Cooling water treatment solutions

1. Cooling Water Treatment Solutions

2. Water Treatment Services is a leading independent UK environmental engineering company offering a comprehensive range of cooling water treatment and in-field engineering support solutions for cooling systems including evaporative condensers and cooling towers. Our treatment solutions for cooling systems including cooling towers address the common problems of corrosion, scaling, fouling and microbial contamination that can affect the safety, regulatory compliance and performance of cooling systems. Our water management services are delivered by in-field experts who use the latest high performance cooling water treatment products including biocides, chemical cleaners and antiscalants; commercial water softeners, equipment and data controllers to help reduce costs, enhance operational efficiency and reliability; extend asset lifecycles and improve safety and regulatory compliance issues, including the control of Legionella to satisfy the requirements of the Health & Safety Executives Approved Code of Practice ACOP L8 and HSG274. Expert cooling tower water treatment solutions Our expert water treatment services for cooling systems including evaporative condensers and cooling towers includes:

3. COOLING TOWER WATER TREATMENT & SERVICING • In-field cooling system and cooling tower water treatment, engineering support and maintenance services to control corrosion, scaling, fouling and microbial contamination including Legionella bacteria. • REGULATORY COMPLIANCE • Cooling system compliance solutions to meet the legal standards set in the HSE’s ACOP L8 and HSG274. • CHEMICALS & EQUIPMENT • We use high performance cooling water treatment products, commercial water softeners, and dosing and data control equipment to support our in-field services. • MONITORING & VALIDATION • Latest water analysis equipment to monitor and validate cooling system treatment programme performance. • LABORATORY TESTING • Water sampling and laboratory testing for Legionella bacteria, Pseudomonas and other important parameters. • ENERGY EFFICIENCY • Expert investigation and analysis to identify process improvement and energy efficiencies involving cooling towers, cooling systems, HVAC and heat transfer processes… energy efficiency →

4. Full national UK coverage With offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), supported by regional teams of specially trained engineers, in-field cooling water treatment specialists and technical experts we can offer professional, cost effective solutions for the management and continued treatment of open-recirculating cooling towers, closed-loops and once-through cooling systems across the whole of the UK and Ireland. Contact us today to learn how our expert cooling water treatment services, Legionella control, cooling tower engineering solutions can help you optimise costs and operational efficiencies, reduce downtime, achieve water and energy savings, increase plant reliability, and improve safety and regulatory compliance to meet the standards set by the HSE in their ACOP L8. To speak with one of our cooling water experts call us on 0330 223 31 31 or simply use the button below.

5. Cooling water treatment services Cooling systems, whether open-recirculating cooling towers, closed-loops or once-through systems are an essential component in many commercial, industrial and process environments where their primary purpose is to remove heat via a heat exchanger to water in a cooling system. The most common of these are recirculating systems that use either evaporative condensers or a cooling tower to dissipate heat. The use of water in this way is a highly cost effective, energy efficient means of heat transfer. Problems affecting water cooled systems If a cooling system or the water used within it is poorly maintained or left untreated it can lead to a number of common problems that will affect cost, performance, reliability and safety. The problems associated with poor cooling water treatment and system maintenance include corrosion, scaling, fouling and microbial contamination.

6. CORROSION • CORROSION • SCALING • FOULING • MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION Such problems can affect cooling performance, reduce heat transfer efficiencies, increase energy costs; reduce asset reliability and life-expectancy, and cause significant health, safety and regulatory compliance issues for the operators of such cooling systems. To combat these problems cooling systems and the water used within them requires suitable treatment often involving the use of specialist high performance water treatment chemicals.

7. Successful treatment of cooling systems Successful cooling system operation requires a holistic approach to the maintenance and protection of both the cooling system components and cooling waters against the detrimental effects of corrosion, scale formation, fouling and microbial contamination. A well-managed cooling tower water treatment programme will help optimise costs and operational efficiencies, reduce downtime, achieve water and energy savings, increase plant reliability, and improve safety and regulatory compliance. Water Treatment Services holistic approach to successful cooling system management involves control of the following issues: • CORROSION CONTROL Appropriate measures to control unwanted system corrosion caused by oxygen associated corrosion, galvanic corrosion and microbially influenced corrosion (MIC). • SCALE CONTROL Controlling the precipitation and accumulation of hardness scales on to heat exchange surfaces, pipe work and other internal surfaces.

