo-sulphur compounds
Quaternary ammonium salts

- As a supplement to oxidising biocide

- A periodic batch dosage to shock the
microbes and kill those which may have
survived the oxidising biocide
 Biodispersants / Biopenetrants
- Chemicals that can pnetrate and loosen the
complex matrix of biofilms and allow biocides to
reach the organisms for more effective kill and
control
Appearance of algae on the
pillar surface in D station
CT
Appearance of algae
on the pillar surface
in D station CT
Mud sample cleared from D
station cooling tower basin
Mud sample
cleared from D
station cooling
tower basin
Algae growth on
the lower side of F
station CT basin
Algae growth on the
lower side of F station CT
basin
THANK YOU