Cooling Water Systems

BASIC KNOWLEDGE
FOR
PT POLYCHEM INDONESIA
MERAK PLANT SITE

Cooling Water System Overview

Classification:
1. Open recirculating cooling water system
2. Closed recirculating cooling water system
3. Once through cooling water system
Function: to directly or indirectly cool chemical
products, process fluids, steel products, etc. etc.

Open Recirculating CW System

Equipment
An open recirculating cooling water system mainly
consists of:
Cooling tower
Heat exchangers
Pumps
Pipelines

Open Recirculating CW Systems

Evaporation
loss (E)
Windage
loss (W)
Return water
Air

Make-up
water (M)

Air

Process
fluid

P
Supply water
Blowdown water (B)

Closed Recirculating CW Systems

Cooling Tower Components

A wet evaporative cooling tower consists of:
Inlet water distribution system (header for
returning recirculating cooling water)
Tower Fill (for increasing water-air contact)
Basin (for collecting and retaining cooled water)
Drift Eliminators (for
removal of entrained droplets
from the air stream)
Louvers (for directing the
air flow)

Cooling Water System Problems

Corrosion
Scaling
Biofouling

Effects of corrosion, scaling and

biofouling
Problems in cooling water systems:

Corrosion

The corrosion process

Factors affecting corrosion
Corrosion inhibition

Corrosion
The corrosion cell

Anodic reaction:
Cathodic reactions:

Fe Fe2+ + 2eH2O + 1/2 O2 + 2e- 2OH2H+ + 2e- H2 (at low pH)

Corrosion
Corrosion inhibition (prevention)
Use corrosion resistant materials (SS)
Application of inert barriers (coatings)
Adjustment of water chemistry (pH, aggressive
ions, other parameters like alkalinity)
Application of chemical corrosion inhibitors
Anodic
Cathodic
Combination
Initial treatment

Corrosion Inhibitor
For Open Cooling Water System
Maintenance treatment with KURITA S-series:
KURITA S-6100
KURITA S-1030
Dosage 50 100 ppm continuously vs total blow
down

Corrosion Inhibitor
For Closed Cooling Water System

Maintenance treatment with KURILEX L-series:

KURILEX L-107
Dosage 800 ppm slug dose vs. water loss or
make up

Scaling

Factors affecting scaling

Types of scaling
Scaling inhibition

Scaling

Scaling occurs when concentrated salts in the

recirculating cooling water exceed their solubility
and precipitate in the water and deposit on
equipment in the cooling water system.

Scaling

Factors affecting scale formation:

pH
Temperature
Flow velocity in heat exchangers
Corrosion, fouling, microbial activity
TDS and SS

Scaling
Common scales:
Calcium carbonate, CaCO3
Calcium phosphate, Ca3(PO4)2
Magnesium silicate, MgSiO3

Uncommon scales:
Iron phosphate
Zinc phosphate
Calcium sulphate

Scaling

Calcium carbonate:
White scale
Inverse solubility with
temperature
depending of calcium
concentration, pH and alkalinity

Scaling
Calcium phosphate:
Yellowish scale
inverse solubility with
temperature
depending of pH, calcium and
orthophosphate
concentration

Scaling
Magnesium silicate:
Tenacious, glassy scale
Mixture with calcium silicate
depending of pH, magnesium (calcium) and silica
concentration

Scaling
Scaling inhibition (prevention)
Limit the concentration of critical ionic species
Reduce alkalinity and/or pH with acid
Alter system design or operation
- Increase flow velocity
- Design of heat exchanger (number of passes, water tubeside)
- Change metallurgy
- Reduce heat flux
Apply chemical scale inhibitors
(Multifunction KURITA S-series or single function KURITA T-series)

Biofouling
Micro-organisms found in
cooling water systems
Factors affecting microbial
control
Microbial control biocides
Oxidizing
Non-oxidizing

Biofouling

Biofouling is caused by the uncontrolled presence

and growth of bacteria, algae and fungi in the
cooling water system.

Biofouling

Biofouling
Factors affecting microbial growth:

Nutritional conditions

Physical conditions
-

Some need oxygen (aerobic),

some do not (anaerobic)

Optimum pH = 6.0 9.0

Optimum temperature = 38oC

Growth by dividing: 1 to 2, 2 to 4, 4 to 8, etc.

