Comfort Cooling

Climate affects our personal well-being and performance. It is a regulator for production and
working conditions and influences the performance of the employees. At the same time, the indoor
climate is an important aspect of buildings and responsible for ensuring that not only your
employees, but also your visitors and guests feel comfortable.

Air conditioning designed to cool spaces primarily to create comfortable temperatures for
occupants. It is mainly, heating, cooling, ventilation, fresh air, filtration and control of humidity.

Some of applications / buildings where air conditioning systems are used are listed below.

 Institutional buildings, air conditioned in buildings such as hospitals and nursing homes
 Commercial buildings, air conditioned in buildings such as offices, stores, shopping
centres, hotel, sport facilities and convention centres.
 Manufacturing buildings, which manufacture and store products
 Process related buildings, air conditioned in buildings or spaces where there is need to
supply conditioned air for process cooling or background environment cooling for
machines
 How Cooling Systems in Building Operate?
If you have air conditioning in your home, you will have a condenser (the box-like machine with a
big fan enclosed inside) on the outside of your house. The air conditioning system removes heat
from the inside of your house and transfers it to the outside via the condenser to keep your home
cool in the hot day.

For large multi-story buildings, using the type of air condition system that works for your home
isn't feasible. Instead of using air to remove heat, larger multi-story building cooling systems will
use piped water to transfer heat. This type of system typically pairs a chiller with a cooling tower.
Like the condenser used in your home’s AC system, the chiller is a machine that removes heat
from the building. A piped water loop runs through the building, picking up heat along the way,
which is circulated though the chiller to be cooled—in a continuous loop called the chilled water
loop. The heat removed by the chiller is rejected to the outside through a different piped water
loop (called the condenser loop). This condenser water loop runs through a cooling tower, which
uses evaporative cooling to cool this piped water—typically by -12°C—which is circulated back
to the chiller in a continuous loop.

The hospitality industry prides itself on providing their guests with comfortable and safe
accommodation with that essential touch of luxury, part of this is your water which needs to look
good, feel good and taste good.

Cooling towers are used widely due to their optimal cooling technology for industrial processes
and HVAC applications. Water shortages combined with increased water usage have combined to
decrease the availability and increase the cost of high quality makeup water for cooling tower
systems. Stringent environmental regulations for effluent water discharge have led to a pressing
need for better technology and products. This coupled with the control of scale, biological fouling,
deposition and corrosion has increased the challenges in the proper operation and maintenance of
an effective cooling water system.
Given the above dynamics of building cooling systems and cooling towers, we’re looking at three
approaches to reduce water, energy and chemical use in the cooling systems of large buildings and
data centers:

 Technology Evaluation: Identify and track the performance of innovative water treatment
technologies that dramatically reduce water and chemical use in cooling towers and
analyse the possibilities of rolling them out to more sites.
 Operational Improvements: Use best practices to engage facility managers and service
providers to optimize traditional chemical treatment programs.
 Maximize the opportunity for free air cooling: Identify sites where free air cooling –
bringing cooler outside air in – can be used to reduce the need for mechanical cooling.
Since conventional cooling methods can be energy and water intensive, reducing the load
on those systems can drive significant savings in addition to water and chemical treatment
savings.

For over the years CESTCHEM has been providing a comprehensive range of water treatment
products and services designed ensure your guests have a safe and enjoyable experience whilst
maximizing your operating efficiency and profitability.
COOLING TOWER WATER TREATMENT SURVEY
PROGRAM
To see old problems from a new vantage point requires creativity and imagination. Bigger water
treatment companies may have larger marketing budgets, but they lack the passion you will find at
CESTCHEM for finding simple solutions to real world issues.

A professional Cooling Tower Water Treatment Program consists of:

 Proper System Surveys
 Customized Chemical Treatment program
 Reliable monitoring of systems
 Continuous field support and technical service

To provides an extensive range of products and services for open-circulating once-through and
closed loop systems. Our technical team does a thorough system survey of the cooling tower
system and our treatment program is based upon the following factors
 Water Chemistry
 Types of Microorganisms
 System Parameters
 System design and metallurgy
 Target KPI’s

One of the primary steps to achieve trouble free plant operations is to accurately assess the cooling
water system and the critical exchangers associated with it. This assessment is multi-dimensional
and covers a majority of operations to have detailed insight supported with recommendations for
implementation of best practices in Industry.

It has been CESTCHEM's philosophy to conduct such a study before recommending or

implementing a technically superior Cooling Water Treatment program. Our asseement service
F.I.R.S.T. which is to Find. Interpret. Report. Standardize. Train. It is an effective tool for a
forensic insight into cooling water systems. The F.I.R.S.T support will collect data, conduct
root-cause analyses, identify actions which would be measurable and list the customer's relevant
KPIs. CESTCHEM will deploy a highly competent technical team with in-depth knowledge of
Water Management and Operations to review current conditions.

This study is proposed in following two phases

Phase I
 Water Chemistry Trends
 Corrosion mitigation and monitoring procedures
 Deposition and fouling control
 Microbiology and Bio-control
 Monitoring and treatment approach
 Root cause analysis of failures, if any

Phase II
 Recommendations for improvements in current program and procedures.
 Design of customised Cooling Water Treatment program. This would include details of
product chemistry, mechanism of actions, on site application support service like chemical
feed, chemical and microbiological analysis, monitoring of critical KPIs, water
conservation and other value added service, the overall implementation of which would
lead to the following
 Cooling systems suffer from many types of corrosion and failure. The diversity of attack is
caused by differences in cooling water system design, temperature, flow, water chemistry,
alloy composition, and operation.

To ensure such cooling systems are correctly maintained and operate at optimum efficiency it is
essential that the correct cooling water conditions are established and then maintained at all times.

CESTCHEM Package for Cooling Tower Systems:

 Scale and deposit control to maintain clean heat transfer surfaces
 Corrosion prevention to extend equipment life and avoid failures
 Minimize water losses through higher cycles of concentration
 Environmentally safe components which will not affect drainages
 Minimized dosages that outperform other traditional products
 Biological Growth control for less health risks
 Program application criteria backed by experts

COOLING TOWER WATER TREATMENT

MAINTENANCE PROGRAM
The purpose of a Cooling Water Treatment Programme is essentially 3 fold: –
 To protect the system against damaging corrosion.
 To control scale formation and fouling which will impair cooling efficiency.
 To control the growth of harmful microbes like Legionella bacteria.

These problems are interrelated and all of these conditions can be seriously problematic when it
comes to optimizing the efficiency of your cooling water tower or system, it is therefore essential
that the treatment program tackles all of them.

To ensure such cooling systems are correctly maintained and operate at optimum efficiency it is
essential that the correct cooling water conditions are established and then maintained at all times.
This can be achieved using carefully selected Cooling Water Treatment Chemicals.
CESTCHEM’s comprehensive range of high performance cooling water treatment chemicals have
been scientifically formulated to provide excellent protection against these cooling system
challenges, deliver significant operational benefits and performance improvements to cooling
towers, and open and closed cooling systems that use water as a primary coolant.

Our extensive range of formulated chemicals for cooling water treatment applications includes
highly effective dispersants, corrosion inhibitors for both hard and soft water, and advanced
multi-functional scale and corrosion inhibitor formulations. We also offer a full range of high
performance oxidising and non-oxidising biocides for microbiological control activities in cooling
towers and other cooling systems.

Cooling Tower Scale Control

Cooling towers are vulnerable to a variety of contaminants that cause deposit formation, such as
mineral scales and sludge. Deposition interferes with heat transfer, increases corrosion rates,
restricts water flow, and causes loss of process efficiency and production

Scale or lime-scale is a hard, rock-like deposit of calcium or magnesium salts that forms in heat
exchangers and cooling tower packing as a result of heat and increased concentration factor. Scale
formation impairs heat transfer, interferes with flow and cooling, and can be a breeding ground for
legionella bacteria. The scaling tendency of a water supply will depend on the hardness of the
water but if not adequately treated even relatively soft waters can become highly scaling when
concentrated by evaporation.

Cooling water scale control is achieved by either:

 Removing the hardness from the make-up water using a water softener
 Adding a scale inhibitor chemical which extends the solubility of the hardness salts and
thus preventing scale formation
 Dosing sulphuric acid to lower the pH and alkalinity and reduce the scaling potential (this
technique is generally restricted to large industrial systems)
 Limiting the system concentration factor to a range within which the hardness salts can
remain soluble

The scaling tendency of water can be predicted by calculating the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI)
or Ryznar Stability Index (RSI) and often a combination of these control techniques is employed
to prevent scale formation whilst not causing problems of corrosion. Contact us to resolve your
cooling water scale problems.

.
Cooling Water Corrosion Control

Corrosion leads to metal loss that can result in critical system failures in heat exchangers,
recirculating water piping, and process cooling equipment. Corrosion also results in a loss of
efficiency as corrosion products precipitate on heat transfer devices, insulating the metals.

Corrosion may be the result from a number of different mechanisms such as general oxygen
driven attack, galvanic corrosion cells caused by dissimilar metals, chloride attack of stainless
steel and microbially induced or influenced corrosion (MIC). As a general rule the more scale
forming the less corrosive water tends to be to steel and the LSI and RSI indices can be used to
predict this. This means that provided scale formation can be effectively inhibited it is beneficial
to operate a cooling system at an elevated concentration factor therefore close control of the cycles
of concentration is critical to cooling water corrosion control. In effect you are making the water
chemistry work for you rather than having to fight against it. It is also important to control the
microbial activity and physical fouling since both can be cause of severe localised corrosion. Once
these basics have been dealt with you need a good corrosion inhibitor which is matched to the
cooling water chemistry and system metallurgy, and to control its dosage effectively. Contact us
to protect your cooling system from corrosion problems.

Scale and Corrosion inhibitor

CESTCHEM 3200 is a high-performance zinc phosphonate based cooling water scale and
corrosion inhibitor scientifically formulated for the treatment and protection of open
re-circulating water systems operating under corrosive water conditions.

Developed as a multi-functional blend of scale and corrosion inhibitors, CESTCHEM 3200 is

designed for systems operating under corrosive water conditions, low to medium hardness and/or
alkalinity.

CESTCHEM 3200 is proven to provide protection over a wide range of operating parameters and
is applicable for 50 – 800 Calcium Hardness and 100 – 350 M-alkalinity.

Product Benefits (pH 0.5 - 2)

 High performance zinc phosphonate scale and corrosion inhibitor
 Suitable for open re-circulating water systems
 Ideal for corrosive water conditions (low to medium hardness and/or alkalinity)
 Excellent multi-funtional
 Proven protection over range of operational parameters

CESTCHEM 3213A is a high performance, multi-functional cooling water treatment

scientifically formulated for the treatment and protection of industrial cooling water systems
from the detrimental effects of scale, corrosion and fouling.

CESTCHEM 3213A also incorporates an innovative organic tracer compound that can be used to
accurately monitor and control product dosage levels. The improved levels of control made
possible by the tracer compound lead to significant improvements in system protection and more
cost effective product consumption.*

CESTCHEM 3213A offers excellent corrosion control by incorporating a very powerful organic
ferrous metal inhibitor and a specific yellow metal inhibitor.
CESTCHEM 3213A offers excellent calcium carbonate inhibition in waters where the LSI
approaches 3, together with calcium phosphate and calcium sulphate inhibition and
dispersancy. CESTCHEM 3213A also incorporates an excellent iron dispersant as well as a
general dispersant for suspended solids and silt.

The individual components of CESTCHEM 3213A, in addition to their primary function, also
exhibit properties in other important areas. For example, the calcium carbonate inhibitor also
disperses iron, and the calcium phosphate dispersant also inhibits calcium carbonate precipitation
and provides additional corrosion protection. These synergistic effects mean that CESTCHEM
3213A can be used at low dosage rates whilst still providing complete system protection.

CESTCHEM 3213A is suitable for use under most water conditions including acid dosed;
however, it is NOT suitable for use in systems with zero hardness. This is because the product
requires calcium in order to effectively protect carbon steel.
All components of CESTCHEM 3213A are resistant to halogens.

Automated Product Monitoring & Control *

CESTCHEM 3213A incorporates an innovative organic tracer compound that can be used to
accurately monitor and control product dosage levels. This results in significant improvements to
system protection and more cost effective product consumption.
Product dosage rates can be fully automated using the CESTCHEM PTSA probe, where our probe
causes the tracer dye to fluoresce, the levels of fluorescence, being proportional to the amount of
CESTCHEM 3213A. The fluorescence is measured by the probe; a dosing pump is then initiated
to maintain the correct treatment reserve. Best results are achieved if the pump is controlled using
an analogue signal.

Product Benefits (pH 1 – 3)

 High performance, multi-functional formulation
 Protect industrial cooling systems from scale, corrosion and fouling
 Innovative tracer dye accurately monitors and controls product dosage levels
 Improves system protection
 More cost effective product control
 Excellent corrosion control
 Excellent scale control
 Dispersants for iron, suspended solids and silt
 Economical – can be used at low dosage rates
 Suitable for use under most water conditions
 Resistant to halogens
White Rust Inhibitor Programs

Galvanized steels typically found in refrigeration condensers can experience a type of premature
corrosion, generally identified as “white rust”. The term “white rust” refers to a type of corrosion
product affecting galvanized surfaces characterized as “an accumulation of white, fluffy, or waxy
non-protective zinc corrosion product” which adheres to the zinc surface of galvanized steel. With
this non-protective porous reaction product in place, the surface is not passive to future zinc
reaction and rapid corrosion may continue.

