AT-96-05-2 -- Alternative Cooling Tower Water Treatment Methods PDF

The factors that contribute to proper water balance include total alkalinity, calcium hardness, and pH. In order to keep the cooling tower from scaling or corroding, a manipulation of these components is often necessary. This has traditionally been achieved with the use of chemicals, including but not limited to the following - acid, soda ash, sodium bicarbonate, calcium bicarbonate, algicide, and bactericide. Extensive research has shown that a balanced water system can also be achieved by using the proper combination of copper with a known halogen. Microbiologists have determined that a small amount of copper, acting as a supplement to chlorine at 0.4ppm, has the same efficiency as 2.0ppm free chlorine. Therefore, by using the following combination of components and procedures, the desired results can still be achieved - Production of copper compound ions as a supplement to the chemical regimen, analysis and manipulation of make-up water, the use of copper as a coagulant for reduction of scale, copper as a supplement bacterial disinfectant, and copper as an algicide.

KEYWORDS: year 1996, cooling towers, water treatment, disinfecting, copper, inhibitors, corrosion, scaling, halogens, chlorine compounds, ionisation