8. CONTROL OF FOULING • Controlling system fouling to reduce blockages, improve heat transfer efficiencies, and maintain flow rates. • CONTROLLING MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION • Controlling microbial contamination and biofouling to ensure suitable standards of water hygiene and regulatory compliance are achieved. Controlling corrosion in cooling tower water systems The control of corrosion in cooling systems is essential as it can cause a number of serious problems. Corrosion of the metallic components within the system can lead to serious degradation issues, increased costs, reduced asset reliability and life-expectancy, and ultimately system failure. It can also impact heat transfer efficiencies which increases energy costs. Cooling water related corrosion can be caused by a number of factors that typically include oxygen associated corrosion, galvanic corrosion and microbially influenced corrosion (MIC). Where stainless steel exists chloride ions can also become an issue causing pitting corrosion. The relationship between corrosion and scaling potential in cooling waters can be predicted using the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI). The system should be kept clean and free from microbial contamination and fouling. A specialist cooling water corrosion inhibitor, selected to account for the system metallurgy and local water conditions should also be used.

9. Scale control in cooling water systems The formation of scale (sometimes called limescale) on heat exchanger surfaces and cooling tower packing can become a significant issue. If left untreated or treated incorrectly scale can build-up on surfaces and acts as an excellent insulator to reduce heat transfer efficiencies and constrict flow rates. It can also harbour dangerous pathogens including legionella bacteria, the causative organism for the potentially fatal condition Legionnaires’ disease. The scaling potential of the water source depends on the source water hardness, and occurs when calcium and magnesium salts precipitate out on to surfaces as a result of heat and increased concentration factor. The scaling potential can be predicted using the Langelier Index (LSI) and this can be used to develop an optimum cooling water treatment programme that balances both scale and corrosion considerations. To control scale formation in a typical cooling system the following water treatment activities should be considered.

10. Pre-filtration or clarification of the water to remove suspended solids present. • Cooling water treatment chemicals using specialist polymer dispersants to ensure suspended solids remain mobile. • Side stream filtration of to remove suspended solids and clean cooling circuit. • Periodic off-line cooling tower cleaning and disinfection. Microbial control, legionella & Legionnaires’ disease Microbial contamination of cooling systems, and in particular, cooling towers that use open evaporative cooling techniques should be considered a safety critical issue that requires careful management and control to ensure they are clean, well maintained and meet the compliance standards set in the Health & Safety Executives ACOP L8 and HSG274 Part 1 dealing with the control of Legionella bacteria and Legionnaires’ disease in evaporative cooling systems, including cooling towers. Cooling towers are known to present a particularly high Legionella risk as their mode of operation can create an ideal mechanism for the growth, proliferation and dispersal of Legionella bacteria over wide areas, now known to be at least 6km from the source cooling tower.

11. Did you know that cooling towers can spread Legionella bacteria over wide areas… at least 6km in some cases Controlling microbial contamination including Legionella in cooling towers requires a robust water treatment and Legionnaires’ disease control programme. This would typically include the preparation of detailed operation and maintenance procedures for the cooling tower together with a chemical water treatment programme involving the use of specialist cooling water treatment chemicals, dosing equipment and data controllers. Regular monitoring and testing will also be required to validate the success of the treatment programme, along with specialist laboratory tests for Legionella bacteria at least every three months. The cooling tower system will also require cleaning and disinfecting regularly.

12. Additionally, the Health & Safety Executive’s ACOP L8 requires that you: RESPONSIBLE PERSON Appoint a suitably competent person who has sufficient authority and knowledge of the water systems to ensure compliance with the law, referred to as the responsible person. LEGIONELLA RISK ASSESSMENT Carry out a legionella risk assessment to identify the risks. WRITTEN SCHEME Prepare a written scheme for preventing or controlling the risks from legionella and Legionnaires’ disease. LEGIONELLA CONTROL Implement, manage and monitor the legionella control measures required. RECORD KEEPING Keep records of all the legionella control measures implemented and performance results.

13. Cooling water treatment training The industrial and process water treatment specialists at Water Treatment Services have developed an extensive series of professional water and wastewater treatment training courses that includes WTS 0050 “Cooling Water Treatment & Evaporative Cooling Systems”. This specialist water treatment training course comprises an intensive one day course designed for plant operators, water treatment service engineers, facilities managers, maintenance and engineering contractors, and those with responsibility for commercial and industrial cooling towers and other cooling systems… training → Expert cooling water treatment services & support Contact Water Treatment Services today to discuss your cooling tower water treatment requirements. We can provide expert advice and support regarding the management and treatment of open-recirculating cooling towers, closed-loops and once-through cooling systems. With offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), supported by regional teams of specially trained engineers, in-field water treatment specialists and technical experts we can offer reliable, cost effective water treatment and engineering support services throughout the UK and Ireland. Contact us today for more information or for your FREE, no obligation quote.