Using this program as an integral part of a condenser water management programs can produce
the following benefits:
 Asset protection: Extend the service life of condenser system components through
improved corrosion control
 Water conservation: Operate at higher cooling cycles
 Acid feed reduction/elimination: Corrosion protection at higher pH ranges
 Condenser start/stops or weekend shutdowns: Maintain corrosion protection or
reestablish full degree of corrosion protection after shutdown
 Energy efficiency improvements: Eliminate heat transfer being impeded by corrosion
deposits
 Continuous collection and management of corrosion performance data
 White rust can become very destructive if allowed to advance untreated, because once the
zinc layer on the surface of the steel has been consumed, corrosion of the mild steel may
progress rapidly.
Fouling Control

The accumulation of microbiological slimes, biofilm and general bio-fouling in cooling water
systems reduces system efficiency, increases operating and maintenance costs, and raises risks to
safety and health.

Controlling scaling, corrosion and microbial growth will reduce problems of fouling but a cooling
system may still become fouled with sediment in the incoming water supply (particularly if it isn’t
mains water) and airborne dust and debris washed out of the atmosphere by the cooling tower. In
some instances fouling may also be the direct result of process contamination. Deposits tend to
settle in low-velocity areas and can cause reduced flow, blockages, impaired heat transfer, under
deposit corrosion and encourage microbial growth including legionella. If the incoming water
contains a lot of suspended solids then pre-filtration or clarification may be advisable. To keep the
suspended solids mobile in the recirculating water the chemical program should always
incorporate a polymer dispersant and if the solids level is high then the incorporation of a side
stream filtration system in a of the cooling circuit will help to keep the system clean. Since an
evaporative cooling system is in effect an air scrubber so some build-up of deposits with time is
inevitable so in addition to these on-going control measures the system should be taken off-line
periodically for disinfection and the physical cleaning.

To ensure that such cooling systems are safe, well maintained and operate at optimum efficiency it
is essential that the correct water conditions are maintained at all times. This can be achieved
using carefully selected dispersants for cooling water systems.

CESCHEM’s high performance dispersants are ideal for use in a range of cooling systems
including cooling towers, re-circulating and once through cooling water systems. They are
scientifically formulated to efficiently remove and disperse unwanted microbiological fouling,
slimes and biofilm from cooling water systems.
Our cooling water dispersants help to system efficiency, optimise operating costs, reduce
maintenance and system shut-down periods, and aid safety management. Contact us to help you
keep your cooling system free from fouling.

Cooling System Dispersants

CESTCHEM 3415 is a high performance multi-functional cooling water dispersant designed
to be used in conjunction phosphate treatment programmes.
CESTCHEM 3415 is scientifically formulated as a supplemental multi-functional dispersant for
use with phosphate treatment programmes to prevent the formation of associated scales.

Product Benefits (pH 7 -8)

 High performance multi-functional cooling water treatment
 Excellent supplemental cooling water dispersant
 Ideal for the prevention of scales when used with phosphate treatment programmes
 Convenient liquid product

CESTCHEM 3410 is a high performance cooling water dispersant that incorporates powerful
surface active agents. It is scientifically formulated for the treatment of cooling systems including
re-circulating and once-through cooling water systems.
CESTCHEM 3410 is a high specification product developed to improve the performance of
cooling water systems where fouling by microbiological slimes is reducing overall system
efficiency, by removing and dispersing the unwanted deposits.
CESTCHEM 3410 is extremely effective at controlling oil based fouling and is the ideal solution
for use in both re-circulating and once-through cooling water systems.

Product Benefits (Surface active agent)

Powerful dispersant
Suitable for use in both re-circulating and once through cooling water systems
Improves the performance of cooling water systems
Improves system efficiency
Removes and disperses unwanted deposits
Controls oil based fouling
Product Properties

Application & Dosage Information

CESTCHEM 3410 should be fed continuously or slug dosed into the system at a point where it
will be mixed and uniformly distributed.
CESTCHEM 3410 is essentially non-corrosive and dosing equipment may be of mild steel,
stainless steel, teflon, polyethylene, acrylic resin or polypropylene.
Dosage levels for CESTCHEM 3410 will be in the range of 1100ppm depending on the fouling
tendency. Higher dosages may be required if the system is heavily fouled.

CESTCHEM 3418 is a high performance cooling water treatment oil emulsifier and
bio-penetrant developed for cooling systems suffering from oil-based contamination.

CESTCHEM 3418is scientifically formulated from a non-ionic surface active agent with excellent
cleaning and anti-fouling properties where the primary system contaminant is oil-based.
CESTCHEM 3418 can also be used as a bio-penetrant to enhance the performance of oxidising
biocides.

Biodispersants are used as penetrants into biofilms so that the biocide molecule can kill the
microorganism on the metal surface.
Product Benefits
 High performance cooling water treatment
 Excellent oil emulsifier and bio-penetrant for systems suffering from oil-based
contamination
 Formulated from a non-ionic surface active agent with excellent cleaning and anti-fouling
properties
 Ideal for oil contaminated systems

Application & Dosage Information

Target dosage is for CESTCHEM 3418 is 10 – 100 ppm as product in the recirculating cooling
water depending on the level of fouling seen in the system.

Dosage Strategy
CESTCHEM 3418 should be fed neat or as part of an appropriate mix to the cooling water system
where it can be uniformly mixed and thoroughly distributed using a chemical metering pump.

Performance Monitoring
Appropriate use of CESTCHEM 3418 following the above dosing strategy should result in an
oil-contaminant-free cooling system.

Microbiological Control

Cooling towers are susceptible to microbiological activity due to the open design and exposure to
sunlight. Biological organisms, including algae, bacteria, protozoa, and fungi, often find their
breeding grounds in cooling towers as they have an ideal environment.. If not properly controlled,
biological growth forms and acts as a natural adhesion surface for scale formation, resulting in
fouling, which is 2.5 times more potent than mineral scales in impairing heat transfer.
An evaporative cooling system is often an ideal growth environment for a whole range of
microbes such as bacteria, algae, fungi and protozoa which can lead to problems such as:
 Microbial slimes which interfere with heat transfer
 Highly localised microbial induced corrosion
 Reduced effectiveness of corrosion inhibitors
 Fouling caused by suspended solids being trapped in the microbial slimes
 Reduced flow and poor water distribution within the cooling tower

CESTCHEM technical experts do a complete micro study for identifying organisms and evaluate
chemistries to adopt a high-kill program. Continuous monitoring of bacterial counts along with
visual inspection by CESTCHEM site staff is a standard process at each customer’s site.

CESTCHEM Oxidising Biocides are special chemical agents capable of oxidising organic matter,
e.g. cell material, enzymes or proteins associated with microbiological populations, resulting in
death of the micro-organism. Oxidising biocides are used to control microbiological activity in a
wide range of commercial cleaning, environmental hygiene, disinfection, industrial and process
water treatment activities. They are often used in combination with non-oxidising biocides to
provide complete system control.

Effective cooling water microbiological control is not only essential to the efficient operation of a
system but also necessary to control the growth of legionella bacteria and the risk of Legionnaires
disease. In order to maintain microbial control effective biocides need to be added on a regular
basis and the results monitored using dip-slides and periodic laboratory analysis. Contact us to
help you prevent microbial problems in cooling system and discuss our range of cooling water
treatment chemicals.

CESTCHEM 3510 is a high quality liquid chlorine formulation scientifically formulated for
use in a wide range of disinfection and sterilisation procedures.

CESTCHEM 3510 contains 10% (100,000 ppm) sodium hypochlorite and can be used in the
generation of hypobromous acid with a precursor solution

CESTCHEM 3510 acts as an extremely effective oxidising biocide and contains biofilm
dispersants.

Product Benefits
 Extremely effective liquid chlorine oxidising biocide with biofilm dispersants.
 Broad spectrum biocide and disinfectant.
 Approved biocide for many applications.

Product Properties
Composition: Aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite and surfactant
Form: Liquid
Color:
Specific Gravity @ 20°C: 1.256
pH: 12 – 14

Application & Dosage Information

The dosage rate of CESTCHEM 3510 will depend on the application.
*Always consider the pH as the effectiveness of chlorine decreases as the pH rises above
 8.0.
*Always consider the corrosive effects of high levels of chlorine.
*Do not mix this product with acids. Many organic materials will react with chlorine.
*Do not mix with sodium bromide solutions in open containers.

Non-oxidizing biocides kill microorganisms by disrupting the cell wall or preventing

reproduction/respiration of the cells.

Non-oxidising biocides describe special chemical agents that function by mechanisms other than
oxidation, including interference with cell metabolism and structure.

CESTCHEM’s high performance non-oxidising biocides are used to control microbiological

activity in a wide range of commercial cleaning, disinfection, environmental hygiene, industrial
and process water treatment activities. They are often used in combination with oxidising biocides
to provide complete system control.
CESTCHEM’s high performance non-oxidising biocides include several broad spectrum biocides
and micro-biocides, isothiazoline, QAC, glutaldehyde and more..

CESTCHEM 3685 is a high performance broad spectrum disinfectant and biocide developed
for use in industrial water treatment applications. It is based on quaternary ammonium
chloride (QAC).

CESTCHEM 3685 is effective against Legionella bacteria and is ideal for use in heavily soiled
systems. It also offers excellent surfactant properties and acts as a combined dispersant and
biocide.
This product can be used as a secondary biocide in systems being treated with halogen.

Product Benefits
 High performance broad spectrum disinfectant and biocide.
 Effective against Legionella bacteria.
 Ideal for use in heavily soiled systems.
 Acts as a combined dispersant and biocide.
 Excellent surfactant properties.
 Can be used as a secondary biocide in systems being treated with halogen.
Application & Dosage Information
Dose CESTCHEM 3685 to achieve 200 ppm (200 g per 1000 L). This product can be dosed by
hand or through automatic dosing equipment. Note, overdosing may result in a stable foam.

It is recommended that users alternate the use of suitable biocides to prevent the development of
resistant bacterial strains.
Note – CESTCHEM 3685 contains a cationic material, do not over dose in the presence of anionic
dispersants.
Do not mix CESTCHEM 3XXX with other chemicals.

Test Method
Measure QAC levels using a QAC drop test method from CESTCHEM.

CESTCHEM 3615 is a high-performance broad spectrum, non-foaming, readily

biodegradable micro-biocide scientifically formulated for the treatment of industrial cooling
water systems.

CESTCHEM 3615 is based on a formulation of isothiazolinone derivatives and is completely

soluble in water.

At relatively low concentrations CESTCHEM 3615 is effective against a range of

micro-organisms including many gram positive and gram negative bacteria, fungi and algae.

Product Benefits
 High-performance non-foaming isothiazolinone based micro-biocide for industrial cooling
water systems.
 Biodegradable.
 Broad spectrum micro-biocide effective at lower concentrations.
 Effective over a wide range of pH.

Application & Dosage Information

CESTCHEM 3615 should be dosed periodically at a rate of 100 – 200ppm of the total system
volume.
In a badly fouled system, an initial shock dose of up to 500ppm may be required.
CESTCHEM 3615 is effective over a wide range of pH and can be used in isolation or alternately
with other non-oxidising or oxidizing biocides.
CESTCHEM 3620 is a high performance broad spectrum non-oxidising biocide developed
for cooling water systems.(20% DBNPA)

CESTCHEM 3620 is an easy to handle, fast acting, broad spectrum non-oxidising biocide
designed for use in open re-circulating and closed systems.
CESTCHEM 3620 is effective in hard waters and compatible with anionic additives and halogens.

Product Benefits
 High performance broad spectrum non-oxidising biocide
 Easy to handle, fast acting product
 Ideal for open re-circulating and closed systems
 Ideal for hard water conditions
 Fully compatible with anionic additives and halogens
 Convenient liquid product

Application & Dosage Information

Target dosage range for CESTCHEM 3620 is 10 – 20 ppm as DBNPA or bacterial counts below
103 CFU/mL in the re-circulating cooling water.

Dosage Strategy
CESTCHEM 3620 should be fed neat using a chemical metering pump to a system location where
it can be uniformly mixed and thoroughly distributed.

Performance Monitoring
Appropriate use of CESTCHEM 3620 following the above dosing strategy should result in a
biologically clean cooling system.

Test Methods
 DBNPA Colourimetric
 Bacteria count Dip Slides/ATP/Plate Counts
CESTCHEM 3630 is a high performance, broad spectrum organic biocide scientifically
formulated for the treatment of open re-circulating cooling systems.

CESTCHEM 3630 is a superior quality glutaraldehyde based treatment that is ideal for the control
of bacteria, fungi and algae in open re-circulating cooling systems and evaporative condensers.
CESTCHEM 3630 is a proven high performing product that is that can be used where exceptional
performance is critical.
CESTCHEM 3630 is low foaming and effective over a broad pH range.

Product Benefits
 High performance broad spectrum biocide
 Contains glutaraldehyde
 Ideal for open re-circulating cooling systems and evaporative condensers
 Effective against a wide range of bacteria, algae and slimes
 Effective against Legionella strains, the causitive organism of Legionnaires’ disease
 Effective against sulphate reducing bacteria
 Low foaming
 Effective over broad pH range
 Can be dosed in conjunction with other organic biocides to help clean up badly fouled
systems

Application & Dosage Information

Typically CESTCHEM 3630 should be dosed to give 200 ppm (200 g per 1000 lt).
Dose at 400 ppm (400 g per 1000 Lt) for heavily fouled systems.
Do not mix with other chemicals.
Can be dosed by hand or through automatic dosing equipment.