Generation time (time to reproduce) = 0.5 2 hours

Biofouling
Microbial control Biocides
1. Oxidizing biocides (chlorine compounds) for Open Cooling Water
System

POLYCRIN A-411 to maintain 0.5 1.0 ppm Cl2 during 3 4

hours/day

Sterilization by Oxidation of living-support compounds in

micro-organisms

2. Non-oxidizing biocides (non-chlorine compounds)

POLYCRIN A-491S for Open Cooling Water System ,

POLYCRIN A-496 + KURITA F-5210 for Closed Cooling Water
System & KURITA F-4900 for ASU Open Cooling Water System
with dosage range of 50 - 100 ppm vs holding water volume
per 2 weeks 1 month

Mainly purposed for controlling slime growth, accumulation

and adhesion

STANDARD CONTROL RANGE

Items
KURITA S-6100

Standard
(ppm)

50 100

pH

(at 25C)

7.0 ~ 8.5

Electrical conductivity

(S/cm)

<1,500

(ppm as CaCO3)

100 200

Silica

(ppm as SiO2)

Max. 150

Total phosphate

(ppm as PO43-)

35

Total iron

(ppm as Fe)

<2

Turbidity

(FTU)

<20

(ppm as Cl2)

0.5 ~ 1.0

mdd

15

(CFU)

103

Calcium hardness

Residual Chlorine
Corrosion Rate as Carbon Steel
Bacterial Count Test

STANDARD CONTROL RANGE

Items
KURITA S-1030

Standard
(ppm)

70 100

pH

(at 25C)

7.0 ~ 9.0

Electrical conductivity

(S/cm)

<4,000

(ppm as CaCO3)

150 300

(ppm as SiO2)

<180

(ppm as Cl- & SO42-)

<1,500

(ppm as PO43-)

57

Total iron

(ppm as Fe)

<2

Turbidity

(FTU)

<20

(ppm as Cl2)

0.5 1.0

mdd

15

(CFU)

103

Calcium hardness
Silica
Chloride + Sulphate
Total phosphate

Residual Chlorine
Corrosion Rate as Carbon Steel
Bacterial Count Test

STANDARD CONTROL RANGE

Items

Standard

If the calcium hardness only achieve below 150 ppm (ex.: 30 50

ppm), KURITA S-6000 additional, as zinc salt based chemical, is very
useful
KURITA S-1030
Calcium hardness

(ppm)

70 100

(ppm as CaCO3)

30 50

KURITA S-6000

(ppm)

30 ~ 60

Total phosphate

(ppm as PO43-)

57

(ppm as Zn)

6 ~ 12

Total zinc

STANDARD CONTROL RANGE

Items
KURILEX L-107

Standard
(ppm)

800

pH

(at 25C)

7.0 ~ 10.0

Electrical conductivity

(S/cm)

<2,500

(ppm as Cl-)

<100

Ammonium

(ppm as NH4)

<30

Total iron

(ppm as Fe)

<2

Turbidity

(FTU)

<20

Corrosion Rate as Carbon Steel

mdd

1.0

Corrosion Rate as Copper

mdd

1.0

(CFU)

103

Chloride

Bacterial Count Test

CALCULATION FORMULA
* KURITA S-6100
DAILY CONSUMPTION
= Dosage (mg/l or ppm) x TB (m3/h) x (1/1000) x 24 h/d
TB = Total blow down = E + B (m3/h)

* POLYCRIN A-411
DAILY CONSUMPTION
= Target R-Cl2 (mg/l or ppm) x R (m3/h) x (100/(%active chlorine)) x (1/1000) x 24 h/d
R = Recirculation rate (m3/h)

* KURITA F-4900, KURITA F-5210, POLYCRIN A-496, POLYCRIN A-491S

MONTHLY CONSUMPTION
= Dosage (mg/l or ppm) x HV (m3) x (1/1000) x (X/m)
HV = Holding volume (m3/h) (X/m) = X times slug dosing per 1 month

CALCULATION FORMULA
* KURILEX L-107
DAILY CONSUMPTION
= Dosage (mg/l or ppm) x TB (m3/h) x (1/1000) x 24 h/d
TB = Water loss/make up (m3/h)

Effects of corrosion, scaling and

biofouling
To avoid corrosion, scaling and bio(fouling):
The proper cooling water treatment should be
applied (inhibitors, biocides)
Dosage of cooling water treatment chemicals at
the specified concentration
The appropriate cooling water parameters
should be controlled within their specified
ranges
Process parameters should be controlled (flow
velocity, temperature, pressure)