2 RRR nmeataNNNER ~ 5. Cooling Water Treatment 1, Water Side Problems The Typical Problems That Any (Open) Cooling System Meets With Are : © Corrosion and/or Scale formation @ Biological/Micro-biological fouling a Deposit formation @ Typical Problems In closed Chilled Water System @ Corrosion and deposit formation . 2. Sources For Each Problem Scale Formatioy ‘The chief source for the scale formation in the Open Evaporative Condenser circuit Hard water containing high levels of Calcium and Magnesium. High PH and High Alkalinity. It may be noted that Open Evaporative cooling systems (condenser water systems) operated on softened water can meet with severe scaling problems when the calcium level is as low as 40 ppm in the circulating water when PH of the cirtulating water is above 9.0 and the total Alkalinity as CaCO; is above 550 ppm and this is often the case where temporary hardness in the sources of make-up is above 200 ppm. Chrrosion Corrosion, being not a precisely understood phenomenon, is a function of various factors of which the following are the main factors responsible for promoting corrosion in the system; High salinity of the water, low PH, low Alkalinity, presence of corrosive gases (mainly oxygen and CO;), dissimilarity of the metals etc. Corrosion can either lead to failure of the metallurgy (leakages in the system) and/or deposit formation of corrosion products. Biological/Micro-Biological Fouling Systems exposed to sunlight (mainly Cooling Tower) oftenly meet with severe algae formation problem. Other problems associated with algae are slime mass, fungi and various species of bacteria. Bacteria being minute bodies, of which growth is not controlled, can lead to the formation of fine masses of suspended particles that lead to fouling and deposit formation. Algae obviously block the nozzles of the Cooling Tower and thus reduce temperature drop across the tower slime masses again are responsible for fouling and deposit formation. Certain species of bacteria do promote corrosion along with the fouling problems. Indian Institute of Energy Management 54Foreign matter such as; turbidity, san, sit, faush air borne debris and other suspended impurities are the chief sources of deposits formation. Corrosion products that see formed during the corrosion process also add to the deposit formation, 3. Impact (Energy and Production Losses ) Regardless of the type of system, be it open or Closed, it meets with any or more ofthe above problems, either the cooling tower nosslex are blocked resulting in reduced delta “T* Aandior the deposits/scales are formed on the heat transfer surfaces, transfer ( K — Value ) the cooling and heating process is delayed consequently causing of days machine is operated for Indian Institute of Energy Management 55Excess Power Consumption (Prodan, Loss ) 3 6 9 2 MONTHS OPERATION PRODUCTION LOSSES (AN EXAMPLE IN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY) Cooling time in jacketed vessel from 2 hrs and 10 minutes i.e. about 45 batches due to. iron oxid fe and slimal deposit formation increased to 4 hrs that resulted i n Production loss of one batch per 08 days 4. Solution to the Problems Freventive treatment is the best method to achieve control over such problems. But what about the system that has already been fouled? Indian Institute of Energy Management 56Online / Off Line Chemical Cleat ig The most interesting part of online cleaning programme is that it is not necessary to shutdown the plant that otherwise brings production loss to manufacturing/process plants and comfort Joss to the users where A.C. systems are installed for comfort cooling. This programme involves, various stages such as (a) Bio-cleaning forthe removal of deposits formed due to biological and micro-biological fouling. (b) Softening of iron oxide deposits andlor scales of hardness salts. (c) Dissolution/withdrawal of deposits/sales. (4) Dispersion of solids, purging and flushing of the system. (e) Passivation and starting of Routine Treatment programme. The on-line cleaning programme helps cleaning not only the heat exchangers but also the entire piping net-work and other small equipment which are part ofthe system. Tris very important to consider and thoroughly study the following points before and during the online cleaning operations. Q Life of the system and metallurgy of the plant Analytical study of the nature of deposits/scales formed in the system © Availability of purging and drain points on the critical heat exchangers and other equipment in the plant. Length of the network and diameters of each piping section of piping network Availability of sufficient head/sufficient flow of water through the equipment located at the highest positions in the plant. © Maximum temperatures at which critical heat exchangers are operating 9 Possibility of process side leakages during the cleaning program when equipments are severely fouled with deposits Close monitoring and periodic testing of water during the online cleaning operation, Q Sufficient availability of water 9 Availability of sufiicient man power to attend to minor punctures that may occur. Benefits Once the cleaning programme is accomplished, it’s benefits are realized in a very short Period in terms of cooling effect, saving in power, improvement in process cooling. and increased production and these effects are generally reflected on the temperature and pressure Bauges and/or