Stream cleaning for specific foulants in open recirculating cooling water systems

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1971 · NACE western reg. conf paper; (United States)

OSTI ID:5488257

Sexsmith, D R; Petrey, E Q

Together with corrosion, fouling is the most predominant problem in open recirculating cooling water systems. There are basically 5 different types of fouling deposits which form in cooling water systems, as follows: (1) inorganic scale deposits arising from the mineral content of the makeup water; (2) iron salts and oxides consisting of corrosion products from active corrosion sites in the system, or iron in the makeup water; (3) suspended solids which may come in the makeup water or may be scrubbed from the air by the cooling water in the towers; (4) biological growth due to algae, fungi, and bacteria in the system; and (5) organic fouling due to process leaks such as oil. When any of the above named foulants are present in a recirculating water system, several conditions may result which include decreased heat transfer, restriction of usable cross-sectional tube area, under-deposit corrosion, increased down-time, and possible ultimate loss of equipment. Utilizing 8 case histories, it is shown that it is now possible to clean cooling water systems onstream without shutting down plant operations. Once the systems are clean, they can be maintained in a clean condition by the use of modern dispersants along with a good corrosion control program.

• Research Organization: Drew Chemical Corp
• OSTI ID: 5488257
• Journal Information: NACE western reg. conf paper; (United States), Vol. 33
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
COOLING SYSTEMS
SCALE CONTROL
BACTERIA
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM SULFATES
CLEANING
CONTROL
COOLING
COOLING PONDS
CORROSION
CORROSION INHIBITORS
FOULING
IRON OXIDES
PURIFICATION
WATER
WATER TREATMENT
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IRON COMPOUNDS
MICROORGANISMS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PONDS
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE WATERS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
WATER RESERVOIRS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production