Legionella control
Without effective cooling water treatment, a cooling water system can suffer from scale
formation, corrosion and fouling and may become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria such as
those which cause Legionnaires’ Disease. This reduces efficiency, shortens plant life and makes
your operation unreliable and unsafe. Poor control can not only put your cooling process at risk,
but can also causing in wasted energy, chemicals and water charges. To overcome these problems
we’ve developed a comprehensive range of cooling water treatment products and consultancy
services to keep your system operating safely and efficiently.

 Legionnaires’ disease is a potentially fatal form of pneumonia caused by the legionella

bacteria which can thrive in warm water conditions regularly found in hotel water systems.
Not only can legionella put your guests at risk but it can also damage your reputation.
 CESTCHEM’s offers a range of services designed to help the maintenance team protect
their guests against legionella and comply with legislation including:
 Legionella risk assessment services
 Water analysis and Legionella testing
 Water hygiene and disinfection services
 Legionella training
 Record keeping log books and training
 Technical support and guidance

Breaking the Legionella Chain!

There is a four step chain of events which need to take place for someone to catch Legionnaires’
disease and which provide the basis of assessing and minimising the risk. If this chain is broken at
any point you will prevent legionella disease.

Step 1 – A water system becomes contaminated with legionella bacteria

Certain water sources, such as untreated river or canal water, are more likely than others to contain
legionella bacteria and will therefore increase the risk. However, it is not safe to assume that a
treated incoming water supply is free from legionella and indeed you should assume that all water
systems will become contaminated with low levels of legionella at some point.

Step 2 – Legionella multiply within the water system

Whilst it may be almost impossible to prevent a water system being contaminated with low levels
of legionella it is entirely possible to prevent them multiplying to dangerous levels and it is
important therefore to devise control measures to control their growth. The nature of those control
measures will vary from system to system. In the case of domestic water systems this will involve
keeping the hot water hot and the cold water cold and avoiding warm water conditions. In the case
of a cooling tower this will involve an effective chemical water treatment programme. In all cases
it will involve trying to avoid stagnant water conditions and keeping the water system clean and
free from a build-up of deposits.
Whilst addressing all of the links in the chain is important, preventing legionella multiplying is
undoubtedly the most important.

Step 3 – Contaminated aerosols need to be released to the atmosphere

It doesn’t matter how many legionella a water system contains if they are never released as an
aerosol that someone can breath-in. A legionella risk assessment should therefore consider what
the potential is for aerosols to be produced during both normal and abnormal usage (such as
maintenance). Aerosols are generated by water sprays, air bubbles bursting through the water
surface and by water splashing against a hard surface. In certain instances it may be possible to
eliminate the risk by eliminating the process that produces the aerosol, or by reducing the quantity
of aerosols that are released, but in many instances such as a domestic shower that isn’t possible
and therefore the risk has to be minimised by focusing on preventing the multiplication of
legionella within the water system.

Step 4 -Susceptible people inhale contaminated aerosols

The final step in the chain is for a susceptible person to breath-in enough contaminated aerosols to
cause legionellosis. Individuals’ susceptibility varies and there are a number of factors which
increase it:
 Men are 2 to 3 times more susceptible than women
 Increasing age – (people over 45 are generally more susceptible)
 Existing poor health – Smoking, alcoholism, diabetes, cancer, respiratory conditions etc.
Biocide Test Kits
Testing for and monitoring levels of biocide is an important activity in many industrial and process
systems, particularly where the control of microbiological activity is safety critical.

Non-Oxidising Biocide Test Kits

CESTCHEM’s high performance non-oxidising biocide test kits have been specially
developed for engineers, water treatment professionals; and building services and facilities
management specialists.
CESTCHEM’s high quality biocide testing kits allow the quick and accurate in-field analysis for a
range of non-oxidising biocides including isothiazolone and DBNPA. Measuring non-oxidising
biocides is crucial in ensuring that the biocide in use is not over or under dosed and these kits are
ideal for this application. Each of our non-oxidising biocide test kits is supplied ready to use.

Key Benefits
 Ideal for water treatment engineers
 Compact and portable design
  Easy to follow waterproof instructions
 Clear product labelling
 Tests for isothiazolone and DBNPA

Each kit contains all the necessary reagents to carry out between 50 and 100 tests and uses either a
colour card or drop count to determine the reserve.

These test kits can be used to determine the level of biocides in open and closed water systems and
can be used when dosing biocides to systems recently pre-commissioned cleaned.

Non-Oxidising Biocide Tests

Available Parameters Range/ppm
Isothiazolone 0-7.5
DBNPA 0-6.8

Oxidising Biocide Test Kits – Comparator Sets

CESTCHEM’s oxidising biocide comparator kit has been specially developed for
engineers, water treatment professionals; and building services and facilities management
specialists.

Each self-contained comparator test kit is housed in its own rugged carry case and comes complete
with a high quality comparator, 1 comparator disc, 65 ml reagents, tablets or powders; 2 x 10ml
plastic cells, a crushing rod (if required) and easy to follow waterproof instructions.
Each comparator test kit or replacement reagent pack includes reagents necessary to perform
between 50 and 100 parameter specific tests.
Variations
 Chlorine Comparator (0-5ppm)
 Chlorine Comparator (0-50ppm)
 Chlorine Comparator (0-250ppm)

Dipslides for Monitoring Aerobic Bacteria

CESTCHEM’s high quality microbiological dipslides / contact slides offer a quick and easy
means of monitoring aerobic bacteria in liquids and on surfaces, making them ideal for
engineers, water treatment professionals; and building services and facilities management
specialists.

CESTCHEM’s dipslides / contact slides are manufactured to the highest quality standards and are
used to measure the levels of aerobic bacteria found in water systems and on surfaces.
CESTCHEM’s dip slides/contact slides are supplied in boxes of 10 and come complete with full
instructions. A colour chart is also supplied with each box which is used to determine the
concentration of aerobic bacteria.

All dipslides should be incubated at a carefully controlled temperature of 30oC for 48 hours to
obtain an accurate result.

Such monitoring allows the user to determine how effective a chemical or biocide treatment
product is in the particular application and a trend can be quickly established, identifying changes
and taking quick remedial action where required.

It should be noted from the outset that dipslides alone do not detect Legionella as a select
micro-organism, however, it is generally accepted that overall bacteria levels in excess of 104 are
considered able to support Legionella and are considered to present a serious risk to health and
safety.

CESTCHEM’s dip slides comprise a plastic paddle with culture media on each side. Each paddle
sits within a clear plastic tube which helps to protect the paddles and to keep the culture media
both moist and sterile until required for testing purposes.

CESTCHEM’s slides are based on a standard nutrient agar with a red dye supplement added
during production, this has the advantage of showing any viable colonies as red dots, easily
identified and compared against the comparison chart printed on each box of dipslides.

Key Benefits
 Simple to use
 Measures liquids and surfaces
 Dual media available as:
 TC/TTC for water applications
 TTC/Malt for water and cutting fluid applications
 TTC/RBS for food applications
 TTC/MAC for food and personal hygiene applications
 Pseudo/MAC for spa and swimming pool applications
 Flexible Paddle for easy surface contact
 Large paddle for easy reading
 Individual dipslide labelling

IMPORTANT – Monitoring is not a substitute for a treatment regime, you should seek the advice
of a professional water treatment or environmental company who will supply a risk assessment
together with the required treatment system.
The advantage of your weekly monitoring program is you can see how well the system is
performing and identify any problems in house and in-between visits, together with peace of mind
– remember counts should never exceed 103 at any time!
Water Quality: Essential to Cooling Tower Health and Operation

Any industry professional would quickly agree that water is the key ingredient to evaporative
cooling system performance. For evaporative cooling equipment like cooling towers, evaporative
condensers or fluid coolers, water quality is essential for proper heat transfer and the healthy
service life of the equipment.

By association, that same water also is essential to the operation of the chillers, process equipment
or building systems connected to the evaporative cooling equipment. Yet, some operators or
building owners fail to recognize how the quality of the available makeup water and ongoing
water treatment of the condenser water may impact equipment commissioning, operational water
efficiency and lifespan of the equipment.

When evaporative cooling systems are commissioned, careful attention should be given to water
quality during the initial fill. After commissioning, maintaining consistent water quality
throughout the system is important for the health of the entire condenser water system.

In fact, it has been proven that makeup water quality and the consistency of water treatment
programs have a direct impact on the performance of evaporative cooling systems. They affect
efficiency, available uptime, maintenance needs and, ultimately, the equipment longevity.

To what extent? An owner’s first cost for an evaporative cooling system is often viewed as the
deciding factor. However, a broader view that takes into account the two key factors — the quality
of the available makeup water and the consistency of the water treatment program — can lead to a
lower total cost of ownership.

When available makeup water quality and the consistency of treatment are ignored, bad water
conditions can ruin a cooling system in as little as two to seven years. The same system could last
15 to 20 years if water quality is a part of the equipment selection process, and water treatment is
consistently maintained.

Often, water is referred to as a universal solvent — a property that can cause unwanted side effects
for industrial uses. Water dissolves many substances, including gases like oxygen and carbon
dioxide. As a result, water can cause corrosion of metals.

Also, as water concentrates in an evaporative cooling system, dissolved ions may exceed the
solubility of some minerals and form scale. Bacteria entering a system from the makeup water
supply may grow in number, creating challenges related to fouling, corrosion or undesirable
microbes like Legionella bacteria.

These problems highlight the importance of:

 Selecting appropriate materials of construction.

 Implementing an effective treatment program.
 Putting into a place a routine preventive maintenance.

These three steps will help ensure efficient operation of cooling water systems and an appropriate
service life for the equipment they serve.

Maintaining Water Quality: What Is Involved?

Experts often explain the facets of cooling water treatment as either a three-legged stool or a
triangle. Both of these analogies demonstrate the interconnectedness of the three goals of an
effective water treatment program: to control scale, microbial growth and corrosion.

Designing an effective water treatment program begins with an understanding of both the quality
and composition of the project’s makeup water. The goal is to design a water treatment system
capable of consistently maintaining the desired heat transfer efficiency while simultaneously
maximizing equipment service life.

These cooling systems reject heat primarily through the evaporation of pure water. As heat is
rejected via evaporation, ions such as alkalinity, calcium, chloride, sulfate and silica, which are
dissolved in the makeup water, become more concentrated in the recirculating water. If not
consistently controlled, the concentration of these dissolved ions can increase corrosion potential
or lead to the formation of deposits like calcium carbonate. The calcium carbonate scale deposits
impede heat transfer, and they can cause underdeposit corrosion, which may decrease the service
life of the equipment.

Three primary types of treatment systems are used for evaporative cooling systems:

 Chemical water treatment.

 Nonchemical treatment.
 Hybrid systems.

All share the common goal of minimizing corrosion, microbiological growth and scale formation.

Chemical Water Treatment. For decades, the chemical formulations and biocides used to maintain
condenser water have been well understood. More recently, solid and granular chemistries have
gained popularity due to their reduced environmental footprint and improved materials-handling
and operator safety profiles.

Liquid chemicals typically are shipped and stored in pails or drums that can weigh 350 to 450
pounds or more. Solid and granular chemistry allows plant or facility professionals to utilize the
same active ingredients while purchasing, handling and storing greatly reduced weights and
quantities. Also, because the material is not in liquid form, it cannot be spilled, so potential
hazards are avoided.

Nonchemical Treatment. For the past two decades, different types of nonchemical water treatment
systems and devices have emerged — offering sustainable options — in the battle against scale
formation, corrosion and microbial growth. Some have a stronger track record of success than
others, but all seek to offer more sustainable methods for water treatment, doing so without the
need to buy, store and feed chemicals.

Pulsed-powered technology has enjoyed the greatest commercial adoption by evaporative cooling
customers interested in reducing or eliminating the use of chemicals. These systems impart pulsed
electric fields into cooling water. These pulsed electric fields provide scale, biological and
corrosion control by physical action rather than chemical reaction.

An example of physical action can be found in how pulsed-powered technology controls scale. As
the cooling water passes through the pulsed electric fields, seed crystals are formed from the
naturally occurring small suspended particles found in all waters. As treated water is cycled up
beyond normal solubility, calcium carbonate attaches to the seed crystals. Eventually, the calcium
carbonate settles into a cooling system’s basin as nonadherent powder.

By employing physical modes of action to combat scale, microbiological and corrosion,

equipment owners can reduce or virtually eliminate the need for chemical additives while still
achieving desired system performance.

Hybrid Water Treatment. A new field is evolving around hybrid systems capable of reducing
chemical usage while, in many cases, increasing water efficiency. By combining technologies,
these hybrid systems can effectively tackle challenging water quality while reducing the
dependence on chemicals, thereby reducing environmental impacts.

Two primary types of hybrid water treatment systems are used for evaporative cooling systems.
The first combines a nonchemical treatment device with targeted chemistry to treat challenging
makeup water, provide supplemental protection or meet local regulatory requirements. The second
combines a pretreatment system to improve the makeup water quality with a chemical treatment
program to reduce chemical usage, improve water efficiency or both. Depending on available
makeup water quality, this may involve the use of water softening, ion exchange or reverse
osmosis (RO) technology.

To summarize, water quality and consistent water treatment are essential building blocks for all
evaporative cooling systems. Maintaining optimal performance of evaporative cooling systems
requires an understanding of the equipment’s materials of construction and the local makeup water
quality in order to implement a consistent water treatment program based on the manufacturer’s
recommendations.
Maintaining optimal performance of evaporative cooling system requires an understanding of teh
equipment’s material of construction and the local makeup water quality in order to implement a
consistent water treatment program based on the manufacturer recommendation.

