Operational Parameters for use in a Cooling System
A. Enhancement to Existing Water Treatment
Program
The ED 2000 system is designed to enhance the current water treatment program. Chemical water treatment programs are people dependent and require regular monitoring to maintain a proper balance of treatment chemicals to changing water quality.
Changes in operators or water quality may result in increased fouling and subsequently increased energy expenses. The ED 2000 system can take the guesswork out of the equation by precipitating any excess mineral ions that may not be treated through conventional chemical treatment. Normally these mineral ions would collect on the condenser tubes as soft scale. As insignificant as this may seem, this soft scale will increase energy requirements by 10-30%.
Treated by the ED 2000 system, this soft scale does not collect on the condenser tubes. Rather, it will now settle at the lowest point in the cooling system and should be removed periodically. It is not required to modify the manner of blowdowns as the amount of fouling precipitated and settling is minimal and can be cleaned out of the sump (or lowest point in the system) annually.
Cooling systems operating a low cycles of concentration
(2-3) may increase cycles with the addition of the ED 2000 system. Please call for specific details.
B. Replacement for Scale Inhibiting
Chemicals.
Should the customer desire to reduce its annual chemical expense the ED 2000 can reduce the scale inhibiting chemicals. It cannot however, be used as a biocidal treatment or solution for corrosion.
This may require an additional maintenance step to insure the precipitated minerals are removed from the system (this will be the lowest point in the system).
Regular System
Maintenance
§ Cycles of concentration may change even if the TDS set point is kept at the same setting. The ED 2000 system precipitates the dissolved mineral ions; therefore it will take longer for the concentration to reach the TDS set point. It is suggested that a chemical analysis of the chlorides (which are soluble even at very high concentrations) be measured in the make-up stream and the blowdown streams.
§ A regular inspection and cleaning of the cooling tower fill pans, baffles, basin; etc. is necessary to insure precipitated solids do not collect. A light cleaning may be required.
§ If the cooling system is used intermittently, the tower must be closely monitored and cleaned as necessary to avoid the settling of precipitated solids to form on fill pans. Once the system is started the shear from the flow velocity will remove any settling in the condenser tubes.
§ Spray nozzles used in evaporative condensers will no longer clog due to mineral precipitation, but a periodic check for other types of fouling should be done and a periodic cleaning recommended.
§ You will notice a soft sludge may accumulate in the water splash areas such as the edges of the baffles, water rims in fill pan, holding tanks and condenser tube sheets. (areas of low velocity) This can be removed through normal PM cleaning.
§ If this soft sludge is exposed to air and allowed to harden, removal will require a more intensive cleaning. This is especially true of equipment that is run intermittently. A more frequent inspection is required in these cases.
Initial Start-Up Guidelines
§ A system survey should be submitted to include the information listed in Operational Survey.
§ Prior to start-up a complete water analysis of the make-up water should be submitted.
§ Description of the balance of the water treatment program should be submitted (What type of biocide program, corrosion control or corrosion coupons, filtration etc.)
§ Contact name, phone, fax, or email address for the site.
YORK technician or facility technician
§ Depending on the water analysis the TDS set point will be initially set at 800-1200 micromhos (initial low setting)
§ Water analysis will be completed after system start-up for tower water.
§ TDS set point will be increased based on the water analysis submitted. This analysis will determine the current cycles of concentration based on the chlorides levels. Once that is determined, the set point can be increased based on office recommendations.
§ Weekly inspections of the tower sump should be performed. A periodic discharge of the sump should be maintained weekly and gradually extended based on the amount of sediment collected in the sump. In order to avoid this maintenance step there are a few options available:
§ A “tower filtration system” can be installed to stir the sediment and filter this though a “side-stream filtration system. There are several vendors that offer this service. For more information, please contact the office.
§ A timed discharge (not as a replacement for the TDS controlled blowdown) may be installed to purge the tower sump on a weekly basis.