power meter/ammeter installed in the system, Preventive Treatment For preventive treatment, a wide range of chemicals are available in the market and formulations manufactured by internationally reputed companies are generally very safe to use in the system, Corrosion/Scale Inhibitors For the control of corrosion and scale formation, depending upon the integrity of each of the Problem, cither or both chemicals should be used and the selection of the chemicals should be made in accordance with the quality of the make-up water available for plant operation, Dispersants (For Deposit Formation) Indian Institute of Energy Management 7Suitable dispersants help in controlling the deposit formation and selection of the dispersants is made in accordance with the nature of suspended solids/deposits forming particulate present in the water. Side Stream Filter (Gzculating water having very high levels of tubidity and/or suspended impurities should be facilitated with Side Stream Filters. Side Stream Filters are generally selected to handle 2% to 5% ofthe total rate of circulation, but to ensure that the total water content in the system (hold-up volume) is filtered approximately once in 12 hours. Chlorination Chlorination isthe most effective and most economical oxidising biocide that for the smaller Pas may be done with Hypo Chlorite based products and for the larger systems having hold-up volume in excess of 100M’ be done with suitable gas chlorinators Zhe safest gas chlorination equipment are vacuum gravity feed type which can be easily installed on either 50 kg or 100 kg chlorine cylinders. Proprietary Oxidizing Biocides Fropritary oxidizing biocides are also available that are combination of stabilized hypo- chlorite solution and other halide based product (s) that work in synergy with hypochlorite Solution to afford satisfactory protection to the system against bio-fouling. Proprietary Biocides ( Non oxidizing) Many formulations such as quaternary ammonium compounds, Gluter-aldehydes, MBT, Chemical Feeding and Monitoring No matter how excellent the formulation one procures from the competent vendors, if the feeding of chemicals and monitoring of programme is not done with responsibility, the entire Programme can fail despite having excellent formulation at hand Continuous Treatment of Corrosion/Scale Inhibitor The dosages of corrosion and/or scale inhibitors and dispersants are monitored in such a way ‘hat continuous feeding is done to maintain their constant level in the circulating water. Indian Institue of Energy Management 38 — 2Chemical Dosing Systems For this purpose either automatic chemical feed and control system or simple drip feed type dosing systems are used. Automatic Feeding Systems The most simple automatic dosing equipment that can be used is a combination of conductivity/blow down control and chemical feed system as sketched here with the highlights on its operation. Advantages : 1. Efficient control and proportional feeding 2. Less dependence on operators and irregular feedings 3. Controlled and proportional blow down, hence no dissipation of water, energy and chemicals 4. Uniform and balanced treatment and hence enhanced results. Indian Institute of Energy Management 597. Cooling Tower Maintenance Why is Proper Maintenance Important? An improperly maintained cooling tower will produce warmer cooling water, resulting in a condenser temperature 5 to 10 degrees F higher than a properly maintained cooling tower. This reduces the efficiency of the chiller, wastes energy, and increases cost. The chiller will consume 2.5 to 3.5 percent more energy for each degree increase in the condenser ‘temperature. For example, if your chiller uses Rs. 20,000 of electricity per day, it will cost you an additional Rs.500 to Rs.700 per day for every degree increase in condenser temperature. Thus, for a 5 to 10 degree F increase, you can expect to pay Rs.2,500 to Rs. 7,000 a day in additional electricity costs. In addition, a poorly maintained cooling tower will have a shorter ‘operating life, is more likely to need costly repairs, and is less reliable. ‘What Causes Poor Performance? ‘The performance of a cooling tower degrades when the efficiency of the heat transfer process declines. Some of the common causes of this degradation include: Scale Deposits ‘When water evaporates from the cooling tower, it leaves scale deposits on the surface of the fill from the minerals that were dissolved in the water. Scale build-up acts as a barrier to heat transfer from the water to the air. Excessive scale build-up is a sign of wzier treatment problems. Clogged Spray Nozzles Algae and sediment that collect in the water basin as well as excessive solids get into the cooling water and can clog the spray nozzles. This causes uneven water distribution over the fill, resulting in uneven air flow through the fill and reduced heat transfer surface area. This problem is a sign of water treatment problems and clogged strainers. Poor Air Flow Poor air flow through the tower reduces the amount of heat transfer from the water to the air. Poor air flow can be caused by debris at the inlets or outlets of the tower or in the fill. Other causes of poor air flow are loose fan and motor mountings, poor motor and fan alignment, poor gear box maintenance, improper fan pitch, damage to fan blades, or excessive vibration. Reduced air flow due to poor fan performance can ultimately lead to motor or fan failure. Poor Pump Performance ‘An indirect cooling tower uses a cooling tower pump. Proper water flow is important to achieve optimum heat transfer. Loose connections, failing bearings, cavitation, clogged Indian Institute of Energy Management 668. Energy Saving Tips In Cooling Towers 1. Control cooling tower fans based on leaving water temperatures. 