A technician add solid chemistry to evaporative system makeup.

Monitoring Your System Water Quality

It is not enough to just feed the water treatment products to, cooling towers and closed loops to
protect them; you also need to monitor the treatment program to make sure that no adjustments
need to be made to your treatment program.

When your cooling towers are serviced, you should have a feed water sample and a cooling water
sample pulled. You should be having the following tests run each service call:
Make-Up Water Cooling Tower Chilled Loop
T-Alkalinity X X X
T-Hardness X X -
Chloride X X -
Conductivity X X X
Iron X X X
Copper X X X
Product Residual - X X

Now that the tests are complete “mass balance” can be run on the cooling tower water. We
calculate how many more times the cooling tower water is concentrated than the city water. To
do this we simply divide the cooling tower test result by the city water result for each of the above
parameters - this is termed cycles of concentration.

If the cycles for the total alkalinity or the total hardness is lower than the chloride or conductivity
cycles – then the cooling tower is in a scaling condition. Meaning the cooling tower is losing
alkalinity or hardness (in the form of a soft white/beige mineral scale).

If the cycles for the total alkalinity or the total hardness is higher than the chloride or conductivity
cycles – then the cooling tower is in a cleaning condition. Meaning the cooling tower is removing
alkalinity or hardness (in the form of a soft white/beige mineral scale).

If the cycles are the same as the chloride or conductivity cycles (it is rare that these are the same)
then the cooling tower is neither scaling or in a cleaning condition.

In this example of a field service report you will see that for the cooling towers the cycles of
concentration for both the total alkalinity and the total hardness are higher than the cycles based
on chlorides or conductivity. Therefore, the cooling tower is in a cleaning condition.

There is one commonly overlooked test and that is for microbiological growth. During the dry
season a total aerobic bacteria (TAB) test should be run on your cooling towers. If your TAB
microbiological test results are 100 to 103 you are in control. If your TAB results are 104, you
should closely monitor the system. If the TAB are 105 or higher, you need to make a change in
your biocide treatment program.

In the example used the iron levels were elevated but the inhibitor was in the desired control
range. Elevated iron can be due to mechanical problems, improper inhibitor levels, or from
microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). Elevated aerobic bacteria levels, can result in
MIC. An appropriate adjustment would be to increase the biocide dosage or increase the number
of days the biocide is dosed or to alternate to a second biocide to reduce the total aerobic bacteria
counts.

The critical parameters for cooling water are: conductivity, total dissolved solids
(TDS), hardness, pH, alkalinity and saturation index.

By following these basic steps, you can improve the control you have over your water
treatment program and recognize when changes need to be made in a water treatment
program. Monitoring a treatment program will help prevent many corrosion and scaling
problems down the road.

pH
pH is a measurement of how acidic or how alkaline a substance is on a scale of 0 to 14. The pH of
cooling water is typically maintained in the alkaline range, which is above 7. Some pH controlled
treatment programs use acid to maintain the pH in the non-scaling range of approximately 6.5 to
7.5. Other non-acid treatment programs allow the pH to increase above 8.5. When cooling towers
are operated at high COC, the pH may move into the 9.0 to 10.0 range. This has the advantage of
being outside the amplification range for most forms of bacteria and algae, which reduces the
demand for biocides.

pH

pH is a measure of how acidic/basic water is. The range goes from 0 - 14, with 7 being
neutral. pHs of less than 7 indicate acidity, whereas a pH of greater than 7 indicates a
base. pH is reported in "logarithmic units," like the Richter scale, which measures
earthquakes. Each number represents a 10-fold change in the acidity/baseness of the
water. Water with a pH of 5 is ten times more acidic than water having a pH of six.

Control of pH is critical for the majority of cooling water treatment programs. In

general, when pH points to acidic environment, the chances for corrosion increase
and when pH points to alkaline environment, the chances for scale formation
increase.

pH is a measure of the hydrogen ion concentration of the water as ranked on a scale of 1.0 to 14.0.
The lower the pH of water, the more acidic it is. The higher the pH of water, the more basic, or
alkaline, it is. pH affects many chemical and biological processes in the water and different
organisms have different ranges of pH within which they flourish. The largest variety of aquatic
animals prefer a pH range of 6.5 - 8.0. pH outside of this range reduces the diversity in the stream
because it stresses the physiological systems of most organisms and can reduce reproduction. Low
pH can also allow toxic elements and compounds such as heavy metals to become mobile and
"available" for uptake by aquatic plants and animals. Again, this can produce conditions that are
toxic to aquatic life, particularly to sensitive species like trout.

Changes in acidity can be caused by atmospheric deposition (acid rain or acid shock from
snowmelt), surrounding rock, and wastewater discharges. Technically, the pH scale measures the
logarithmic concentration of hydrogen (H+) and hydroxide (OH-) ions, which make up water (H+
+ OH- = H20). When both types of ions are in equal concentration, the pH is 7.0 or neutral. Below
7.0, the water is acidic (there are more hydrogen ions than hydroxide ions). When the pH is above
7.0, the water is alkaline, or basic (there are more hydroxide ions than hydrogen ions). Since the
scale is logarithmic, a drop in the pH by 1.0 unit is a 10-fold increase in acidity. So, a water
sample with a pH of 5.0 is ten times as acidic as one with a pH of 6.0. pH 4.0 is 100 times as
acidic as pH 6.0.

Hardness
Hardness refers to the presence of dissolved calcium and magnesium in the water. These two
minerals are particularly troublesome in heat exchange applications because they are inversely
soluble – meaning they come out of a solution at elevated temperatures and remain soluble at
cooler temperatures. For this reason, calcium and magnesium-related deposits will be evident in
the warmest areas of any cooling system, such as the tubes or plates of heat exchangers, or in the
warm top regions of the cooling tower fill where most of the evaporation occurs.

Water treatment programs strive to enhance the solubility of calcium and magnesium hardness
through the use of chemical additives such as phosphonate or acid for pH control. In general, the
solubility of calcium falls within the 350 to 450 ppm range expressed as calcium carbonate. The
other alternative is to pre-treat the cooling tower makeup to reduce the hardness to zero (0) ppm.
Or the soft water can be blended with hard water to produce a makeup of any desired hardness
level.

Hardness

The amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium in water determines its "hardness."
The total hardness is then broken down into two categories

a. The carbonate or temporary hardness

b. The non-carbonate or permanent hardness

Hardness particularly the temporary hardness is the most common and is responsible
for the deposition of calcium carbonate scale in pipes and equipment. Technically any
bivalent metal ion such as iron, manganese or tin would constitute hardness, but
calcium and magnesium are the two most prevalent forms.

Alkalinity

Alkalinity is the presence of acid neutralizing or acid buffering minerals in the water. Primary
contributors to alkalinity are carbonate, bicarbonate and hydroxide. Additional alkaline
components may include phosphate, ammonia and silica, though contributions from these ions are
usually relatively small.

The alkalinity of the cooling water can be reduced and controlled by the addition of mineral acids
like sulfuric and hydrochloric. One part of acid (100% active) is required to neutralize 1 part of
alkalinity. The dosage of acid is generally controlled by pH measurement. This corresponds to a
total alkalinity that falls within the 100 to 300 ppm range. The concentration of calcium hardness
and total alkalinity determine the solubility of calcium carbonate.

Alkalinity is a measure of a river's "buffering capacity," or its ability to neutralize acids. Alkaline
compounds in the water such as bicarbonates (baking soda is one type), carbonates, and
hydroxides remove H+ ions and lower the acidity of the water (which means increased pH). They
do this usually by combining with the H+ ions to make new compounds. Without this acid
neutralizing capacity, any acid added to a river would cause an immediate change in the pH.
Measuring alkalinity is important to determining a river's ability to neutralize acidic pollution (as
measured by pH) from rainfall or snowmelt. It's one of the best measures of the sensitivity of the
river to acid inputs. Alkalinity comes from rocks and soils, salts, certain plant activities, and
certain industrial wastewater discharges. Total alkalinity is measured by collecting a water sample,
and measuring the amount of acid needed to bring the sample to a pH of 4.2. At this pH all the
alkaline compounds in the sample are "used up." The result is reported as milligrams per liter
(mg/l) of calcium carbonate.

Alkalinity

The pH values above 7 signify alkalinity. At pH values less than 8.3, most of the
alkalinity in the water is in the bicarbonate form, and scale formation is normally not a
problem. However, when
 the pH rises above 8.3, the alkalinity converts from the bicarbonate to the carbonate and
the scale will start to form.

Conductivity

Conductivity is a measurement of the water’s ability to conduct electricity. It is a relative indication

of the total dissolved mineral content of the water as higher conductivity levels correlate to more
dissolved salts in solution. Conversely, purified water has very little dissolved minerals present,
meaning the conductivity will be very low.

The conductivity in the cooling tower is controlled by blowdown. Increasing the blowdown rate
decreases the conductivity. Decreasing the blowdown increases the conductivity.

The ratio between the cooling water conductivity and the makeup conductivity is commonly taken
as a measure of the cycles of concentration.

Conductivity and Total Dissolved

Solids (TDS)

Conductivity is a measure of the ability of water to conduct electrical current and it

indicates the amount of the dissolved solids (TDS) in water. Pure distilled water will
have a very low conductivity (low minerals) and sea water will have a high conductivity
(high minerals).

Dissolved solids present no problem with respect to the cooling capacity of water, since
the evaporation rate of seawater, which has 30,000ppm total dissolved solids, is only 1%
less than that of distilled water. The problem with dissolved solids is that many of the
chemical compounds and elements in the water will combine to form highly insoluble
mineral deposits on the heat transfer surfaces generally referred to as “scale”. The scale
stubbornly sticks to the surfaces, gradually builds up and begins to interfere with pipe
drainage, heat transfer and water pressure.

The primary maintenance objective in most circulating water systems is to minimize the formation of scale
deposits and conductivity can be used as the controlling value after the TDS/conductivity relationship is
determined.
 Saturation Index

The saturation index of a water or Langlier Saturation Index (LSI) is a measure of the
stability of the water with respect to scale formation. When LSI readings are positive they
tend to be scale forming, and when they are negative they tend to be corrosive. Normally
readings within 1.0 units from zero are considered stable.

Water Analysis Service

This unique facility provides a quick and accurate analysis service for water and deposit samples
giving our Consultants the necessary information to help solve your problems.
Typical analyses available:

 Legionella *
 Aerobic Colony Count *
 Coliforms and E. coli *
 Pseudomonas aeruginosa *
 Other Pseudomonas species
 Staphylococcus aureus
 Full range of water chemistry tests
 Metals & Heavy metals testing
 Chemical & Mineral suite
 Corrosion and scale deposit analysis
 COD, suspended solids & effluent analysis
 Corrosion measurement and assessment

CHEMICAL DOSING & MONITORING

1. Bleed-off control

Controls the accumulation or build up of dissolved solids in the recirculating water caused by the
evaporation. The bleed-off control operates a bleed-off valve to drain water from the system,
allowing additional make-up to dilute the system water and reduce the dissolved solids level.

Conductivity bleed-off systems measure the electrical conductivity of the recirculating water, which
is directly related to the level of dissolved solids. As the conductivity rises above a set point, the
bleed-off valve is opened, when the conductivity level drops below the set point the bleed-off valve
is closed. This ensures the bleed-off rate is controlled in proportion to the duty or load on the
cooling tower to minimise wastage of water.

Proportional bleed-off systems operate by opening the bleed-off valve in proportion to the make-up
water volume. By definition, the quantity of bleed-off required is a direct proportion of the make-up
rate. For example, to maintain a concentration factor of 2 the quantity of bleed-off required will be
50%, or one half, of the make-up rate and to maintain a concentration factor of 4 the quantity of
bleed-off required will be 25%, or one quarter, of the make-up.

Proportional bleed systems operate from a water meter in the make up supply to the cooling tower
and open the bleed-off valve for a set time duration relative to a set volume of make-up.

Both methods have their benefits and disadvantages:-

Conductivity bleed-off systems require conductivity instruments and cannot differentiate between
dissolved solids from the make-up and water treatment chemicals. When shot doses of biocides are
added they cause a rise in the conductivity activating the bleed-off. A bleed lockout timer is required
to prevent bleed-off for a set period following biocide dosage to prevent wastage of expensive
biocide chemicals.

Proportional bleed-off systems cannot compensate for any leakage or other unforeseen water losses
from the system, nor will they detect any process contamination. Proportional systems do not,
however, require bleed lockout systems as they are unaffected by slug
doses of biocides and other chemicals.

2. Inhibitor dosage

Corrosion and scale inhibitors are dosed in proportion to the make-up to maintain a set level in the
recirculating water. Inhibitor dosage systems therefore use a water meter in the make-up supply to
the cooling tower to operate chemical dosing pumps to add chemicals in direct proportion to the
make up water flow.

3. Biocide dosage

Two options are available:-

Non-Oxidising Biocides – Normally shot dosed on an alternating basis, usually once or twice per
week using timer controlled dosing pumps. Typically, non-oxidising biocides require a contact time
of 4 hours at a set concentration to destroy bacteria. As previously indicated, where conductivity
bleed-off systems are fitted a bleed lockout system is required to prevent dilution and loss of
biocide to bleed-off.

Oxidising biocides – Chlorine or Bromine. Chlorine should only be used where pH levels are
between 6.5 and 7.8. At higher pH, chlorine is relatively unreactive and a poor biocide. Its use is
therefore confined to industrial cooling towers incorporating pH control. Bromine is effective at pH
levels up to 9.0, above which its biocidal effect drops significantly requiring excessive dosage rates.

