Water Cooling

Minimizing White Rust in Galvanized

Cooling Systems
Startup passivation chemistry is critical to maximizing
the useful life of a new tower.

Galvanized coatings for cooling tower systems

January 9, 2020 — cooling towers, evaporator tube bundles and
others — have been used since the 1950s due to
their relatively low cost and long service life. The galvanizing process bonds
a layer of zinc metal to steel. When properly applied and passivated, the
zinc coating works as a non-permeable sacrificial anode to prevent
corrosion of the underlying steel structure. White rust, which is the
oxidation form of the zinc coating, shows up as white spots and bumps on a
galvanized surface (figure 1).

White rust is a combination of zinc carbonate and zinc hydroxide. It is

porous and generally does not protect the steel structure. More importantly,
corrosion of the underlying steel can become concentrated under the white
rust bumps, quickly developing into pitting corrosion. Left unchecked, leaks
can form in a tower basin in as little as two months.

The incidence of white rust damage to towers has increased dramatically

since the late 1980s. Environmental-discharge concerns have led to more
stringent regulations that reduce or eliminate the use of some effective
chemicals in both the galvanizing process and in water treatment programs.
For instance, chromate is the most effective treatment for passivating
galvanized coatings, but it has been eliminated as a water treatment option
and is restricted for galvanized manufacture. Other traditional treatments
such as molybdate, phosphate and zinc treatments also are restricted in
many communities.

As plants and other facilities attempt to minimize water volumes used in

cooling, the softening of makeup water has become more common because
it allows the cooling system to be run at higher cycles of concentration. This
minimizes water use. In addition, scale-inhibition chemistry has become
more effective. If over-applied, however, the scale inhibitors can attack
metal oxide passivation layers on the piping and tower construction. All of
these factors have contributed to an increase in white rust damage to new
galvanized tower systems.

Plant managers considering the purchase of a new cooling tower should

keep in mind the importance of consulting a water treatment representative
early in the selection process. Several factors should be considered before
choosing the tower’s construction materials, and the water treatment
provider can offer insights on how those selections and the planned water
treatment will interact. Factors to consider include:

Makeup Water Quality. A little hardness is beneficial to galvanized

coatings on steel.
Discharge Permits. Galvanized towers will always contribute some zinc
to the water discharge.
Water-Use Restrictions. Concentrating the cooling water to minimize
water use increases corrosive ions.
The Plant’s On-Site Chemical Preference. Acid usually is needed
during passivation.

FIGURE 1. White rust is a combination of zinc carbonate and zinc hydroxide. It is porous and
generally does not protect the steel structure. Here is shown in comparison to new and passivated
samples. Source: Association of Water Technologies

Most original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for cooling towers have

specific requirements for water quality in galvanized systems. While there
are slight differences, the guidelines generally fall into two categories
(figure 2).

If a facility will not be able to meet these requirements, management should

explore other construction materials options. Plastic, stainless steel,
concrete, wood and fiberglass can all be good alternatives. Higher upfront
costs need to be evaluated against operational and maintenance costs.

If a galvanized tower makes sense in your application, the startup

passivation chemistry is critical to maximizing the useful life of the new
tower. The following list is a guide for successful commissioning of a new
tower. Initial passivation will generally take 12 to 14 weeks, and it is
concluded once a dull gray passivated coating can be seen visually on the
galvanized metal. Waiting to start the passivation for even a week after
water circulation has been started likely will result in an incomplete
passivation, white rust and eventual leaks. For that reason, it is critical that
the galvanized steel passivation process described is started as soon as
water is first circulated through the system.

Clean the system to remove oils and dirt.

During the initial passivation phase, control the pH level between 6.5
and 8.0.
Ensure adequate water hardness during the passivation phase.
Following the initial system sterilization, the free chlorine must be
controlled below 1.0 mg/l.
Maintain phosphate concentration between 20 and 200 ppm,
depending on water chemistry and passivation speed desired.
Minimize and avoid a heat load during initial passivation if possible.

Clean the System. All new systems should be cleaned to remove oils and
construction dirt but avoid strong acid or alkaline cleaners. Phosphate- and
surfactant-based cleaners are recommended.
Control pH. During the initial passivation period, the cooling water pH
should be controlled between 6.5 and 8.0. This usually requires a pH-
controlled acid feed or an acid-based treatment chemical. If you do not have
real-time pH monitoring and control, however, do not feed acid. There is no
way to consistently control acid feed within safe parameters by daily
manual testing. Equipment damage can be severe and can happen within
hours. It is equally important that the real-time pH control system be
maintained in good working order and calibrated on a daily basis.

FIGURE 2. Most cooling tower OEMs have specific requirements for water quality in galvanized
systems. While there are slight differences, the guidelines generally fall into the two categories.

Maintain Water Hardness. Soft water prevents passivation of the galvanized

metals. A minimum of 50 to 100 mg/l of calcium hardness as CaCO3 is
required. If the system is designed for soft water, a hard water bypass should
be installed and regulated during the passivation period.

Control Free Chlorine. Following the initial sterilization of the new system
with biocides, the free chlorine needs to be controlled below 1.0 mg/l during
the passivation process. Spikes of free chlorine above 1.0 mg/l can remove
the passivation layer even if all the other chemistry is maintained correctly.
If a spike of free chlorine above 1.0 mg/l occurs during the passivation
process and lasts more than 4 hours, the passivation process should be
restarted.

Maintain Phosphate Concentration. Stabilized phosphate chemistry is

effective in promoting zinc passivation. The recommended phosphate
concentration can range from 20 to 200 ppm, depending on water chemistry
and the speed with which you are trying to achieve passivation. However,
careful hardness and alkalinity control are necessary if high phosphate
dosing is desired in order to prevent calcium phosphate deposition. The
suggested best practice is to maintain between 20 to 40 ppm of
orthophosphate in the circulating water for about 90 days. If the cooling
system runs seasonally, it is helpful to run a phosphate passivation program
for the entire first season.

Avoid a Heat Load If Possible. Passivation is best accomplished under

conditions of reduced heat load because evaporation from heat load can
concentrate corrosive ions and increase pH, creating the potential for
fouling. If heat load cannot be avoided during initial passivation, then the
risk of white rust will increase, especially for systems with moderate to high
makeup water alkalinity and dissolved solids. Operating at reduced cycles of
concentration during the passivation process can increase the likelihood of
a successful passivation.

Once a successful passivation has been conducted, there are more options
available with the water chemistry. Tower pH can be increased slowly if
necessary, but it never should exceed 9.0. Soft water also is acceptable as
long as a corrosion-inhibiting chemical program designed for white rust
prevention is used.

Regardless of the program used, proper control is important. Overfeed of

phosphonates and chelating polymers can remove the passivation from the
zinc, requiring a new passivation procedure to be run.
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