2. Use two-speed or variable-speed drives for cooling tower fan control if the fans are few. Operate the cooling tower fans with on-off control or use VFDs. Tum off unnecessary cooling tower fans when loads are reduced. Install interlocks to prevent fan operation when there is no water flow. Optimize cooling tower fan blade angle on a seasonal and/or load basis. Correct excessive and/or unevet fan blade tip clearance and poor fan balance. Use a velocity pressure recovery fan ring. Provide hollow energy efficient FRP blades Control to the optimum water temperature as determined from cooling tower and chiller performance data. 10. Cover hot water basins (to minimize algae growth that contributes to fouling). 11. Balance flow to cooling tower hot water basins, yer awe 12. Re-line leaking cooling tower cold water basins. 13, Periodically clean / replace choked or damaged nozzles 14, Install new nozzles to obtain a more-uniform water pattern. 15. Replace splash bars with self-extinguishing PVC cellular-film fill. 16. On old counterblow cooling towers, replace old spray-type nozzles with new 17. Replace slat-type drift eliminators with high-efficiency, low-pressure-drop 18. Check water overflow pipes for proper operating level. 19. Optimize chemical use. 20. Consider side-stresm water treatment. 21. Stop cooling water flow through non-operating / idling equipments 22. Take blow down water from the return water header. (Blow down does not have to be removed at the cooling tower. It can be removed anywhere in the piping system.) 23. Optimize blow down flow rate. 24, Automate blow down to minimize it. 25. Send blow down to other uses or to the cheapest available sewer allowed. 26. Establisis a cooling tower efficiency-maintenance program. Start with an energy audit and follow-up, then make a cooling tower efficiency-maintenance program a part of your continuous energy management program. 27. Process integration and heat exchanger networking to reduce the cooling load 28. Periodical cleaning of heat exchangers 29. Optimise cooling water flow rate to maintain design D T across the heat exchangers 30. Fills have to be maintained in perfect condition Indian Institute of Energy Management 68strainers, excessive vibration, and non-design operating conditions result in reduced water flow, reduced efficiency, and premature equipment failure. What Maintenance Should Be Performed? The cooling tower manufacturer's operation and maintenance instructions should be followed whenever possible. Table 1 provides a guide for a reasonable cooling tower maintenance program. This is only a basic guide. Larger, more complicated cooling towers with special filters or controls will demand a more comprehensive maintenance program. ‘Table 1. Cooling Tower Maintenance Schedule Daily/Weekly Periodi ‘Annual * Test water sample for * Check the distribution spray * Check the casing, proper concentration of nozzles to ensure even basin, and piping for dissolved solids. Adjust distribution over the fill corrosion and decay. bleed water flow as needed. Check the distribution basin for Without proper + Measure the water treatment corrosion, leaks, and sediment. maintenance, cooling, chemical residual in the ‘Operate flow control valves towers may suffer circulating water. Maintain through their range of travel and from corrosion and the residual recommended re-set for even water flow wood decay. Welded by your water treatment through the fill. repairs are especially specialist. sludge from the susceptible to Check the strainer ‘and check for corrosion. The bot: corrosion that could develop into protective zinc coating basin andi it if leaks. on galvanized steel necessary. * Check the drift climinators, air towers is bumed off * Operate the make-up water intake louvers, and fill for scale during the welding float switch manually to build-up. Clean as needed. process. Prime and ensure proper operation. ‘+ Look for damaged or out-of-place Paint any welded '* Inspect all moving parts fill elements. repairs with a such as drive shafls, pulleys, Inspect motor supports, fan corrosion-resistant and belts. Vakeniiblecastealek coating. + Check for excessive parts for excessive wear or ‘ee vibration in motors, fans, cracks. cooling sash and pumps. ‘© Lubricate bearings and bushings. ae ‘+ Manually test the vibration Check the level of ein the: Bg ‘air to bypass the limit switch by jarring it box. Add oil as needed. fill. All cracks, ‘+ Look for oil leaks in gear Adjust belts and pulleys. holes, gaps, and boxes. + Make sure there is proper nea ‘© Check for structural clearance between the fan blades oe deterioration, loose and the shroud. properly sealed. connectors, water leaks, and © Check for excessive vertical or ° ‘Remove dust, ‘openings in the casing. rotational free play in the gear eee + During periods of cold ‘box output shaft to the fan. from the fill, ‘weather, check winterization basin, and equipment. Make sure any distribution spray ice accumulation is within nozzles to acceptable limits. eee Indian Institute of Energy Management 0