Oxidising biocides are normally dosed continuously at a low level to maintain a set disinfectant
level in the recirculating water. The level of disinfectant can be monitored electrically using Redox
(Oxidation Reduction Potential – ORP) or a specific chlorine monitor. Because of their cost and
sensitivity to contamination specific chlorine or bromine monitors are rarely used.

Redox (ORP) control measures the oxidation and reduction potential in millivolts in the water over
a range of 0 to 1000 mV. This is related to the level of bromine oxidant present and uses simple
technology similar to pH measurement. Whilst Redox is affected by changes in pH this has no
significant effect on their performance in cooling water treatment as most cooling towers operate at
a stable pH level.
Bromine biocides are available in two basic forms, as liquid or slow dissolving tablets. Liquid
bromine is dosed using chemical dosing pumps. Bromine tablets or briquettes are dosed using a
brominator or erosion feeder device.

Chemical Dosing Pumps

CESTCHEM’s full range of metering pumps includes electronic dosing pumps, mechanical
diaphragm dosing pumps and peristaltic pumps. All CESTCHEM’s pumps are engineered to the
highest quality standards and offer excellent long term reliability, accuracy and control.

CESTCHEM’s chemical metering pumps are ideal for applications including water treatment
chemical dosing, cooling tower biocide dosing, inhibitor dosing, pH control and adjustment,
detergent dosing, swimming pool chemical treatment applications and many other commercial and
industrial process applications

Two basic types of dosing pumps are available:-

Diaphragm pumps using either an electromagnetic solenoid operator or motor. Diaphragm pumps
are capable of injecting into high pressures up to 20 bar depending on the motor driver used. If
allowed to pump dry they will lose their prime and will require manual repriming.

Peristaltic pumps use a system of rollers compressing a tube to create a flow. These have the
advantage that they do not require non return valves to operate and will readily self prime even if
run dry. The output pressure of peristaltic pumps is however limited by their design to 1.5 bar on
most models and 5 bar on high pressure units.

Use higher pressure diaphragm pumps (5 bar injection pressure on standard units with 10 bar option)
together with conductivity bleed-off control using electrodeless maintenance free probe.
Bleed lockout or bleed inhibit timer included as standard. Redox control on oxidising biocide units
using liquid or tablet bromine.
Supplied with a sample and injection manifold to simplify installation, can be installed remotely
from the cooling tower in the chiller plant room or pump room provided the injection pressure of
the dosing pumps is not exceeded.
Volt free contacts for BMS output for chemical low level and system fault as standard.
Twin inhibitor and biocide dosing equipment
The inhibitor and biocide dosing pumps are set to the required dosage ratio – normally biocide
dosage is 20% of inhibitor dosage.
The digital control timer is set up to run the dosing pumps for the desired duration on a daily or
weekly basis. This can readily be adjusted to suit system parameters and routine monitoring of
inhibitor levels.
 \\\

In an integrated global market, how can business be managed competitively and sustainably How
can energy costs be optimized to maximize profits, and at the same time minimize the impact of
business operations on the environment.

Everywhere, enterprises face this challenge of delivering high quality products and services while
ensuring margins and, as a corporate citizen, contributing to the efforts of protecting the air we
breathe and the water we drink.
CESTCHEM’s energy efficient and eco-friendly technologies offer reliable business-to-business
partnerships to respond to this critical challenge. They provide the competitive edge to your
enterprise to make its mark with superior offerings and community goodwill. Tuning to the needs of
the day, all our solutions are innovative, energy-efficient, environment-friendly and easy to operate.
Concentration Factor & Bleed-off Control

An evaporative cooling system works by transferring heat from the process being cooled to the
recirculating cooling water at a heat exchanger and then rejecting that heat at the cooling tower by
evaporating a small proportion of the water. Evaporating just 1.8% of the recirculating flow
achieves a temperature reduction of 100C. Since water is evaporated as pure H2O the dissolved
minerals (TDS) in the remaining cooling water become more concentrated. Some increase in the
concentration factor is often beneficial since it tends to makes the cooling water less corrosive but if
it this allowed to go unchecked it can lead to scale formation and fouling. It is therefore often
necessary to control the concentration factor by bleeding-off or blowing down a proportion of the
cooling water and replacing it with less concentrated make-up water. This is best done using a
conductivity controlled bleed-off system which automatically controls the concentration factor at
the desired conductivity.
Dosing and Control Equipment

The best cooling water treatment program in the world will be rendered ineffective if the
concentration factor and the concentration of inhibitors and biocides cannot be accurately controlled.
A dosing and control system should therefore incorporate:
 An automatic bleed-off control system (preferably conductivity controlled)
 Automatic inhibitor dosing (preferably water meter controlled based on the volume of
make-up water)
 Aautomatic biocide dosing (either timer controlled for non-oxidising biocides or preferably
redox controlled for oxidising biocides like bromine)
We design and build a comprehensive range of cooling water dosing and control systems so contact
us today.

Cooling Tower Controllers

CESTCHEM offers full range of products designed to maintain accurate water quality parameters
and automatically manage the plants to obtain maximum efficiency
Automatic Cooling Tower Chemical Dosing & Monitoring System are given below :

Description:
 WATER RECYCLE has come of age today and cooling systems are routinely operated at
their maximum possible recycle capacities.
 When taken to the extreme end, chemical dosing becomes critical, with any changes leading
to lower residuals.
 major issues of fouling, scale and corrosion related problems.
 Critical is chemical residual monitoring, which going short, aggravates all problems.
 The time between manual correction of chemical addition and upset time can seriously
affect the system.
 Introducing , a technology which can “read” the residual levels and automatically correct the
dosing of chemicals, measure corrosion rate,
 pH, TDS online and do the necessary corrections as per program. Particularly suited for
polymer dosing which otherwise cannot be analyzed in situ, leading to erratic doses.
 Regulation ensures correct dosing and residuals at all times, ensuring system cleanliness and
freedom from erratic residuals.

Features:
 Standard features include a PTSA Meter to read the chemical concentration
 Controls PO4 concentration
 Controls polymer feed on residuals
 Effective in controlling residuals where system losses are variable.
 pH / ORP / Conductivity measurements are a standard feature.
 record upset conditions.
 Data logging, report generation on a periodic basis on a programmable frequency with a dial
out connection in event of an alarm condition (modem required).
 Corrosion control helps in scale control by a multifunctional CESTCHEM product.
 ORP readings help optimize oxidant feed, reducing chlorine consumption and
 bettering corrosion rates.

Electrical:
 INPUT POWER: 100 – 120 / 220 – 240 VAC, FUSE 1.6A, 5 * 20 mm, 12 A 50/60 Hz. Data
logging requires modem.

The most important instrumentation control parameters in cooling tower water treatment are
Conductivity and pH. Additional water quality parameters that should be measured online or
sampled frequently include turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), free chlorine, and oxidation
reduction potential (ORP).

Parameters Important for Prevent

pH Microbiological Fouling
Corrosion
ORP Microbiological Fouling

Free Chlorine Microbiological Fouling

 Conductivity Deposition
Fouling

Monitoring Corrosion rate

Corrosion can be monitored using preweighed corrosion coupons. Coupon weight loss provides a
quantitative measure of the corrosion rate and the visual appearance of the coupon provides an
assessment of the type of corrosion and the amount of deposition in the system.
Corrosion coupons are installed in ASTM racks and exposed for 30 to 90 days. Since most cooling
systems are fabricated from steel, copper, brass, stainless steel and galvanized steel, determining
corrosion rates on these metals is most informative. Upon removal, the coupons are examined,
cleaned, and re-weighed. The weight loss is used to calculate the corrosion rate expressed in mils
per year.

Metal Very Good Good Fair Poor Very Poor

Mild Steel <1 1-3 3-5 5 -10  10
Mild Steel < 0.2 0.2 – 0.5 0.5 – 1.0 1.0 – 1.5  1.5
HX
Copper < 0.1 0.1 – 0.2 0.2 - 0.3 0.3 – 0.5  0.5
Galvanised <2 2-4 4-8 8 -10  10
 Steel
Stainless < 0.1  0.1
Steel

90-day Corrosion Coupon Evaluation, mils per year

Corrosion Coupon Racks

 Prepared coupons (weighed test strips) are exposed to the cooling water for a predetermined
period of time, after which they are visually inspected and re-weighed.
 Appearance of the test strips gives an insight of the conditions in the cooling system –
corrosive or mineral forming tendencies, tendency of mineral deposits formation,
micro-biological life-forms
 The rate of corrosion in MPY (Mils Per Year) can be calculated from the weight loss.

Monitoring Deposition
Deposition tendencies can be observed on corrosion coupons or heated apparatus, such as test heat
exchangers. A comparison of various mineral concentrations and suspended solids levels in the
makeup water to those in the blowdown may indicate the loss of some chemical species due to
deposition. This is known as a hardness balance. Theoretically, if the hardness in the makeup is not
removed by blowdown, it accumulates in the system as undesirable scale or sludge. Cooling
systems can be operated at higher cycles of concentration and/or higher pH when appropriate scale
inhibitors are applied.
Monitoring Biological Activity

Many techniques are available to monitor biological fouling. Those that monitor biological growth
on actual or simulated system surfaces provide a good measure of system conditions. Bulk water
counts of various species may be misleading.
In general, total anaerobic bacteria counts should be maintained at less than 10,000 colony forming
units (CFU) in the bulk cooling water. The microbiological counts obtained from surface swabs
should be less than 1,000,000 colony forming units (CFU). The sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB)
should be undetectable.

Biofilm Monitoring Equipment

CESTCHEM’s biofilm management systems use proven, world-class technology to continually
monitor a water system for the early stage signs of biofilm accumulation and growth. CESTCHEM’s
state-of-the-art early warning system allows operators to take a unique, proactive approach to the control of
biofilm in water systems to improve system safety, maintain compliance and reduce operating costs.

CESTCHEM’s innovative Biofilm Management System will automatically monitor, predict

and control biofilm in water systems for complete peace of mind.
We use proven, world-class technology to continually monitor a water system for the early stage
signs of biofilm accumulation and growth. This state-of-the-art early warning system allows
operators to take a unique, proactive approach to the control of biofilm in water systems to improve
system safety, maintain compliance and reduce operating costs.
Significant Benefits
 Monitor, predict and control the early stage formation of biofilm before it becomes a
problem.
 Greater confidence that your water systems are safe.
 Enhanced control of bacterial proliferation including Legionella and Pseudomonas.
 Automatic biocide dosing for precise control.
 Improved system risk profile.
 Enhanced regulatory compliance.
 Reduced operating costs.
 Ideal for commercial and industrial facilities including hospitals, hotels, airports,
universities, power stations etc.
How System Works

CESTCHEM’s Biofilm Management Systems have been developed to provide the on-line and
real-time indication and control of biofilm activity on typical water system surfaces.
Each system uses a state-of-the-art controller and a unique biofilm sensor to monitor, predict and
control biofilm in water systems. The biofilm sensor is a highly sensitive component which is
inserted into a water supply at the point where biofilm is most likely to accumulate. Alternatively,
the sensor can be housed in a flow cell.

The controller applies an electronic potential to the sensor which stimulates micro-organisms to
grow on the surface of the sensor itself, prior to growing on the surfaces of pipe-work, heat
exchangers and vessels. The biological activity within the biofilm on the sensor creates a
potentiometric difference which is then communicated to the controller for interpretation.
The controller collects and monitors the sensor signals continually. An increasing trend in the signal
gives an early warning of potentially dangerous biofilm activity in the water system. The controller
can then automatically take proactive remedial action by, for
example, increasing or decreasing biocide levels within the water system.

Legionella & Pseudomonas Risk Management

Engineered water systems including cooling systems and heating systems commonly found in
facilities such as hospitals, airports and hotels can be a breeding ground for Legionella and
Pseudomonas bacterium. Such bacterium often proliferates in the biofilm that adheres to the
surfaces of these water systems (pipe-work, heat exchangers, vessels etc.).
Biofilm Monitor allows operators of such water systems to monitor the development of biofilm and
control it by dosing the appropriate chemical treatments to reduce and disperse the biofilm before
reaching dangerous levels of proliferation.
Biofilms can also induce corrosion and reduce heat exchange efficiencies all of which can be
expensive if not controlled correctly.

Automatic Biocide Control

Measuring the planktonic bacterium in a body of water only tells half the story… in that there may
be little or no biological activity in the bulk water. This does not necessarily mean that biofilm is
not forming on the walls of pipes and vessels with the potential for development of harmful
bacterial colonies.
CESTCHEM’s Biofilm Management Systems come fully equipped with their own integrated
GSM/GPRS modem, which allows an operator, with the appropriate security level to receive SMS
text alerts or e-mails detailing the biological parameters of the treated water, in real time. This
allows the appropriate remedial action to be taken in a timely manner.

Remedial actions could be as simple as triggering an alarm for a manual intervention, or as complex
as automatically increasing biocide levels or shock dosing, all controlled by the system.
 Close control of biological activity.
 Carefully monitor treatment effectiveness.
 Optimise biocide application rates.
 Indication of a “clean” state.

Complete System Control

For complete water system control each system can also be equipped with additional sensors
including pH/ORP, temperature, conductivity, chlorine etc. for a fully integrated water treatment
control system that includes biofilm management.

