Improvements in Cooling Water System Performance Using a Total Systems Management Approach

Several serious problems were encountered in three different cooling water systems during the commissioning of a new synthetic fuels complex in 1992. Fouling of heat exchangers with a silica sediment as well as cases of microbiological growth were found. These problems persisted and after the first year of operation serious corrosion damage, iron precipitation and microbiological fouling of carbon steel exchanger tubes were detected. At that point the need to change the cooling water management philosophy was realized and new tenders were invited for treatment of the systems The intent was to change from traditional reactive control to forward control using a high degree of automation. The emphasis was placed on buying a service which would provide agreed results for a fixed price based on cooling water system cycles of concentration. The paper reviews the dramatic improvements made since July 1994 in terms of corrosion control, fouling control, pH control, TDS/conductivity control and the control of microbiological species.