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Cooling System Water Management
There are two very basic objectives for any cooling water
treatment program: maintaining system efficiency
and prolonging system life. Toward these
ends, effective cooling water treatment programs must:
1. Control Biological Activity
Evidence of biological activity in a cooling system is easily
detected, as a slimy film develops inside pipes, on cooling
tower basins and fill, and on heat exchange surfaces. Manufacturers
of heat exchange equipment and professional groups such
as ASHRAE agree that a minimal fouling factor of .001 can
result in a loss of efficiency of as much as 10%.
The Finnegan-Reztek ozone water treatment program eliminates
such deposits through complete oxidation. Viable micro-organisms
are eliminated by ozone's ability to rupture cell walls
and digest the organic residue. Existing organic deposits
are also oxidized and eliminated in the same manner.
2. Prevent Scale Formation
Scale is a buildup of mineral deposits which precipitate
out from the water and adhere to sticky, biologically coated
metal surfaces. Scale buildup robs system efficiency and
increases the risk of accelerated under deposit corrosion.
Finnegan-Reztek ozone water treatment prevents scale buildup,
and removes existing deposits by oxidizing the biological
"glue" which binds deposits together and to metal
surfaces.
3. Inhibit Corrosion of System Metals
Corrosion occurs as a general thinning of metal surfaces
due to oxidation, or as a focused area of metal decay due
to biological or electrical activity under deposits. The
result in each case is a loss of structural integrity in
a cooling system. Corrosion is accelerated in an acidic
environment, and proliferates beneath biological and mineral
deposits.
With the elimination of biological and mineral deposits,
the Finnegan-Reztek program automatically reduces the potential
for under deposit corrosion. As the pH of the water treated
by Finnegan-Reztek tends to buffer in the alkaline range,
general corrosion caused by acid water is also reduced.
As an added benefit, ozone will cause a rapid oxidation
of outermost metal surface, hardening it into a layer of
Ferroso-Ferric Oxide, or Magnetite.
Useful Links
EPA: Legionella: Human Health Criteria Document (PDF )
National Small Flows Clearinghouse: Ozone Fact Sheet (PDF)
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