Cooling Water Chemical Treatment Control Methods

Old Method (Traditional Chemical Controllers)

Most water treatment programs include a number of chemicals for treating corrosion, scale, fouling,
and microbiological problems. These chemicals are prescribed for each individual system, based
upon its unique characteristics. These chemicals must be fed within their recommended dosage
range for maximum effectiveness to be obtained. The concentrations of treatment chemicals in the
recirculation cooling water must be checked frequently and regularly. In this method, a cooling
tower controller that controls water conductivity, pH, ORP, chemical injection rate based on blow
down or make-up water rate, biocide injection on timer basis, with no software to relate all these
parameters together will have these drawbacks as stated by:
• Remote control, lagging in time;
• No logic control;
• Set points still rarely changed, once set;
• Added PLC integration;
• Still no stress control (scale-bio);
• Still no on-line performance monitoring;
• Some corrosion measurement with cupons.

New Method (Dynamic Automatic Chemical Treatment Controller)

To overcome the drawbacks of the old method a dynamic automatic chemical treatment controller
such as 3D TRASAR® was implemented. 3D TRASAR® products are part of an innovative water
treatment program that uses proven technology to prevent operational problems. 3D TRASAR
compensates for both routine and special causes of system variation. 3D TRASAR programs
provide a return on user’s investment through their unique control and diagnostic capabilities. 3D
TRASAR technology as described by is a combination of:
• Chemicals and proprietary tracers;
• Equipment;
• Diagnostics;
• Value-added service.

When properly applied, TRASAR can improve control, accuracy and system reliability, resulting in
significant operational savings, while providing valuable system information. The features of 3D
TRASAR are:
1) Unique new measuring and controlling device: All important parameters are measured,
controlled and logged.
2) New chemistry: The active component for preventing deposits and fouling is traced. Every
second it can be measured by the 3D TRASAR Controller. Also, new environmental friendly
corrosion protection is provided.
3) New software: New developed software to calculate the most optimal water treatment and
determine operating window.
The main concept of the TRASAR is that its chemistries contain uniquely fluorescing *molecules
that allows the patented 3D TRASAR on-line fluoro-meter by NALCO to detect exactly how much
chemical has been fed in order to determine residual which will result in accurate control of
chemical levels in the cooling system under investigation.
The 3D TRASAR on-line fluoro-meter consists of a “flow cell”, an LED light source, filters, and
detectors. The filters and detectors are turned to specific light frequencies unique to NALCO
products and resultant process reactions. To measure the chemical properties of the flowing water in
a reliable and repeatable method the LED light source is used which designed to have extremely
bright light at the appropriate frequencies.
The simple on/off control schemes and timers were used for typical cooling water controllers to
maintain pre-determined set points trying to avoid operational upsets. The pre-determined set points
are only suitable for one set of stress conditions because as system stresses change, scale can form,
bio-populations can multiply, and corrosion can occur without ever being detected. The 3D
TRASAR controller takes a revolutionary proactive approach to managing cooling system. Patented
state of the art technology is used to prevent scale formation, control bio-population levels and
continuously.
Monitoring corrosion rates through a unique integrated scheme which consist of :
• 3D TRASAR scale control
• 3D TRASAR bio-control
• NCM corrosion monitoring technology with the 3D TRASAR innovative technology
as shown in Figure 6 the chemical treatment control is moved from the traditional way to real time
control (leading in time action) using the TRASAR technology without any relation to the system
parameters like conductivity.
Closed Loop / Chilled Water Treatment

Many commercial building will have closed systems as useful ways of cooling for building service
applications. These closed systems contain water which changes very little, bleed and evaporation
tends to be minimal therefore the intention is that the water be retained for an indefinite period of
time.
Closed Loop / Chilled Water systems are mostly used for
 Comfort Cooling
 Process closed water loops
 Hot water in industrial process applications like cooling of gas engines, compressors, air washers
etc.
 Condenser cooling

The nature of closed loop systems is such that very little water is used as makeup and hence
corrosion and microfouling are the potential problems

Corrosion can be pitting, galvanic and/or crevice attack. Inhibitors typically used are nitrates,
molybdates for effective control

Microbiological fouling is due to iron reducing bacteria, nitrifying bacteria and pseudomonas slime
forming bacteria. These foulants reduce sysem efficiency and increase operating and maintenance
costs.

This water needs to be treated to prevent the build up of corrosion and foulant products, without
treatment heat transfer can be impeded reducing efficiency of the systems, blockages can happen
and control valves can become inoperable. Heating systems can become scaled up; chilled water
systems can become choked with Pseudomonas slime-forming bacteria. A poorly treated closed
circuit water system will be wasting your money long before it starts to leak.

CESTCHEM has extensive experience of protecting and treating close loop circuits.
CESTCHEM can provide you with an effective water treatment chemicals to inhibit such issues as
corrosion, scale and microbial issues ensuring long life, efficiency and safety. Our products all come
backed up by on site service visits with the benefit of expert advice and consulting.

CESTCHEM has following solution for Close loop system.

 Initial flushing and passivation.
 Regular treatment of Chilled Water circuits for HVAC application.
 On Line cleaning of HVAC close loop system.
 Hot water circuit treatment.

Cooling tower tons are approximately equal to 1.25 times the chiller tons
Closed System Chemicals
Closed circuits and closed loops that employ water as a primary medium are used extensively in
many commercial, manufacturing and industrial process activities.

To ensure that such closed circuit systems are well maintained and operate at optimum efficiency it
is essential that the correct water conditions are maintained at all times. This can be achieved using
carefully selected closed circuit water treatment chemicals.

CESTCHEM’s advanced technology closed loop and closed circuit treatment chemicals have been
scientifically formulated to deliver significant operational benefits and performance improvements
to closed loops and closed circuit systems including sea water cooling systems, closed chilled
systems, low pressure heating systems and other closed circuits that use water as a primary medium.

Our extensive range of high performance closed loop treatment chemicals include anti-foulants,
specific corrosion inhibitors, multi-functional scale and corrosion inhibitors, and anti-freeze and
de-icing products for frost protection applications..

To ensure that such closed circuit systems are well maintained and operate at optimum efficiency it
is essential that the correct water conditions are maintained at all times. This can be achieved using
carefully selected scale and corrosion inhibitors designed specifically for such closed systems.

CESTCHEM’s advanced technology closed circuit scale and corrosion inhibitors have been
scientifically formulated to protect closed loop systems including closed chilled water and low
pressure heating systems from the effects of both scale formation and metallic corrosion in a single
product.

Our closed circuit scale and corrosion inhibitors deliver improved performance, helping to reduce
maintenance costs, improve reliability and optimise operational efficiency.

CESTCHEM 3330 is a high performance nitrite and organic corrosion inhibitor developed for use
in the treatment and protection of closed loop systems that do not contain aluminium.
NOTE: Do NOT use in systems containing aluminium.

Product Benefits
 High performance corrosion inhibitor for closed loop systems
 Nitrite / organic formulation
  Convenient liquid product

Application & Dosage Information

Target dosage range for CESTCHEM 3330 is 500 – 1,000 ppm as NaNO2 in the closed loop system.

Dosage Strategy
CESTCHEM 3330 should be fed neat using a chemical metering pump or via a bypass pot feeder to
a system location where it can be uniformly distributed.
Avoid thorough mixing or prolonged contact with air.
Performance Monitoring
Appropriate use of CESTCHEM 3330 following the above dosing strategy should result in a
corrosion rate of less than 1 mpy.

Test Methods
 Nitrite Drop test
 Nitrite Colour Disc

Material of Compatibility
Material Comments
SS : Recommended
MS : Recommended
PE : Recommended
PP : Recommended
PVC : Not recommended
Teflon : Acceptable

Chemical Dosing Pots

CESTCHEM’s range of high quality chemical dosing pots are manufactured to the highest
quality standards.

Each dosing pot incorporates an inlet, outlet and air purge valve making them ideal for a
range of dosing applications. Maximum operating pressure for dosing pots is between 10 – 14 bar.

Dosing pots are required in order to feed liquid chemicals such as corrosion inhibitors into closed
systems.

The dosing pots consist of a mild steel vessel with inlet (return) and outlet (flow) valves, a drain
valve and a filling valve. A stainless steel tundish, air release valve, wall mounting brackets and a
non-return valve. Dosing Pots are supplied complete with all valves
Closed re-circulating water systems (chilled or hot water can be simply dosed on a regular / manual
basis by use of these dosing pots. Fitted across flow and return lines, they provide a means to
annex a portion of the system water which can be drained away and replaced with the chemical to
be dosed. When reconnected to the system, the chemical is flushed through.

The dosing pots are fitted with large 1” valves, which ensure quick and easy action of the pot even
in low flow/pressure conditions. An air vent valve enables the pot to be purged during filling thus
eliminating undesirable air ingress to the system. A NRV check valve is fitted into the fill line
below the tundish

Cooling Tower Operations Checklist

Optimal cooling tower operations can most successfully be achieved if the following steps are
followed:

1. Determine makeup water quality – Obtain from your municipality or work with your water
treatment vendor to determine makeup water quality. This will enable the establishment of
target Cycles of Concentration (COC).

2. Establish target Cycles of Concentration (COC) – Based on makeup water quality, set a
practical COC goal using the Target Cycles of Concentration.

3. Monitor COC and water performance frequently – Keeping the system running at peak
COCs while staying within water performance levels will maximize efficiency and protect
equipment.

4. Automate where possible - Utilize automated monitoring and alarms when available and cost
effective. Implement direct chemical feeds at the makeup distribution. Enable BMS logging.

5. Protect the equipment – Adhere to all regular maintenance schedules. Utilize coupon racks,
Eddy Current testing and other methods to ensure no corrosion, scale buildup or bio-fouling is
occurring.
6. Engage your vendor – Work with your water treatment vendor to ensure the system is being
maintained within all control limits and each step above is being performed.

Efficient Use of Cooling Tower Water

Cooling towers are an important part of an efficient commercial AC system, but they use a lot of
water. Here are a few ways to minimize your water use.

Meter your Cooling Tower – Proactively identify system issues by metering water consumption.
Increased consumption often indicates system issues. NOTE: Metering is also necessary if you want
to save money by applying for an “evaporative credit,” offered by many utilities. You may already
have metering in place through your chemical provider. Ask your cooling tower chemical provider
if they already have meters, and if so, how you can obtain data from them.

Avoid Leaks and Over Fill – Cooling towers refill with fresh water when a float valve indicates that
the water level is low. When that valve breaks, the system refills constantly. Check your meters
regularly (manually, or through remote water management) to catch this quickly.

Find the Right Water Treatment Partner – The right partner will balance system operation with
water efficiency through chemicals or increasing cycles of concentration. Since many vendors are
paid based on the amount of chemicals they sell, you should select vendors based on “cost to treat
1,000 gallons of make-up water” and “highest recommended system water cycle of concentration.”
Treatment programs should include routine checks of cooling system chemistry accompanied by
regular service reports that provide insight into the system’s performance.

Maximize the Cycles of Concentration – Different systems can tolerate different cycles of
concentration. Work with your cooling tower water professional (who provides chemicals for your
cooling tower water) to see if your system could tolerate higher cycles of concentration without
clogging or damage. Sometimes the use of different chemicals, including acid treatments, can allow
for higher cycles of concentration.

Consider Retrofits that Allow for Higher Cycles of Concentration – Filtering your water, protecting
it from sunlight and dust can all make your system more efficient. The Office of Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy offers a good list of retrofit options on their website.
Use Recycled Water – Some properties have good options to use condensate water or other
relatively pure water sources other than potable city water. Water quality and the minerals present in
any water source should be considered before integrating with your system. The San Diego County
Water Authority has put together a good guide on using recycled water in cooling towers.

Optimizing your cooling tower pays real dividends. It also extends the life of your equipment. To
minimize your water costs:

 Meter to proactively identify issues causing water loss

 Meter to claim evaporative credits
 Avoid overfill spills by monitoring and maintaining your float valve
 Find a good chemical treatment partner
 Maximize cycles of concentration
 Explore retrofits that allow higher cycles of concentration
 Use recycled water
 COOLING TOWER CLEANING, PASSIVATION and
DISINFECTION.
For HVAC applications Initial flushing, cleaning and passivation of the chilled water circuits is a
very important activity to maintain long term health of the system. Most large chilled water HVAC
systems can never be stopped once operational. Careful initial flushing and passivation can protect
the system for a long time and can give trouble free services.

There are two ways to clean a cooling tower/chiller. The first being a mechanical cleaning and the
second being a chemical cleaning. At times, you may have to encompass both methods in order to
accomplish the task at hand

Chemical cleanings involve three distinct separate procedures.

One being the use of a dispersant to loosen biomasses and get into difficult areas.
The second being the use of acid for severe scaling.
The third is a disinfection for bacteria and Legionella prevention and elimination.

You have to determine which method is best suited for your situation. You may have to use a
combination of the three in some cases.

Consult your water treatment specialist if you have any questions.

New Cooling Tower Cleaning and Pretreatment Chemicals.

 Initial Conditioning of Equipment

A) Before Operation (New Systems)

New systems should always be cleaned and passivated before start-up and before any final
adjustments to system controls are made. New piping may contain mill scale, flash rusting from
exposure to the elements, oils, or other contaminants that should be removed before operation.

Cooling towers require a somewhat different cleaning procedure. Stainless

steel cooling towers require thorough flushing to remove surface deposits
and debris, since the presence of any deposits will interfere with the re-
plenishment of the protective oxide layer and allow pitting to occur. New
galvanized steel towers are subject to a form of corrosion known as “white
rust” under alkaline conditions, and need pre-conditioning to prevent this
attack. White rust is a form of zinc oxide, which is white in color, and can
lead to the failure of the tower within a very short time frame if not con-
trolled. The Cooling Technology Institute (CTI) recommends operation of
new towers with a pH of 7.0-8.0 and an alkalinity of 100-300 mg/L for the
first 45 to 60 days of operation to allow time for a resilient passive oxide
layer to develop on the surface.

Since this is impossible with many water supplies, an alternative has been
developed. Circulation of a neutral-pH blend of ortho-phosphate, a surfac-
tant, and a dispersant for a prescribed amount of time can allow formation
 ERDC/CERL TR-07-41 21

of the passive oxide layer within a few days. The exact formulation, circula-
tion time, and dosage will vary according to makeup water quality, materi-
als of construction, and equipment design. The chemical vendor should be
responsible for determining this information and certifying the proper
procedure is followed.

Again, when selecting the proper cleaning method and formulation for any
system, it is important to ascertain all of the materials of construction,
types of equipment, and local sanitary system discharge rules and limita-
tions. It is the responsibility of the vendor/contractor that provides this
service to certify that the proper procedure is followed and all local, state,
and Federal ordinances are complied with during the procedure. However,
since the system owner/operator will need to operate and maintain the
system in question, it is important to monitor this process and confirm
that the approved specifications are followed.

B) After Storage or Lay-up (Return to Service)

Systems returned to service may require some cleaning, especially cooling towers, which
will accumulate silt and organic material during seasonal lay-ups. Towers should be
cleaned and inspected before being returned to service. Towers also require disinfection
with chlorine after flushing and before applying corrosion inhibitor/passivator blend.

New cooling systems require care at startup to assure proper cleaning and passivation is
implemented. Additionally, systems that have been laid up or drained also require care during
startup. Systems not properly cleaned and passivate at start-up may develop:
 Rapid corrosion of the new galvanized cooling towers referred to as
WHITE RUST
 Deposition of dirt and debris found in the piping systems.
 Microbiological control issues.
 Fouling by oils and greases from unclean piping systems.

The problems associated with the rapid corrosion of galvanized cooling towers have become an
increasing issue in recent years with the advancement of alkaline and/or low phosphate based
treatment programs.

To assure all of these problems are minimized at startup and beyond, certain pre-cleaning and
passivation measures should be utilized prior to introducing a load to the cooling system.

a) Pre-Treatment Program

Prior to start-up of a Cooling Tower, it is strongly recommended that the equipment be pre-treated
in order to maximize the useful life of the system. Pre-treatment should include the following
 ERDC/CERL TR-07-41 22
components:

*Pre-cleaning

Pre-cleaning is necessary to remove dirt, debris, and residual manufacturing materials and/or scrap
and ensure that the Pre-film and/or corrosion inhibitors will adhere sufficiently to the equipment. If
the system is not pre cleaned, there will likely be an increase in the amount of corrosion during
initial start-up. This will in-turn result in higher energy costs due to reduced heat transfer. Over time
there will be higher maintenance costs and ultimately equipment failure.

Chemical pre-cleaning activities generally consist of removal of

 Extraneous matter
 Dirt, dust, grease, oil
 Welding slag
 Loose rust and oxide scales
 Other debris that can form deposits within the system and interfere with operating
equipment’s. In addition to this, deposits also promote microbial growth and interfere with
corrosion control measures.

*Passivation Treatment

After metal oxide layers are removed during cleaning, the equipment is prone to corrosion. Hence
passivating chemicals are administered in the system to promote rapid formation of protective
corrosion inhibitor film on the cleaned metal surfaces.

Key reasons for passivation

 Effective passivation is imperative for optimum corrosion inhibition.
 Regular chemical treatment will function well only in the system where the initial
passivation is correctly done

In some systems, it may be impossible to isolate the equipment to be cleaned and the chemical will
need to be recirculated throughout the entire system including the tower and the tower basin. Under
these circumstances, extreme care must be taken as most newer tower systems are fabricated with
galvanized metal.

Passivation which helps passivate zinc coating for galvanised system

To maintain 400-450 ppm PO4 w/100 ppm Calcium hardness (as CaCO3) for 45 – 60 days. Where
pH Balance 6.5 to 8.0, 100 to 300 PPM of hardness must be maintained.

Optimal cleaning and passivation is combined with the following to ensure optimum efficacy
 Use of heat for better cleaning/passivation
 Flushing activities
 Continuous monitoring of influent/effluent water parameters
 Formation of loops for closed/open circulation

To provide a comprehensive solution for our clients’ cleaning needs CESTCHEM believes in 3P -
People, Products and Processes

People
 ERDC/CERL TR-07-41 23
 Well trained & technically qualified staff to execute industrial cleaning jobs for process side,
cooling water and boiler water systems
 Experienced chemists, analytical instruments and reagents required for analysis during the
activity.

Products
 Chemistries to keep surfaces clean and protected for asset protection and less system
downtime.
 Full range of products for pre-cleaning and passivation of process & water system.

Processes
 Cost-effective, efficient and safe Chemical cleaning methods which are custom designed
solutions for your specific system needs
The following is a step-by-step procedure to the cleaning of a new system after initial mechanical
cleaning to remove all trash and debris:

 Where possible, heat the water in the system to 55 - 80℃. Heating speeds the reaction and
reduces the time and/or the concentration of the cleaning solution required to clean the
system.
 Add CESTCHEM 3XXX at the rate of 0.5-1.0% (i.e. 0.5-1.0 lts. /100 lts water contained in
the system).
 If the system water is heated to the recommended temperature, cleaning should be
completed in 12-24 hours. Where heating is not possible, the solution can be safely
circulated in the system for several days.
 After the circulating time has been reached, the system should be drained and flushed with
clean, clear water until the flushing remains clear.
 Immediately after completion of the cleaning of the new system, a pasivation program
should be implemented. To achieve this passivation, we recommend the use of
CESTCHEM 3XXX. It is normally shot fed to the system based on ??? ppm against system
volume into the sump of the tower and then recirculating the water for 12 to 24 hours with
no bleed-off and no load. This should develop a phosphate level of approximately 400 ppm
in the system. After the designated time period, the blowdown is opened while continuing
to circulate without load. When the phosphate residual in the system is reduced to < 15 ppm,
the regular treatment can be initiated and the system started up for normal operation. Cycles
should be limited to assure pH less than 8.5 for 30 days. If the system is drained or subjected
to acidic conditions, pretreatment should be repeated.
 If a tower has not been used, is in a stagnant state or is highly fouled and needs cleaning, a
bacteria test must be performed first to determine bacteria levels. If bacteria levels exceed of
ten to the fifth levels, the tower must be disinfected.
 If initial sanitization of the tower is required, a 10.0 ppm free halogen (as Cl2) residual can
be maintained in the system for up to 24 hours. However, passivation or re-passivation
with CESTCHEM 3XXX should be performed after the sanitization phase is completed.
 Tower must be retested for bacteria conditions prior to discharge of chemicals and the
mechanical process can begin.
 The system should not be put under load until the cleaning, sanitization (if required), and
passivation are complete.
ERDC/CERL TR-07-41 24

Products Functions
Cestchem 3XXX is specifically designed for cleaning and
preparation of new cooling water systems prior to
commissioning. The product contains a powerful mixture of
surfactants, builders, and chelating agents. This product is an
excellent startup cleaner for cooling towers.
Galvanizing Tower
Cleaners Cestchem 3XXX is a cleaning product for cooling systems with
galvanized cooling towers where the tower cannot be by-passed
during start-ups.

Cestchem 3XXX is the product of choice for “on line” and new
Cestchem 3XXX installation clean up jobs. Properly applied and controlled, it
will solubilize and disperse oil, grease, mill scale, rust, mud and
On-Line/Off Line Cleaning organics that foul new and old piping systems. Cestchem
3XXX is a non-corrosive product that will passivate and protect
system metals from corrosion. In old and heavily fouled
systems, deposits are not removed so rapidly that plugging
occurs. In these systems clean up time can range from weeks
for closed systems to several months for heavily scaled cooling
towers.
Cestchem 3XXX is a special blend of sulfamic acid with a
highly effective inhibitor designed for the cleaning and
maintenance of water systems. The product is particularly
effective at removing iron and precipitated hardness deposits
and is recommended for use where worker safety considerations
are of prime importance.-

cooling tower Infill Cestchem 3XXX is a high performance cooling tower foaming
cleaning chemical cleaner component that is scientifically formulated for the
in-situ cleaning of cooling tower pack components. It works to
create a highly effective, stabilised wet foam that penetrates
deep into the tower packing cleaning, descaling and disinfecting
as it progresses through the tower. The foam is mildly acidic so
as to remove inorganic scales.
is a unique neutral pH cleaner. It is specifically designed to
effectively dissolve iron oxide deposits from multi-metal
closed water systems, while at the same time protect the base
metal from corrosion. It should be used only in closed systems
that have no significant areas open to the atmosphere.
Environmentally friendly.
 ERDC/CERL TR-07-41 25

5.1 Seasonal Lay-up or Storage

Heating and cooling system equipment is often taken out of service for ex- tended periods, either due to a
scheduled seasonal lay-up, or because the equipment capacity is not needed at that time. Systems can be stored
wet (with appropriate corrosion inhibitors), or dry. The storage option selected for any particular application will
be selected based on the individual op- erating requirements.

5.1.1 Open Cooling System Storage

Cooling towers are often drained to prevent freezing during the heating
season in the cooler regions of the country where comfort cooling is not a
year-round requirement. Before taking a cooling system off-line for stor-
age, it is important to clean and flush the system to reduce the potential
for corrosion. Water, with appropriate corrosion inhibitors and microbio-
cides, may be retained in equipment such as piping and chillers that can be
isolated from the cooling tower. When systems are stored wet, the circulat-
ing pumps should be operated periodically to replenish inhibitor and bio-
cide concentrations and prevent particulate matter from settling and pro-
moting under-deposit pitting. Systems that can be properly sealed in this
way may employ VCI compounds, much like a boiler.

5.1.2 Closed System Storage

Closed systems are normally stored wet, although in areas that experience
freezing chilled water heat exchange coils in air-handling units and associ-
ated parts of the system may be drained. It has been a common practice to
fill coils with glycol and then drain them to prevent water from accumulat-
ing in the coils and freezing. This should never be done unless a commit-
ment is made to flush the coils thoroughly with water before returning to
service. The dilute glycol makes an ideal food source for bacteria, and will
make biological control problematic if introduced to the chilled water sys-
tem.
 ERDC/CERL TR-07-41 26

When closed heating and cooling systems are stored wet, corrosion inhibi- tors and biocides should be applied and
tests should be done regularly to ensure adequate concentrations are maintained. The circulating pumps should
operated periodically to replenish corrosion inhibitor and biocides in areas where they may have been depleted.

Old Cooling System Cleaning

BACKGROUND

This procedure is generally written for the cleaning open, recirculating cooling water systems
requiring acid cleaning due to scale formation on heat exchanger/condenser tubes and/or generally
throughout the system.

PREPARATION FOR CLEANING

Prior to any cleaning operation, if at all possible, a sample of the deposit causing the loss of heat
transfer should be obtained for analysis. We will determine the type and amount of acid that is needed to
descale the tower. The deposit could be other than typical scale and other methods of cleaning might
be more appropriate. In more severe cases, both alkaline and acid base cleaning could be
required. In general, for scales comprised primarily of iron oxides, CESTCHEM 7XXX is
used. For scales comprised primarily of carbonate based materials, CESTCHEM 7933 DS is used.

Consult with your water treatment rep. if you have a tower cleaning scheduled. This will give him
sufficient time to order the necessary chemicals and materials based upon his review. We want to
make your job easier and insure your safety.

ON-STREAM CLEANING PROCEDURE

An on-stream acid clean-up is one that is basically done “on-the-fly” while the system continues to
operate. This type of cleaning will generally work to restore a portion of the heat transfer lost due to
deposit and will allow continued operation until a more thorough cleaning can be done. This
procedure will normally take from six hours to a couple of days depending on how well the deposit
responds to the lower pH required for scale removal. Monitoring heat transfer (or in HVAC, head
pressures) and turbidity will indicate the scale removal progress made during cleaning.

If a tower is heavily scaled, and an acid cleaning is determined to be the most effective way of
reducing or removing the scale, your water treatment specialist must be contacted.
Your water treatment rep. will analyze the scale and determine the most effective acid to use to
dissolved the scale. Once the correct acid is determined, the acid will be added via a special
chemical tank and recirculating pump. To accomplish the cleaning, the pH of the tower recirculating
water is reduced to a pH of 4 - 5 while the system is operating. The inhibitor levels in the system
should be increased to 3 to 4 times normal to minimize corrosion in the system. Once the acid has
exhausted itself (determined by a pH test and physical inspection), it is neutralized and then dumped.
If a second application is needed, the water treatment rep. will reapply the solution with new acid
and recirculate it for several more hours. Once the water treatment rep. determines that the scale has
been dissolved, or loosened off where it can be mechanically removed, he will neutralize the
solution, retest, and drain the tower.
 ERDC/CERL TR-07-41 27

The neutralization process involves a blend of caustic chemicals to insure that the tower solution
has a pH of 7.0 to 7.4. before discharge. This is a time consuming process and requires a great deal
of work to insure the safety of the service reps. Time and materials plus labor are charged for this
process.

When it is determined the amount of heat transfer required is satisfactorily restored, then the system
should be blown down heavily to raise the pH back to a more normal alkaline level and the inhibitor
level should be maintained at 3 to 4 times normal for 24 to 48 hours to rapidly passivate the system.

Safety is primary at all times. Be sure the service rep. is completely dressed and covered before
entering the tower.

If the system is foul with organic biofoulant, The use of a biodispersant alone will help remove dirt and
loosen bio masses for easy removal. This is the most favorable safest, and easiest type of chemical cleaning.
Biopenetrant (Cestchem 3418) give result fast, where customer can see algae dead, slime kill and
drop of. Heat exchanger efficiency improve the next day.

OUT-OF-SERVICE CLEANING

In more severely fouled systems, cleaning when the system is not in service will be required. For
this, there are a number of options available. Probably the best option is to isolate the effected heat
exchanger(s) and piping and then recirculate the appropriate cleaning acid through that portion of
the system.

Typically, is used at a 5% to 10% concentration. This mixture will rapidly remove calcium
carbonate scale as well as iron and other calcium based deposits. The acid is recirculated for 3 to 6
hours or until the pH stabilizes and it is apparent that the cleaning is either completed or has
progressed as far as possible with the solution in the system.

In some systems, it may be impossible to isolate the equipment to be cleaned and the acid will need
to be recirculated throughout the entire system including the tower and the tower basin. Under these
circumstances, extreme care must be taken as most newer tower systems are fabricated with
galvanized metal. Iinhibited Sulfamic Acid are the products of choice when it is necessary to do this
type of cleaning. The usually recommended solution strength is 3% to 6% based on the entire water
content of the system. This acid solution is then recirculated for 4 to 8 hours or until the pH
stabilizes and it is apparent that the cleaning is either completed or has progressed as far as possible
with the solution in the system.

ACID NEUTRALIZATION

After cleaning, the systems should be drained and flushed. Then the system should be refilled and
recirculated and an alkaline material should be added to raise the pH to over 8. Soda ash is probably
the best and least expensive of the materials which may be used. When the pH is stabilized above 8,
the normal treatment may be added at 3-4 times the normal recommended dosage or even better, a
CESTCHEM 3XXX, specially formulated pretreatment chemical may be used.
 ERDC/CERL TR-07-41 28

The spent acid in the system may need to be neutralized prior to discharge. However, do not
neutralize it in the system as this will cause the contaminants removed to be precipitated out of
solution which could cause severe problems in the cleaned system.

MECHANICAL CLEANING
Cooling towers provide an ideal environment for the growth and incubation of many organisms,
including the Legionella bacteria.Although a consistent biocide program can reduce the risks, it is
best practice to clean a cooling tower at least twice a year.

According to The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA)
Technical Manual, all cooling towers should be thoroughly disinfected at a minimum of twice
per year.
“Cooling towers should be cleaned and disinfected at least twice a year. Normally this maintenance
will be performed before initial start-up at the beginning of the cooling season and after shutdown
in the fall.”
– the OSHA Technical Manual – Section III: Chapter 7
 ERDC/CERL TR-07-41 29

Physical cleaning in designed to remove all algae, slight scale, dirt, mud, and collected debris. The purpose is
annual cleanings and removal of dirt to regain cooling performance. At times it is strictly cosmetic.

Cooling Tower Fan Housing Cleaning and Maintenance

The fan housing should be carefully scrubbed and disinfected. This is a common problem area;
chemical treatment cannot always prevent bacteria from getting a strong hold in these areas. Vapors
from the air cause condensation to form and biological growth can be difficult to remove with
traditional on-line treatment programs. Your Tower Hygiene Team will clean and disinfect this area
in an effort to prevent the spread of airborne pathogens and minimize the risk of corrosion.

Cooling Tower Basin Cleaning and Maintenance

Tower basins should be cleaned and disinfected as well. These large volume areas are extremely
critical as they see a large amount of the cooling water. This area pools and allows bacteria to grow.
This water is also tempered, oxygen rich and provides a great breeding ground for biological
activity. Cleaning, disinfecting and adding the proper chemicals to the end or start up of your
cooling season can only enhance your overall water treatment program.

Cooling Tower Distribution Pan Cleaning and Maintenance

These areas can sometimes become clogged with debris that is not removed from the system
through normal filtration. All distribution pans should be opened and cleaned providing increased
water flow. Reduction in flow from clogged distributors can reduce the tower ability to cool water
tremendously. Left untreated, this can cause major increases in energy usage.

Get Your Cooling Tower Under Control!

Pipeline Preservation
 ERDC/CERL TR-07-41 30

The construction and commision of industrial projects is completed phase wise. Hence,
manufacturing units and pipelines are kept ready for commissioning before connection to the circuit
or system.

Hydrotesting of these assets such as boilers and pipelines is carried out before commissioning to
ensure that there are no leakages in the system and water from rivers, irrigation canals and wells is
used as available.
On several occasions, water is retained in these assets for longer durations for preservation since
slow drying of these assets after hydrotesting will initiate the process of corrosion and possibilities
of water entrapment in pockets.
During the processes of hydro testing and preservation with water, assets begin to corrode. The
corrosion is both Electro-chemical as well as Microbiologically Induced Corrosion. In addition,
deposition of suspended particles present in the water used also occurs due to stagnancy.
Consequently, severe damage to these assets such pipelines takes place even before they are put to
productive use.

CESTCHEM offers tailor made products to mitigate corrosion in assets under preservation or
during hydro testing. Our product line includes
 Corrosion Inhibitor
 Oxygen Scavenger
 Dispersant
 Biocide
Our advanced product range offers multiple advantages
 Ease in handling and dosage
 Bio degradable and environment friendly
ERDC/CERL TR-07-41 31

6 Selecting and Specifying a

Chemical Treatment Program
A variety of chemical treatment programs are currently available for heat-
ing and cooling systems. The best selection for any specific location will
vary depending on water quality, equipment operating parameters, mate-
rials of construction, and environmental constraints. Additionally, new
treatments are constantly being developed, particularly in the area of
green chemistry alternatives. However, there are criteria for an effective
chemical treatment program that are common to all locations.
A general guideline for the critical components, requirements, and per-
formance specifications that should be addressed by any consultant, con-
tractor, or chemical vendor that supplies chemical treatment to a U.S.
Army facility follows:
ERDC/CERL TR-07-41 32
 The contractor should conduct a complete inspection of the facility, de-
veloping an inventory of equipment (including size, design, materials of
construction, and operating parameters) and systems that require treatment.
While viewing schematics and diagrams may prove helpful in this process, it
cannot replace the requirement of a physical, on-site inspection of the
facility. Operating information that should be gath- ered includes, but is not
limited to, water and fuel usage, steam pro- duction, chemical usage, and
auxiliary equipment.
 The contractor should collect water and deposit samples from thesys-
tems to be treated to identify any existing problems that need to be ad-
dressed with the chemical treatment program, and to establish a
benchmark for future analysis. Existing problems that are identified
should be specifically addressed in the treatment plan. Many supplies
have variable water quality in the cold distribution. Past records, par-
ticularly of makeup water quality, should be investigated to determine
any recent changes in water quality and associated system perform-
ance. The contractor should investigate and identify any local ordi-
nances or environmental regulations that may constrain which chemi-
cal treatment will be employed.
 Once adequate background information has been accumulated, the
contractor should meet with facility personnel and establish goals and
milestones that the treatment programs will achieve. This may include
specifics issues such as acceptable corrosion rates and bacterial counts,
maintaining heat exchanger rates, or goals for water and fuel savings.
ERDC/CERL TR-07-41 33

 The contractor should then be prepared to submit a detailed chemical

treatment and maintenance program that specifically addresses how the
established goals will be accomplished. The following issues should all be
addressed:
o Identify water treatment equipment needs and specify as needed.
o Identify pretreatment equipment needs for boilers when appropri- ate.
o Specify chemical formulation to be used for each system, identifying
which components are for corrosion control, scale control, and/or
fouling.
o Specify microbiocides for chilled water and cooling water systems.
o Specify maintenance and treatment procedures for control of Le-
gionella and other problem microbes.
o Specify proper chemical feed application points.
o Specify what control tests are required for each system, and with
what frequency they should be done.
o Provide Control Charts for each system showing acceptable ranges for
required control tests, and detailing what actions should be taken when
tests results fall outside the recommended range.
o Review existing maintenance procedures and recommend changes
where appropriate and required to facilitate the success of the treatment
program. This should include detailed recommendations for start-up and
lay-up of all systems. The contractor should also provide a daily log sheet
for operators to record the results of any control tests, water and fuel
usage, chemical usage, and other ap- propriate operating information
such as temperature and pressure. This information is critical in
diagnosing any problems that may develop.
 The contractor should conduct on-site training during the initial visit,
explaining the chemical treatment program in use, demonstrating the
required control tests, and discussing and recommending changes to
existing maintenance procedures. The contractor should also inspect
all associated mechanical pretreatment equipment (such as ion ex-
change units, reverse osmosis units, and deaerators) and confirm that
maintenance personnel are properly trained in the operation and
maintenance of that equipment. If they are not, appropriate training
should be provided. This should be reinforced during subsequent site
visits on a regular basis. The goals and format of this training should
be clearly detailed, including a means for evaluating its relative effec-
tiveness.
ERDC/CERL TR-07-41 34

 The frequency and scope of site visits should be specified in the

con- tractor’s bid submission, based on the requirements
established by the facility. Site visits should include testing of all
systems being treated, and a written report should be submitted
to responsible facility per- sonnel. This report should: provide an
evaluation of treatment and op- erator performance, identify
problems, and recommend corrective ac- tions. Water and deposit
samples may be collected by the contactor or submitted by the
facility for more detailed analysis when needed. Suf- ficient
laboratory samples will be analyzed to confirm accuracy of field
tests and identify any trends in changing system water quality that
could indicate developing corrosion, scaling, or microbrial
problems. Provision for this service should be included in the terms
of the con- tract. Selected systems will require the installation of
corrosion coupon loops to evaluate the level of corrosion inhibition
being achieved. The chemical treatment contractor should be
responsible for the installa- tion of a corrosion coupon loop with
appropriate coupons. Installation, removal, and evaluation of the
corrosion coupons may be detailed to the contractor or handled by
the facility, depending on the facility’s preference. Provisions for
emergency site visits should be specifically addressed as well.
 All chemicals and testing reagents should be accompanied by Material
Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), and chemical drums or
containers should be stored in an area with an appropriate
spill containment system. The contractor should assist in the
development of a chemical safety plan that contains MSDS
information, emergency contact and notification information
in the event of a spill or accident, appropriate first aid in-
formation, etc. Any safety equipment and precautions
required for the handling of chemicals used should be
identified as well.
 Provisions for routine communication between site visits should be
identified. This may include weekly submission of operator
logs by mail or email, submission of water samples from
ERDC/CERL TR-07-41 35

problem systems, consultation by phone or email, etc. The

responsible individuals and contact information for both the
contractor and the facility should be clearly identified and
agreed on to ensure effective communication.

7 Evaluating the Chemical

Treatment Program
The chemical treatment program should be evaluated regularly,
at least on a semi-annual basis. Failure to provide adequate
service or to achieve the stated goals should be grounds for the
early termination of the contract, at the discretion of the facility.
Questions and concerns in the following areas should all be
considered when evaluating the success of a chemical treat- ment
program.

7.1 System Operating Efficiency

An effective chemical treatment program not only maintains

existing effi- ciencies, but can result in significant savings in
water, fuel and power us- age. Relevant questions include:

 Were identified goals in this area met?

 Did the systems or equipment experience more or less
downtime for maintenance?
 Did fouling or deposits reduce the rates for critical heat exchanger ap-
plication like chillers?
 Were tests for bacterial counts and Legionella acceptable?

7.2 Corrosion Rates

 Were established corrosion rate goals met?

 Were corrosion coupons installed and evaluated according to
guide- lines established by a recognized technical or professional
society such as the American Society for Testing and Materials
ERDC/CERL TR-07-41 36

(ASTM) or the Na- tional Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE)

International?

7.3 “Consumer” Complaints

 Did the facility see a difference in the level and nature of

building oc- cupant complaints related to heating and cooling
systems?

7.4 Communication/Responsiveness
How effective was the chemical treatment provider in communicating with the
responsible facility representatives and maintenance personnel?

 Was the treatment provider responsive to requests from

facility per- sonnel in a reasonable time frame?
 Did they follow up on verbal recommendations and observations with
written recommendations and procedures for correcting the
problem?

7.5 Proactive Program Review

Chemical treatment programs should be reviewed and

re-evaluated by the contractor and facility representatives on an
ongoing basis to ensure opti- mal performance.

8 Conclusion

Manufacturers continue to develop new treatment chemicals for

reducing corrosion, scale, and microbiological growth in heating
and cooling sys- tems, and automated systems to aid in their
implementation. The devel- opmental trend is toward formulas
that ensure cleaner systems that pose fewer health and
environmental risks, and harbor fewer biological hazards such as
Legionnaire’s disease. Such automated treatment systems offer
convenient and effective ways to maintain a balanced treatment
ERDC/CERL TR-07-41 37

program, but still need to be supplemented with periodic testing

to confirm per- formance, and with frequent monitoring until it
is established that per- formance parameters are being met.

This work reviewed current state-of-the-art treatment schemes and tech- nologies, and summarized
general guidelines for developing chemical treatment programs in heating and cooling systems. No
single treatment program is suited to all Army heating and cooling systems, as water qual- ity,
equipment operating parameters, and environmental constraints vary widely. Still, implementing these
general guidelines summarized here at Army heating and cooling plants will improve control
corrosion, scale, and microbiological growth in heating and cooling systems, enabling the equipment
to work with fewer breakdowns, greater energy efficiency, and a longer overall service life.